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

See all articles by Rohan Price

Rohan Price

University of Tasmania - Faculty of Law; Dalian Maritime University Law School

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

Price, Rohan B.E., Chinese Factory Deaths and Low Wages: Who is to Blame and How to Fix the Problems (November 15, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1709315 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1709315

Rohan B.E. Price (Contact Author)

University of Tasmania - Faculty of Law ( email )

Private Bag 89
Hobart, TAS 7001
Australia

HOME PAGE: http://www.utas.edu.au/law/people/law-people-profiles/Rohan-Price

Dalian Maritime University Law School ( email )

1 Linghai Road
Dalian, 116026
China

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