Chapter 6 Critical Thinking Case Essay

When one hears the term “Child Labor”, an image of children making low quality clothing in some dingy third world sweatshop inevitably comes to mind. While this imagery is unfortunately founded in fact, the third world is not the only area complicit with this heinous practice. Truthfully, we, as a nation are also guilty of propagating this heinous practice. For over a century, this nation’s youth were subjugated to exploitation and abuse at the hands of captains of industry in the hopes of extracting every ounce of profit they could. Fortunately, sympathetic individuals recognized the children’s need for advocacy and rose to their defense in the form of organized dissent that appealed to the highest powers of this country to fight for those who could not fight for themselves. In this paper, we will look at what exactly child labor is, the circumstances that gave rise to the widespread acceptance of child labor usage, what working condition these children experienced, and how the United States eventually made its use illegal.

Child labor is the use of children in industry or business, that can deprive them from their childhood, keep them away from attending school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful. This practice have numerous occurrences all through history and is one of the worst forms of child exploitation, particularly, with during the industrial revolution. Over the years it has grown to become one of the many serious social issues around the world. According to statistics provided by UNICEF, there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 years employed in child labor worldwide and this figure is continuously increasing. Even with the standardized federal labor laws in effect in 1938 not a lot has changed. Child labor not only causes damage to a child’s physical and mental health but also keep him deprive them from their basic rights to education, childhood, and freedom. Child labor has very bad effects on the society that can result to consequences that can exploit the future generation.

While it is ideal to have free trade, which is trade without any restrictions upon it, it is not that simple. Instead, there are tariffs and quotas that prevent free trade. Tariffs are taxes on imports, and quotas are a limit on the quantity of a good that can be imported during a given time period. Tariffs and quotas exist because governments may prefer that their products be sold nationally more than another country’s products to help their own economy. Their own economy is helped because more jobs can be given to that country’s workers instead of another country’s workers. While quotas and tariffs may help boost a country’s economy, free trade allows for reduced prices, less inefficiencies, and increased consumption worldwide. With tariffs, the supply curve remains level as the price level never changes due to the extra-tax upon imported items. It should be

Investopedia.com states, “free trade is the economic policy of not discriminating against imports from and exports to foreign jurisdictions. (Buyers and sellers from separate economies may voluntarily trade without the domestic government applying tariffs, quotas, subsidies or prohibitions on their goods or services.)” In the previous decade, one of the many controversial subjects in the Canadian economy included whether or not it was beneficial for our federal government to eradicate free trade or open it up to other nations. During my research, I discovered that free trade agreements between Canada and other nations were not as beneficial as they may have seemed for they were often business and market oriented.

When the United States passed the bill that banned the importation of goods made by child labor, Americans thought that it was a victory for children in third world countries. What Americans neglected to consider was the possible negative side effects that the children were to face. Due to the ban, millions of children have lost their jobs and have been left to starve. Prohibiting theses imported materials is not an effective way to make the lives of working children better. When confronting the controversial issue of child labor, one needs to step into the shoes of the children, diminish child labor stereotypes, and focus on regulations and goals to improve working conditions.

Child labor is very demanding throughout many countries around the world, especially those were the economic status is not doing so well at the time. As in the United States there are some very strict laws and guidelines that the employers has to follow or they will get fined. The fines that the company may get are not cheap and increase each time they violate the law. As in fines, if the employers violates these laws that are put into place to protect children then can either get fined or even imprisonment if the Justice Department sees fit to do so. These laws and guidelines will help the individual child themselves, the economy and society down the road later on. In this paper we will see what child labor is, some laws that protect the

Economist have been debating between free trade and protectionism for decades. This debate has been most recently reiterated through President Donald Trump’s announcement that his administration would be taking steps to limit free trade in the United States. The opinion piece “Beware the Trump Trade Trap” by Liz Mair, argues that free trade is positively linked to a country’s prosperity, although most of the population may disagree with this. Mair argues that protectionism would limit consumption, however, it is important to also expand upon these ideas and to remember that free trade encourages prosperity, comparative advantage, and improves economic growth.

Free trade provides opportunity, it provides growth, and it provides struggling nations a chance. With free trade, markets open across national borders and the consumer ultimately benefits from higher quality goods at fair market prices. The producers of such goods now have larger markets to sell to allowing for the opportunity at increased sales, giving the consumer a greater variety of goods that can more individually meet specific demands. Free trade implementation to the United States foreign policy is a developing and revolutionary mindset that will bring prosperity to all parties involved. The United States will benefit from free trade because the market to purchase U.S. made goods and services will increase dramatically

While many see free trade beneficial not only to America, but to all nations as well, others would argue that the entire concept of free trade is now a major misconception. What has become commonplace in the U.S. economy is now “tradition” enough to discourage the very thought of disagreeing with free trade. The incorporation of this government deal has long since been a part of history, making it hard for one to plea the case of operating otherwise. Whether viewed as good or bad, analyzing and recognizing the various factors of free trade only serves as a fundamental measure in strengthening the argument.

Trade is something crucial to economic success in any country. The less difficult trade between two nations is, the easier both can benefit as nations, but the individuals of the nation benefit as well as there is easy access to foreign products. Most notable for most people here in the U.S. is NAFTA, which is the agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. However, there is a large division on whether or not free trade is more harmful than it is good, and that protectionism is the way to go. In fact, the current president-elect Donald Trump is for limiting free trade and installing large restrictions in the form of tariffs and outsourcing costs to protect America, and is part of his plan to "Make America Great Again." Free trade is a more intelligent decision as there are a lot more benefits of free trade compared to protectionism including individual benefits and economic improvement.

The mechanism that first comes to mind when you think of free trade is the exchange of goods from one country to another. Although this may be true, but the free trade agreement allows international trade without any restrictions. Some US citizens don’t support free trade, however, it does have its ups and downs. Households have benefited from free trade in many ways. I believe that US citizens could make the same products that any other country. On the up, side it’s noble to have a free trade agreement since the US can use the resources they have there to trade to a country with their needed resources.

We as people do not all live by the same moral principles since we originate from different societies and practice different moral beliefs and practices. Therefore, this scenario exemplifies moral relativism. The members of the groups are against the child labor which relates to the moral relativism. In certain societies the officially permitted working age is required by law for an individual to work. Some positions forbidden even for those who are of age. This is due to the nature of the profession and the amount of risk the child may be in while completing work for the position. Many societies approve of children working in certain hazardous positions due to their way of living. Less fortunate countries usually have more children working

Trade freedom is a highly important factor in determining economic freedom and wealth. No one single country has the resources required to sustain the current standards of living in developed or developing nations. Trade requires specialization according to a country’s comparative advantage. Specialization allows the most efficient and effective use of a country’s scarce resources, whether that be natural resources or labor resources. The Index shows the economic benefits of specialization and trade.

Free Trade is the concept we use when referring to selling of products between countries without tariffs, fees, or trade barriers. Free Trade simply is the absence of government interference or numerous restrictions, which has been labeled as laissez fair economics. Free Trade grants easier access to goods and services, promote faster growth for the economy, and also allows for the outsourcing of production of goods, which hurts the economy. Many believe that the free trade hurts developed countries and nations, due to the loss of jobs by international competition and can reduce the country’s GDP. Overall, free trade agreement with other countries can save time and money and increase participating countries economy.

”Free trade policies have created a level of competition in today's open market that engenders continual innovation and leads to better products, better-paying jobs, new markets, and increased savings and investment” (Denise Froning). Though Free trade plays a huge role in the economy today because of what and where it is used. Free trade allows for traders to trade across national boundaries and other countries without government interference. Meaning that traders have very few regulations that allow for them to do this without the government intervening. Free trade makes things for traders much easier and also allows for many more jobs in the US, such as exporting jobs, or jobs in the auto industry and plants. Though there are many