Re:Tech giants sued over deaths of children who mine cobalt
by yters on Wednesday December 18, 2019 @01:52PM
(#21827958)
Yes, there is no inherent problem with child labor, especially if parents are involved and the companies are committed to ethical treatment of their workers. Many children today perform chores around the house, and in more agriculture societies help on the farm or in the family shop.
Re:Tech giants sued over deaths of children who mine cobalt
by celticmusic on Wednesday December 18, 2019 @02:09PM
(#21828148)
This is a discussion about child labor that is resulting in their deaths.
In the case of rubber the big companies do provide better jobs for the families they employ than anything else, ensure the family gets modern medical care (as opposed to "witch doctor" care anyone not working for them gets), and the children do go to school and so have the ability to get a better job latter. The companies looks the other way in harvest season then families are taking their kids with them to work, so long as the kids are in school. Child labor for sure, but you can honestly argue that the children are better off despite that.
You can decide if you accept that as better or not, but it is a reasonable argument that child labor isn't always the worst possible.
Sadly I don't think in the case of cobalt the above applies.