Sujatha writes,
This isn’t the first case of such bonded labor coming to light, and won’t be the last either. Child labor is the not-so-secret dirty underbelly of the labor scene in India and will continue to remain so, so long as unscrupulous business people try to deliver cut-rate goods.
I have no disagreement with the first part of the statement. What may be wrong with the second part?
Dr Atanu Dey has already spoken. Anything I add will be redundant.
Filed under: Public Policy
Confused:
See Sujatha’s comment in reply to the same objection raised by a reader.
Most adults are stupid, thatz why they hire kids.
R
I would be the least bit interested in understanding Dr Atanu Dey’s take on this critical issue. I would rather read your point of view…
Most adults are shamelessly sex-starved. Most adults generate children so that they could stay back at home and indulge in lotus-eating. Most adults are timid by nature and have no courage to face different temperaments of life. Most adults selfish, mean by tendency, they exploit children’s vulnerability and abuse/harass them endlessly.
And the Govt is crammed with corrupt politicians, swindlers, who do not make any attempt to uplift the status in the lower strata.But they need Adults to generate more heads for their vote banks
Ruchira,
Thanks. I will address it there.
Barb,
Hmmm
Jyo,
My point is fairly simple. It exists because of endemic poverty in the society. Banning child labor wont change a thing without economic changes. Yes, use the law against bonded labor which by its nature is bonded. Child labor on the other hand in most cases is a voluntary economic transaction; unless better alternatives exist starting right from good schools for the poor, merely banning it would harm the poor.
….Child labor, on the other hand, in most cases is a voluntary economic transaction….
thank you R. yes,
These so-called “Semi-skilled or skilled children”{I do not prefer to use the term “laborer” to this sea of wide-eyed cherubic souls, little limbs, big smiles…. . Adults churn out laborers from them), are from families in lower strata of the society, whose parents cannot even afford the necessities like “three square meals a day”. Working in the factories, manufacturing facilities of well-known MNCs, transnationals from developed economies from the wild western world is relatively a far better option for these children, as they can acquire certain skills, a little experience can go a long, long way, as against being a vulnerable component in street begging, petty crimes, and child prostitution.
They, at least, get some kind of identity, continuous supply of food to their little stomachs and something to wear over those fragile tender shoulders. They just need a few rupees, a few torn T-shirts and a few kind words and sensitive parents/owners/employers. They do not demand absurd, ridiculous leaps into the imagination like most of us, grown-ups.
Instead of flinching away from so-termed discouraging practices of work styles in BRIC economies, I feel, these MNC brands/firms should see them as “The hard realities of life”, and try to create better work environments, education/entertainment facilities for these children post-work, and should motivate their suppliers to be kind and encouraging to these fresh buds. Such benchmarking efforts by MNC, if they are implemented and talked about widely, may shake things up at the corridors of nonchalant politicians and bureaucrats in our country, like a flurry of earthquakes spewing large clouds of steam and ash. …
how about creating projects like GAP little scholars, ShivKashi little dreams, Mirzapur little Craftsmen…….