Is it right that western companies should trade ethically.

June 24, 2008 7:44am CST
A documentary broadcast on BBC1 here in the UK last night showed how a large and highly profitable retail chain called Primark gained its clothes and textiles from the inadvertant exploitation of children. What I mean by 'inadvertant' is that the manufacturer it used to produce its merchandise in India, subcontracted the labour out to children. That means the large Irish based retail comany, Primark was ignorant of the fact. When Primark was confronted with the exploitation of children by its suplyer, by a Panarama journalist, it immediately withdrew business from it. By withdrawing their business it is thought that the children employed to manufacture Primark's merchandise will starve. Some economists argued on a follow up radio chat show on the issue that the children were crucial to families' economies. But a journalist with first hand investigative experience of the issue countered by saying that most of the children are what is termed 'bonded labour'. In other words the children are sold by their families into slavery where they are allegadly beaten with sticks and sexually abused. With this all borne in mind, was Primark right to withdraw their busines with the manufacturer exploiting these kids, or should the West just leave them alone to get on with it since it is their business what they do in their own country.
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