While it remains taboo in America due to the sordid history of racial oppression that this country has marring it’s squeaky clean image. In many other parts of the world (especially developing countries) it remains a major source of labor.
America has, perhaps, been living in a bubble due to the rapid economic growth it has experienced and all the luxuries of the “American life”, but recently CNN.com revealed a shocking secret that probably shocked many Americans:
Forced labor has been fueling development in “3rd world countries”.
People are protesting this pheonomenon, but does America really have the right to judge? After all, isn’t it this same abomination that built America to what it has become today? Would policing these practices serve to hinder growth and progress in other countries, leaving America with the continual burden of being the world’s supplier? Could this be seen as a monopolization of major industries?
Considering that the countries in question are not as technologically and structurally advanced as the U.S. has become, should we encourage them to use whatever means are at their disposal even if those means just happen to be slavery? or should we intervene, and teach them our ways of doing business (whether or not they can even speak our language) and perhaps provide them with supplies.
The following countries are cited as using forced labor practices:
India Thailand Brazil Bangladesh China Jordan Malaysia and Pakistan
Is it time for us to clue Africa in on the secret of economic growth?
…or do they already know? I have witnessed indentured servitude in Africa, first-hand. So, I’m guessing they already know. I think it is mass enslavement, that they are talking about in the article, going on in these other developing countries that is the focus of the current controversies. So, Africa is still behind the times when it comes to this economic trend.