Chinese Factory Deaths and Low Wages: Who is to Blame and How to Fix the Problems
Posted: 15 Nov 2010 Last revised: 21 Oct 2013
Date Written: November 15, 2010
Abstract
Chinese factory workers accept a huge occupational health and safety sacrifice on behalf of the Western world. It is contended that the 'no choice is a choice' argument – i.e. if Chinese manufacturing workers did not make electronics for low wages then workers in Vietnam or India would instead do so – ignores one of consumerism’s own truisms, namely, that a moral reason is as good as any other to buy something and that if a decision to consume ethically requires a price premium then so be it. After the highly publicized Foxconn (Hon Hai) suicides in 2010, knowledge of consumers of low wages and substandard working conditions in China’s electronics manufacturing industry is much greater. How can this awareness translate into moral considerations becoming more prevalent in buying a phone or widescreen TV? It is argued that a Fair Trade solution is needed for high-end Chinese-made electronics products.
Keywords: OHS Law, China, electronics manufacturing, consumerism, Foxconn suicides
JEL Classification: D1, E2, L63
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation