Category: Child Labour

1.Identifying the ethical Problem

The problem here is that Vietnam has hired young children to manufacture Nike merchandise, which is an ethical predicament for Nike because they don’t tolerate any type of child labour.

2. Examining the facts (Do info)

In this stage we get to determine the type as well as the extents of the situation by gathering information that will help resolve the situation at hand.

Contact and consult a group of stakeholders to help deal with the ethical issue at hand is the United Nations, UNICEF and Save the Children, youth organisations, churches, academic specialists, the Vietnam government (the children ombudsman or the national human rights commissions). businesses who advocate for children’s rights, caregivers as well as children who are strong activists of their peers. Their help is to create a process where an interaction will be formed so Nike can be assisted on how to handle children’s rights.

Individuals and groups that have a stake in this outcome is the families as well as their children of Vietnam as their rights are to be considered with by Nike and the mentioned stakeholders, whereas they encourage businesses to fight for the rights of children. 80% of weight is to be given to the interest of these children in terms of their certain needs, skills as well as their rights. While 20% is to be given to the businesses and stakeholders who show professional obligation to stand for the interests of these children.

Vietnam had placed a five-year program that would reduce child labour in the country by the Prime Minister in 2016, which focused on avoiding ethical predicaments while reducing the child labour in the country as they discover and help these child labourers and other helpless children with gaining access to chances for development. Understandably with Nike, Vietnam’s economy and the children’s family get a stake out of the outcome of the commodities being manufactured at the factory by the underaged children on their expenses.

A huge amount of weight of interest that should be set out is for these young children by the government and other stakeholders that advocate for children’s rights.

3. Creating an alternative

Potential courses of action

Put out projects that would help the underaged children. Understand how ease the risks of Child Labour. Create life-long relationships with the communities. Show commitment to the community. Show social interest to the community.

The above proposed actions are abiding to the CSR values where Nike cares for human rights as well as rejecting any form of child labour connecting to their brand. When it comes to ethical behavior, Nike respects human rights in their operations and ranging with their value chain plus steering the business ethically and sustainably. As a global organization Nike follows the laws of every country there are operating in.

Vietnam being a country that allows children over the age of 15 to work as well as to engage in the economic activities of the country and Nike being the total opposite by not tolerating child labour because they are an organization that is for human rights and precisely forbids the use of child labour in services contracted in the manufacturing of Nike products (https://purpose.nike.com/human-rights), and the organisations code of conduct has an age restriction of 15 years and 16 years of age in developing countries, so it goes to be apparent that the international agreements aren’t being rejected because Nike’s code of conduct exceeds those of the International Labour Organisation, an organization that regulates in every country which partake in child labour. Studying every single action that has been proposed, they are all acceptable and in agreement with Nike’s policy as they are committed to the core labour rights of children.

Evaluating each proposed action to assess its consistency with accepted ethical standards

The most functional proposed action is the one where Nike will be setting out projects that will help children in going to school and having a fair share of a normal child’s life. The action that respects the rights of everyone involved is the one where Nike looks out for the human rights of the children and its stakeholders as they cater to the welfare of the children. The most fair action for everyone, is the action that Nike has set to create long-lasting relationship with the community as well as the stakeholders. An action for common good is the one where Nike is determined to educate everyone involved about the risks of child labour. An action that shows virtue that has values, is the one where Nike wants to set its social interests to be clear to every individual intricated or is on Nike’s side on reducing the ethical predicaments of child labour.

In order to reach our goal to attain the best results, we can count on the help of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) to help in educating the community and other stakeholders affected by this ethical predicament on what Child Labour is, context of Child Labour in Vietnam and the legislation on Child Labour, with that they will assist in creating insightful options. The decision that will be made is to be considered to the children’s rights and it will help with resolving the ethical predicament and this is a decision that could be comfortable with everyone involved as it could definitely be defended on television.

4. Implementing the course of action

Put out projects that would help the underaged children by offering them a chance at a normal life which includes giving them education opportunities, provide their families with some help in alleviating their households in means of income and livings. Give understanding on how Nike as an organization and its stakeholders can ease the risks or in any ways to take on any given opportunity to improve the rights of children. As an organization that strive to put human rights at the fore front, Nike is to guarantee that children in Vietnam are to be considered as stakeholders in addition to showing commitment to them that as Nike we take their welfare seriously. As an organization that strive to put human rights at the fore front, Nike is to guarantee that children in Vietnam are to be considered as stakeholders in addition to showing commitment to them that as Nike we take their welfare seriously. Nike is to pursue a social interest so that it remains clear to the communities of Vietnam.

5. Evaluate

The way that the courses of turned out was that the projects that were panned out were able to help Nike to get the necessary support for children over the aged of 16 or older in other countries to acquire at least a job-related training form of education. Nike was able to get more people involved to advocate for the rights of children to not be made to work a very young age where their mental and physical development should come as a priority as an ethical biding organization. Bike and its stakeholders were able to prioritize their commitment to the welfare of the children and respect their human rights as well as to invest in them to get proper education. The social interest that was proposed to the community, as Nike we were able to get to an agreement with the stakeholders and the community of Vietnam as well as the manufacturer that manufactures Nikes’ products to rehire the underaged children only when they reach 16 years of age and only part-time and away from any hazardous working conditions.

Reference list

1. Library of Congress. (2016). Vietnam: Five-Year Program to Reduce Child Labor. Available at: https://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/vietnam-five-year-program-to-reduce-child-labor/ [Accessed on: 02 September, 2020].
2. Nike. (n.d.). Human Rights and Labor Compliance Standards. Available at: https://purpose.nike.com/human-rights . [Accessed on: 01 September, 2020].
3. Tamer Cavusgil, S. Knight, G. Riesenberger, J.R. (2012). International Business: The New Realities. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Pearson.
4. Unicef. (2014). Engaging stakeholders on children’s rights: A tool for companies,1st ed. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/csr/css/Stakeholder_Engagement_on_Childrens_Rights_021014.pdf . [Accessed on: 08 September, 2020].

Do you have the experience of making a living at a very young age? Are you frustrated because you should study in school instead of in the workplace? Did you know that all children have the right to go to school and study, no matter who they are, where they live, and how much money the family has? Child labor refers to exploiting children in any form, depriving them of their childhood, hindering their ability to attend regular schools, and performing work that is harmful to the mind, body, society, and morals.

The cause of the problem is poverty and lack of education. Children are forced to feed their families rather than go to school. Going to school is not their priority because the family cannot afford the tuition. Poverty is considered the most important reason, depriving children of their studies and skills. The poor child has no skills when he grows up, and his salary is very low when he grows up.

Child labor deprives a normal childhood, proper education, and opportunities for physical and mental health. Hazardous physical and mental work can interfere with school education and long-term development. The worst forms include slavery, trafficking, sexual exploitation, and hazardous work, which can cause death, injury, and illness to children at risk.

Child labor is a social problem that society has faced for decades. One of the keys to preventing this problem is better education. Education is the process of facilitating learning or acquiring knowledge, skills, values, ethics, beliefs, and habits. It can take place in a formal or informal setting, and any experience that has an impact on people’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors can be considered educational. Parents are responsible for finding better jobs to meet the needs of their children. There are many good ways to make money, and education is one of your obligations to your children. Becoming a parent is a sacrifice, but if you see your children finish their studies and realize their dreams, you will feel very happy. The important thing is to receive a better education to help us grow and become better Internet users, which no one can get rid of. Adults must teach young people to understand their rights to ensure their safety and understand their own personal safety restrictions.

In order to understand the rights of children, there must be early plans and community plans that can help them. We all know that education can alleviate poverty and stop the cycle of child labor. This is why we have free education and everyone has the opportunity to learn. The government must increase support for children’s education and livelihood plans for families at risk or engaged in child labor. This step can indeed help stop the cycle of poverty and child labor. They should generate the lowest family income, and parents will ban their children on the street or sell them to survive. If we can help these families to get out of poverty and obtain a stable monetary income, many children will not have to work in these conditions. However, we must consider that the government will be the government that supports the system, and they may not be enthusiastic about supporting this idea, especially in developing countries.

In summary, the relationship between education and child labor is the negative impact of child labor in schools. Child labor deprives all children of the opportunity to learn and enjoy childhood. To stop this problem, parents must support their children’s education and the government must increase the rights of every child, especially their right to education. Children are the future of our world and their knowledge will make our world full of vitality and prosperity.

I wonder how many of us really know what goes into making Samsung’s new slimmer tablet or Apple’s newest iPhone? The answer is the mining of rare earth minerals without which none of these devices can work. The unsettling truth about how these minerals are mined is probably not what you want to hear, but it has been kept under wraps for long enough. Hello my name is Elizabeth Shaw, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here at the ‘Future of Technology Conference 2017’. There is great hope in front of me here; there is great excitement in the room for the future of our industry. But it must be an industry of which we are proud; one that is sustainable; an industry that exercises corporate, social and moral responsibility.

Today, I am here to expose the ethically abhorrent practices of rare earth mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Northern China before I call on everyone in this room to take action against the abuses within our industry.

The treatment of rare earth miners in the Congo is immoral, it is unjust and it cannot go on. In the DRC rare earth miners work 12 hours a day with their bare hands in search of the tantalum, cobalt and tungsten for our iPhones. Their payment for a gruelling day’s work: $5, a sharp contrast to the $500, $800 or $1000 you and I paid for our precious “space grey” smartphones. They have no safety equipment. They haul the minerals on their backs, all under the eyes of the foreman constantly urging them to work harder, faster, longer, often using violence to do so.

But then there is the issue that lies beneath the surface: the hidden child labour. The hidden child labour that Apple, Samsung and HP are quite happy to keep just where it is: deep, deep in the Luwow mine. A mine where children as young as 10, that’s right just 10 years old slave away in brutal conditions day in and day out to support their families. Do we really want to be responsible for contributing to child labour? No, we don’t. While we are casually swiping, scrolling and taking selfies, approximately 40,000 children – according to UNICEF – are working in unregulated, unsafe mines to support an industry that ransacks resource-rich land. Local communities gain nothing from this.

I know what you’re thinking: “But Apple couldn’t possibly support such horrific treatment”, “If Samsung knew what was happening they would have nothing to do with it”.

Well they do know and they have stated they will continue to source from the DRC as long as it adheres to their code of treating workers with dignity and respect. Well my question to Apple and Samsung and to all of you here today is where is the dignity in underpaid miners digging for these minerals with their bare hands? Where is the respect in forcing men and children to work in poorly supported tunnels? The practices of rare earth mining are morally bereft. Not only does the industry mistreat its workers, but it also has significant and deadly repercussions for the environment and local people.

Let’s look at China. Baotou is the world’s largest supplier of rare earth minerals: it is a toxic nightmare. The once green, productive, farming village, has been replaced by a vast pond of toxins containing radiation, acids, heavy metals and radioactive material. The mine’s effect on surrounding communities — catastrophic. The toxic pond does not have a proper lining meaning the poisonous sludge has been seeping into the village drinking water for 20 years. Wang Jianguo is a 43 year old farmer, his health is destroyed and his livelihood with it. The encroaching toxins have taken his crops, his livestock and the lives of seven of his friends. The local people aren’t working at the mine, being paid by the mine or have any connection to it, yet they are dying of cancer, suffering from diabetes, battling debilitating osteoporosis and choking from chest problems because of their geographical closeness to a hideous pile of sludge. This is such a stark contrast to the gleaming, white, Apple stores we are used to. Tech companies have made sure the black sludge doesn’t creep anywhere near their shop fronts.

While the likes of Apple, Samsung and Vodafone are slow to act on this issue, the Arts industry is already weighing in. The Brisbane Festival’s key show in 2015 was a re-telling of Verdi’s Macbeth through the lens of the conflict in the Congo. In this show the witches symbolize the faceless representatives of a multinational mining company. The extraordinary performance grabbed theatre-goers with both hands, opening the eyes of the audience to the plight of the Congolese. Similarly, when actor Robin Wright discovered the truth about this illicit trade, she felt compelled to take action, as a privileged American, through creating a film – When Elephants Fight – to put a spotlight on the issue. In this film, she asked families with workers in the mine ‘What can we do?’ And they responded, ‘Be our voice – we have no voice here’. And that is what she has done with the launch of the #standwithcongo campaign, and that is what I urge you to do today. Be the voice of the 7-year-old Congolese child sent to work each day because he is small enough to climb into tiny holes in the mine. Be the voice of the Baotou resident in Northern China whose internal organs are deteriorating from the toxicity of the air and the water. Be the socially responsible voice of a member of our industry determined to make a difference. It is not only the responsibility of the Arts community to highlight this issue; it is the responsibility of the tech industry – of which we are a part – to take real action on this issue.

As members of the tech industry, and consumers of smartphones and devices, we are all implicated in the atrocities committed in the DRC and Northern China. So, what can be done? How can we combat this? I’m a realist; I’m at a conference about the future of technology. I know we, as consumers won’t stop buying phones, tablets and laptops. But fair trade in this industry is possible, despite its magnitude. There is already a new wave of smartphone manufacturers, such as Fairphone, that guarantee transparency of their supply chains and use fairly mined minerals only. We can make choices as consumers. As members of the tech industry, we can be a voice for the voiceless when we take on our multitude of roles in various tech companies. We can involve our workplaces in the Global e- Sustainability Initiative at gesi.org that is working towards a responsible transformation to a sustainable world for the electronics industry.

Now that we know the truth about our shiny tech products, as the future of technology, let’s do something about it.   

Every character in the story develops its individual features and has a fixed place within the narrative. Expectedly, all of them embody human qualities. Often, the qualities represented by the characters are contradictory. The leading character of Ebenezer Scrooge is mainly compared to the character of Tiny Tim based on their exclamations “Bah! Humbug!” and “God bless us every one!”, which differ in their core. Tiny Tim performs a symbolic part, by giving a face to the countless faceless deprived children Dickens used to meet back in his day in London daily. Dickens’s intention is to inform society and warn about the world in which a pure child can die even though its disease is curable. Many of Dickens’s pieces are about poor children, but A Christmas Carol is the most compelling and the most emotive.  He adored sentimentality, and so did his readers.  You can walk past beggars and homeless people on the street every day, but would you just walk past Tiny Tim?  Dickens trusts his readers wouldn’t. By crafting a character that was unambiguously a victim of his destiny, and in no way in control of it, he assumed his readers would grasp what it was like to be poor, underprivileged and insignificant and they would start being mindful about it. In the third stage of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present accompanies Scrooge to the household of the Cratchits. There, he sees from the horse’s mouth the trouble of Tiny Tim who, regardless of suffering from a grave illness, is a gentle and sympathetic young child. Seeing Tim act in such a way affects Scrooge deeply. Readers can notice that Tiny Tim is an ideal religious character.  He is literally sacrificed to help Scrooge realize the effects of not caring about others.  He is suffering a great deal and ultimately passes away from starvation and lack of medical attention.  Modern science is nowadays able to decode the symptoms of Tiny Tim’s disease, which may help the reader understand him better. Medical doctor Russel Chesney made his diagnosis based on Tim’s malformations mentioned in the book, together with the narrative’s suggestion that Tim’s illness would be treatable, in case father had more money. According to Chesney, “Tiny Tim suffered from a combination of rickets and tuberculosis. Rickets is a bone disorder caused by a deficiency in vitamin D, calcium or phosphate. Lack of these crucial nutrients softens the bones, and leg braces would have been the 1840s solution. Not only that, but vitamin D deficiency can contribute to tuberculosis by weakening the immune system, allowing the bacterial infection that causes the disease to run rampant. Tuberculosis, once known as the ‘white plague,’ was a killer in Dickens’ time, Chesney said.”  Tiny Tim’s life in overcrowded, dirty and unhygienic London would have set him up for both diseases. “At the time, 60 percent of children of working-class London families had rickets, brought on by poor nutrition and lack of sunlight. (London’s coal-choked skies blocked the sun’s ultraviolet light that helps the body synthesize vitamin D.) At the same time, half of working-class kids had signs of tuberculosis, Chesney reported Monday (March 5) in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Tiny Tim’s rickets could have been reversed — and his tuberculosis improved — by sunshine, a better diet and cod liver oil, a supplement rich in vitamin D, Chesney said.” Tiny Tim’s death is straightforwardly the consequence of Scrooge not paying Bob Cratchit enough money, and not caring about his family enough to at least ask about them.  Scrooge’s disregard and disdain towards Tiny Tim is indicative of how out of touch he is. Scrooge is so awe-struck by the boy’s devotion, and his religiousness, that he asks the ghost if he will die.  When the spirit tells him he will, he shouts out in tremor and asks why the child can’t be saved. What follows is more than enough for Scrooge to understand what he did wrong. 

“… What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

Scrooge hangs his head in humiliation when the words he said to the men asking for donations for the poor are thrown back at him.  The ghost bids him to “forbear that wicked cant” and remember where the surplus is, reminding him that “in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions” At long last, Dickens takes pleasure in in telling us that Tiny Tim did not die, and Scrooge was like a second father to him.  In the end, at least one child was spared.  Dickens anticipated his readers would attempt to save some children themselves. However, the harsh reality was truly different and by far not as happy-ending for most Victorian youth. 

Victorian children are always remembered within studies due to the amount of change they had to undergo throughout the course of their, often very short, lives. Not only was the industrial revolution one of these changes but the way in which they worked day to day right through to education. Victorian Child Labour was the norm in the 1800s. There was no such thing as child protecting services like we know nowadays. “Child labour was not an invention of the Industrial Revolution”, says Emma Griffin, a professor of history at UEA. “Poor children have always started work as soon as their parents could find employment for them. But in much of pre-industrial Britain, there simply was not very much work available for children. This changed with industrialisation. The new factories and mines were hungry for workers and required the execution of simple tasks that could easily be performed by children. The result was a surge in child labour – presenting a new kind of problem that Victorian society had to tackle.” According to professor Griffin, studies have revealed that the standard age at which children began working in the first half of the 19th-century Britain was 10 years of age, although this differed extensively depending on the areas you were looking at. Regarding industrial regions, the average age of a working child was around eight and a half years old. “Most of these young workers entered the factories as piecers, standing at the spinning machines repairing breaks in the thread. A few started as scavengers, crawling beneath the machinery to clear it of dirt, dust or anything else that might disturb the mechanism. In the mines, children usually started by minding the trap doors, picking out coals at the pit mouth, or by carrying picks for the miners. As work was often scarce in the country, rural children tended to start work later – typically at 10 and a half years old. Their work consisted of bird-scaring, sowing crops and driving horses. In towns, most boys were employed as errand boys or chimney sweeps, though once again finding employers who wanted to hire a child could be a difficult task. The average age for starting work was 11 and a half years old.” As a result, there was a significant diversity in the starting working age. The youngest labourers would be generally found in the industrial regions. Nevertheless, all of them struggled under the same hardships. They were forced to work for an awfully small wage, carrying out the tasks that were dull and often life-threatening, and in addition frequently working long, draining hours. Luckily, not everybody found this practice acceptable. The extensive hiring of child labourers in factories and mines indicated a split with established routine and was something that various groups considered repugnant. It caused a series of Parliamentary investigations into the situation of hardworking children in factories and mines, which recorded the horrifying conditions endured by the young workers. The descriptions particularly dazed authors Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Charles Dickens – encouraging the origins of ‘The Cry of the Children’ and A Christmas Carol. Child workers emerged in some other novels by Dickens, perhaps the most remarkable examples would be Oliver Twist, as the trainee of Mr Gamfield the chimney-sweep, and David Copperfield. “David Copperfield was based loosely on Dickens’s own experiences of starting work at Warren’s Blacking factory at the age of 12 following his father’s imprisonment for debt. Charles Kingsley’s Water Babies took up the plight of the nation’s chimney sweeps and a host more ephemeral novels, such as Frances Trollope’s The Life and Adventures of Michael Armstrong, the Factory Boy and Charlotte Elizabeth’s, Helen Fleetwood also exposed the suffering of child workers to the middle-class reader. In addition, many of the period’s most vocal and prolific commentators turned their attention to child workers. And of course, the situation of child workers entered the political heart of the nation when reformers such as John Fielden and Lord Ashley, the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, took up their cause in Parliament.” The anti-child labour movement ended in two key pieces of legislation. The Factory Act from 1833 and the Mines Act from 1842. The Factory Act banned the hire of children younger than nine years of age and regulated the hours that child workers at the age between nine and thirteen could work. The Mines Act raised the opening age of shaft employees up to 10 years. Essentially, the two Acts homogenized the industrial areas with the rest of the nation and terminated the methodical service of young children. 

This was a significant step forward for young workers’ interests, however it did not do much to better the working situation of the countless child labourers that stayed at work. Kids in their workplaces remained essentially unguarded from the exploitation and abuse at the hands of their employers and workmates. In the 1850s the upcoming liberal MP, George Edwards, toiled as a farm helper under a man who “never missed an opportunity to thrash me”. This, he completed though, was “no exception to the rule, all poor boys in those days were badly treated.” In spite of the fact that some parents knew of their children’s mistreatment, poverty often tied their hands and made them unable to take any action at all. For instance, Roger Langdon portrayed how he was almost murdered by the drunken ploughman, for whom he laboured. However, informing his parents did not bring him any help, as “every other place in the parish was filled and my parents could not afford to keep me in idleness” he continued to work for the ploughman. Facing the systematic misuse of juvenile and defenceless employees established a more problematic issue than merely eliminating small kids from the workplaces. Approaching the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, some additional improvement was made. The Factory Act of 1878 banned children to work before reaching the age of 10 and was relevant to all trades. It was reinforced by the Education Act of 1880, which presented obligatory schooling up to the age of 10. “Subsequent amendments raised the school-leaving age to 12, with dispensations to leave before this age if pupils reached the required standards in reading, writing and arithmetic. By the end of Victoria’s reign, almost all children were in school up to the age of 12. This helped to ensure that a marked improvement in child welfare occurred between the beginning and end of Victoria’s reign.” concludes Griffin. Even though there were laws that were passed over a period of several decades that to some extent improved the working conditions and dealing with children, it was not until individuals like Lord Shaftesbury and Thomas Agnew took action that proper change occurred. To be able to imagine the actual working situation, one must know what the jobs entailed and what difficulties were linked to actual execution of the tasks. Victorian child labour comprised a wide-ranging spectrum of employments. Steam was the number one source of energy during Victorian times. Firstly, there was working in coal mines. Coal powered everything from trains and steamships to factories that employed steam to power their devices. In order to have steam one needs water and heat. To have heat one must burn coal, and heaps of it. Hence, coal mines exploited a great part of the Victorian child workforce in the 1800s. The idea of employing children for working the coal mines was very appealing to mining corporations. Children were far tinier, which allowed them to move better in tight places. Also, they required the employer to pay a lot less money. One of the on the job features of Victorian child labour was, as already mentioned, the frightful working circumstances. This was predominantly amplified in the coal mines. It was dark in the mines, making it tricky to see and at times would cause perpetual difficulties with sight from the continuous tension in the eyes. Furthermore, as a result of a lack of suitable ventilation, coal dust was extremely thick in the air. Bearing in mind that Victorian children would work up to 18 hours a day it is simple to see how it would be easy for respiratory complications to appear. On the top of that, there was unvarying noise, and rat plague was more than usual in the mines. Some children grew permanent spine distortion from being forced to walk bent over repetitively. Explosions or cave-ins were an omnipresent concern. Due to the near non-existence of safety awareness in the mines and all Victorian child labour for that matter, death was a persistent and ever-present threat. Another popular job for Victorian youngsters was chimney-sweeping. The life of a chimney sweep in Victorian times was nothing like what you see in movies. It was a cruel, dull and tedious survival for Victorian children working as chimney sweeps. Some were as young as 3 years old, when performing the task. Their extremely small body size named them a widespread pick for going down the tight chimney heaps. A Victorian child chimney sweep may have well been the most hazardous job for children in the 1800s, particularly when the child first began doing the job. Being sent down the smokestack the first numerous times would cause the child’s arms, elbows, legs and knees to be chafed and skinned to the flesh. Often their knees and elbows looked like there was no skin on them at all. The person in charge would then rinse their cuts with salt water and make them go down another chimney without any compassion or consideration. Subsequently, the child would grow lumps making their duty a little more endurable. But the perils of the job were merely commencing. Falling was a main worry for chimney sweeps or getting wedged in the smokestacks also, both could cause death very easily. The endless breathing in of dust caused irretrievable lung mutilation in many child sweeps. There were some registered cases of children getting trapped in chimneys and no one even knowing it, deserting them to die alone from exposure, smoke inhalation or worse. The lifespan of Victorian Chimney sweeps hardly ever made it to middle age. The tactics used in the Victorian era were indeed horrendous. Sometimes supervisors even kidnapped children to use on the job. They underfed them, so that they would be skinny enough to continue going down chimneys. Sweeps typically outgrew the job around 9 or 10 years of age. The worst fact, however, is that children were not even essential for the job. Sweeping chimneys could be easily and more safely done just by using brushes. In 1875, a 12-year-old boy George Brewster died after his Master Sweep commanded him to clean the chimney at Fulbourn Hospital. Previously mentioned Lord Shaftesbury was visibly moved by the story and the splattering of public turmoil that followed. “He proposed a new Act that would supersede the Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act of 1840.The Chimney Sweepers Act 1875 made sure that all chimney sweeps had to be registered with the police. Then their work had to be officially supervised. The guidelines of the previous acts would be enforced as well.” Though, there were far more working children in need of help, not only child chimney sweeps. Victorian Child Labour was hardly something new for Britain or Europe for that matter. Children had been exploited for labour for centuries before. They were required to help take care of their families. It was during the 1800 alertness began to spread toward the problems of child labour in factories and other workplaces. There were laws and amendments passed until the use of children under the age of 16 years of age was forbidden for full-time work. Although up until these acts were approved child labour in Victorian era was widespread. Factory owners perceived children as inexpensive and efficient work force. They toiled for a sheer fraction of what a grown-up would make. Unfortunately, girls were even more ill-used.  For their size and vitality there were occupations that kids executed as good or even better than adult workers. Every so often you would find more children workers than adults ones employed at a factory. At the factories children had no rights. They were given the filthiest and most dangerous jobs. Frequently a child would be instructed to clean under still running machines. There almost no safety measures enforced in Victorian era, hence the event of an injury or death was not unusual. Victorian child labour was made up of extremely long working hours. The usual work week would last from Monday to Saturday from 6 A.M. to 8 P.M. Workers would be hit or penalized for being late, falling asleep or making a mistake. “In 1881 Thomas Agnew, a Liverpool businessman visited the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He was so impressed by what he saw that he went back to England and started the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. This set the ball rolling and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (SPCC) was created in 1891.” In a progressively complex society, the opportunities for illiterate children were poor. Considering this, several instituted day schools were established. These involved the Ragged Schools, Parish Schools, apprenticeships and Church Schools. Ragged schools were invented in the Sunday School established in 1780 in Gloucester by Robert Raikes. He trained children to read so that they would be able to interpret the Bible. Later, John Pounds from Portsmouth, assembled groups of kids to entertain his disabled nephew, and by 1818 managed to have a class of around 40 members. He was schooling them to read from the Bible, as it was the only easily accessible book. Before long, this concept extended to London. In 1844, nineteen Ragged Schools merged to create a ‘Ragged School Union’, led by Lord Shaftesbury. In 1861 they were schooling more than 40,000 pupils in London. These involved the children of criminals, drunkards, violent parents and abandoned orphans. By 1870 one could count 250 Ragged Schools in London alone and above a hundred schools in the shires. In the meantime, Quintin Hogg, the son of a wealthy London trader, had established a Ragged School in 1863, when he was just 18 years old. His students were the roughest and most deprived children of the streets of London. Hogg endured, and set up a ‘doss house’ for destitute boys. His sister volunteered to lead classes for girls, who were by no means any less fierce. Even the University of Westminster can trace its origin to Quintin Hogg. There were also the Parish schools. Parish workhouses were expected to deliver an education for the children in their care whom they had not managed to apprentice out, but this responsibility was inadequately monitored. The concept of apprenticeships was quite marvellous: for a stable period, generally seven years, a leader of a craft would coach a young person so that they could make their living at that craft. The leader provided accommodation and garments, but was not obliged to compensate the apprentices, even though a lot of them did in the final stage of the learning period, as the apprentices had acquired enough skills to prove useful and benefit the business. This routine was utilized all through the society. Thriving traders, financiers and goldsmiths made neat amounts from the rewards paid by the parents of expectant apprentices. “The members of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames, who had a monopoly of river traffic, had 2,140 apprentices in 1858. Poor masters could profit from the unpaid labour of children taken from the parish workhouse. There were many scandals of parish apprentices being so ill‐treated that they ran away, or even died.” Even though schools have always been around it was not until the Victorian period that they were improved significantly and accessible to children from all social classes. When Queen Victoria initially came to the throne schools were for the rich kids only. Generally, children never attended school and did not know how to read or write. Children coming from wealthy families were usually tutored at home by their governesses until the age of ten. Affluent boys would then go to public schools. “Only the English could call their most exclusive and expensive educational establishments ‘public’. Winchester College was the earliest, founded in 1382. The College of St Mary at Eton followed, in 1440. There was a burst of new foundations in the 19th century, reflecting the aspirations of the middle classes to the status symbols of the nobility and gentry. They emphasized the importance of sportsmanship and of a brand of Christianity later called ‘Muscular Christianity’. They produced self‐confident young men ready to become leaders destined for the army or the civil service, at home or in the Empire. Scholarship came lower down in their priorities.”, says Liza Picard, researcher and writer about London’s history. Girls, instead, continued to be taught at home. In the upper classes it was expected that a girl would get married to an eligible bachelor and hence she did not require a formal schooling. It was enough to look attractive, be able to entertain her husband’s companies, and give birth to a rational number of heirs. A lady was required to be skilled in so-called ‘accomplishments’, for instance singing, dancing, sewing, playing the piano or flower‐arranging. If she would not find a suitable husband, she was tackled with an unattractive future as a ‘maiden aunt’ who would always help to look after her elderly parents or her relatives’ children. She could possibly be required to work as a governess, closed in the classroom with pupils who had almost no interest in taking in the information she would be providing. This became more and more unappealing to smart females. However, their prospects were expanded when Queen’s College in Harley Street, London was founded in 1848, to provide governesses an acclaimed and profitable qualification. No ‘accomplishments’ were needed there. Other girls’ public schools arisen as well. This increase in female education led to reintroduced requests for the vote. The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies was established in 1897, passionately criticised by the Queen, who from her place of incredible authority saw no purpose of women’s participation in vote. Finally, in 1870 there was an act passed which made it obligatory for all children aged between five to ten years of age in Britain to attend school. This was very similar to the system we use today. The school lasted from Monday to Friday, though the age of children leaving the school was much lower. The leaving age was risen to eleven in 1893, nonetheless parents and employers of working children still prohibited many of them from attending school for they were making money, without which some families would not be able to manage. Schools were different from what we are used to today. Within poor inner-city parts there could easily be between 70 and 80 pupils crammed in just one classroom. The schools were imposing buildings with high up windows to prevent children from seeing out of. Moreover, the interior of the schools lacked any type of creativity or inspiration and was often very plain to avoid distracting the pupils from paying attention to the teacher. Smaller classes were usually found in village schools; nevertheless, the age differences between children were much bigger. It was common to see children with an age gap of as much as four years working together. Because of the size of the school lecture halls, the learning process became rigid and implemented a large amount of repetition. Typically, the teacher would be writing on the chalkboard and the children would copy the notes down. Education was short of inventiveness and it was a harsh, uneasy way for children to learn anything at all.

Introduction

Recently, there has been growing interest in globalization and its influence towards child labour. Child labour has increased in the last decades due to globalization (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004) and more and more interest arises for the impact that globalization has on it.

A lot of studies and researchers have investigated the relationship between globalization and child labour, but there is a wide range of results. Researchers only investigated a specific part of globalization, for example, the social impact on globalization (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004; Fors, 2014). Other researchers focussed on the economic effects globalization has on child labour, and some researchers focus on the political effects.

This paper analyses the different dimensions of globalization to gain a comprehensive overview of the impact that globalization in total has on child labour. First, different terms are defined. Thereafter, the remainder of this paper is divided into three sections: the economic-, social- and political globalization and the impact of these dimensions on child labour.

Defining different dimensions of globalization

Globalization has different dimensions, and each dimension is linked to child labour in a different way. The three dimensions discussed in this paper are the economic -, social and political dimensions. To gain a comprehensive view of the relationship between globalization and child labour it is important to consider all these dimensions. A first step in discovering the relationship is to define the terms of the different factors of globalization and to gain a better insight into child labour.

According to Gunter & van der Hoeven (2004), ‘‘globalization is taken to mean the gradual integration of economies and societies driven by new technologies, new economic relationships and the national and international policies of a wide range of actors, including governments, international organizations, business, labour and civil society’’ (p.8). The three different dimensions of globalization arise out of this definition. According to Bottery (2003) is economic globalization best described as the convergence from three factors. The first factor is the increasing movement of capital around the world, whether national or international, due to information and technology. The second is the existence of very large institutions, third is the more and more influence transnational companies get (as cited in Rifai, 2013). The second dimension is the social globalization, ‘‘Social globalization is meant to capture the international spread of information, ideas, and people’’ (Dreher, 2006, as cited in Fors, 2014, p.126). The last dimension, political globalization, consist of ‘‘international financial institutions having increasing power over national economies and state decision making’’ (Rifai, 2013, p. 89). Before the globalization, states were dominant actors in the world. Nowadays, political leaders have less influence over people (Giddens, 1999, as cited in Rifai, 2013). This development above, together with the international and national legislation describe the political globalization.

In this paper, the relationship between globalization and child labour is analysed. Besides defining the globalization aspects, it is important to take a look at child labour. Child labour consists of exogenous factors, most significant are the decision-making in-home situations, the degree of poverty in the family, and the authority decisions (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). The biggest part of child labourers works in the agricultural of the services sector, only 7% in the industrial sector (Fors, 2014). 14,5% of children aged 5 to 14 participated in work in 2008, calculated from a total of 176 million children worldwide. Almost 90% of the child labourers are located in Asia, the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa (Diallo et al., 2010, as cited in Fors 2014).

Impact of economic globalization on child labour

There is a lot of inconsistency between researchers which influence economic globalization has on child labour; the impact of economic aspects is considered due to the influence of income levels, international trade, trade openness and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). According to Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem (2016), the urge for child labour is directly impacted due to the want of growing expansion. ‘‘A relationship exists between child labour and a country’s level of globalization when countries are considered by their income level, and that this relationship is positive for the group of medium-low income and low-income countries’’ (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016, p. 144). In conclusion, there is a relationship between income levels and child labour although this is different for low income (positive relationship) and high income (negative relationship) countries. Looking at the relationship between international trade and child labour, researchers are not corresponding to this relationship. According to Fors (2014), international trade and FDI don’t play a significant role in child labour.

In contrast to this, Neumayer and De Soysa (2005) stated that trade openness and FDI reduces child labour (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Cigno et al. (2002, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016) claim that trade openness and international trade have no or just a slight reducing effect on child labour. In contrast to the previous, Edmonds and Pavcnik (2006) discover a negative relationship between trade and child labour. In accordance with Neumayer and de Soysa and Edmonds and Pavcnik, David and Voy (2009) find a negative relationship between FDI and trade with child labour (as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Finally, child labour rates increase until a limit of globalization, from this point on child labour levels starts to decrease (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016).

There is a lot of discussion about the relationship between economic globalization and child labour, some researchers state that there is no, or just a slight effect, between economic globalization and child labour. Others found a negative relationship between the two.

Impact of social globalization on child labour

The influence of social globalization on child labour is described by trends, education and child labour acceptance. According to Gunter & van der Hoeven (2004), there is a move in the past decades from informal home work to observable paid employment. Furthermore, child labour ensures direct earning that provide favourable effects to low-income families (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004). There is a significant negative relationship between social globalization and child labour (Fors, 2014), Fors state that ‘‘social globalization does have a real effect on the incidence of child labour that, in contrast to economic globalization, does not appear to be driven by income effects’’ (2014, p. 148). According to Fors (2014), social globalization enhances the potential for skilled labour, this increases the need for schooling and decreases child labour. Moreover, child labour acceptance has been influenced by social globalization.

Developing countries change from the view that child labour is acceptable to the view that it is less acceptable due to they must meet the international standards due to globalization (Lopez-Calva, 2001, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). According to Fors (2014), further reducing child labour acceptance can be achieved through dispersing of international norms and therefore improve favour for schooling. Disperse of international norms is negatively related to child labour.

Impact of political globalization on child labour

Political globalization has to do with the type of political regime and the political actions towards countries where child labour takes place, about the impact of the latest are researchers incoherent. Child labour appears more in repressive political regimes where appropriate regulations are not implemented (Meffei et al. 2006, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Developing countries have adopted child labour laws due to pushing and concerns from industrialized countries who threatened to boycott products produces with child labour (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004).

In contrast to above-mentioned, Fors (2014) stated that boycotts and trading sanctions do not influence most child labourers, because just 7% of the child labourers work in the industry sector. The political actions are thus addressed to just a small part of the target group. In accordance with Fors, there are more researchers doubting the effectivity from political actions, such as boycotts and import bans (Maskus 1997; Basu and Zarghamee 2009; Doepke and Zilibotti 2009, 2010, as cited in Fors 2014). In conclusion, it is intended that political actions have a positive influence on child labour. As seen above, it is difficult to address the political actions towards the target group. ‘‘Improving political factors could improve globalization, but it has less of an impact on child labour rates’’ (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016, p. 145). ‘‘It therefore seems reasonable to suppose that without the assistance of decisive development policies aimed at reducing high rates of child labour, it will be very difficult for low-income countries to achieve higher levels of development and welfare from globalization because, far from decreasing, the child labour rate will continue to rise’’ (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016, p. 146).

According to different researchers, political globalization has a positive influence on child labour. Although a lot of researchers question the effectivity from political actions, improving these political factors improve globalization and thereafter it has a small influence on child labour.

Conclusion

The main purpose of this paper is to gain a comprehensive overview of the different aspects globalization has and the influence these different dimensions have on child labour.

The relationship between the economic aspect of globalization and child labour is ambiguous. Researchers agree about the fact that there is a relationship between globalization level and child labour when countries are considered by their income level (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). About the relationship between international trade and FDI is much more discussion. Fors (2014) state that there is no significant relationship, in accordance with the previous, Cigno et al. (2002) suggest that there is no or just a slight reducing effect on child labour. In contrast, Neumayer and De Soysa (2005) state that there is a relationship between trade openness and FDI.

The relationship between social globalization and child labour is a significant negative one (Fors, 2014). This negative relationship has its root in the move from informal home work to observable paid employment (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004).

Between political globalization and child labour, there is a relationship between the more repressive political regimes and the level of child labour. (Meffei et al. 2006, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Due to the push of industrialized countries, child labour in developing countries have adopted child labour laws (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004). Despite the adopted child labour laws, there is a lot of scepticism about the laws. Fors (2004) stated that boycotts and trading sanctions do not influence most child labourers. The purpose of political actions is to have a positive effect on child labour, improving political factors could improve globalization (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016).

To sum up, child labour and globalization have a relationship in different dimensions. Researchers do not always agree about the significance and whether the relationship is positive or negative. Globalization is a wide-ranging term and it is not possible to generalize which dimensions has which effect on child labour.

Reference List

1. Fors, H. C. (2014). Social globalization and child labor: a cross-country analysis. The Developing Economies, 52(2), 125–153. doi: 10.1111/deve.12041
2. Gunter, B.G. & van der Hoeven, R. (2004). The social dimension of globalization: A review of the literature. International Labour Review, 143(1-2), 7-43. doi:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2004.tb00545.x
3. Labourda Castillo, L., & Sotelsek Salem, D. (2016). Does globalization contribute to decreasing child labor rates? Revista de Economía Mundia, 44, 127–152. Retrieved from http://www.sem-wes.org/en/node/1391
4. Rifai, I. (2013). Various dimensions of globalization and their implications for the leadership and management of education. Lingua Cultura, 7(2), 87. https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v7i2.425

Do you have the experience of making a living at a very young age? Are you frustrated because you should study in school instead of in the workplace? Did you know that all children have the right to go to school and study, no matter who they are, where they live, and how much money the family has? Child labor refers to exploiting children in any form, depriving them of their childhood, hindering their ability to attend regular schools, and performing work that is harmful to the mind, body, society, and morals.

The cause of the problem is poverty and lack of education. Children are forced to feed their families rather than go to school. Going to school is not their priority because the family cannot afford the tuition. Poverty is considered the most important reason, depriving children of their studies and skills. The poor child has no skills when he grows up, and his salary is very low when he grows up.

Child labor deprives a normal childhood, proper education, and opportunities for physical and mental health. Hazardous physical and mental work can interfere with school education and long-term development. The worst forms include slavery, trafficking, sexual exploitation, and hazardous work, which can cause death, injury, and illness to children at risk.

Child labor is a social problem that society has faced for decades. One of the keys to preventing this problem is better education. Education is the process of facilitating learning or acquiring knowledge, skills, values, ethics, beliefs, and habits. It can take place in a formal or informal setting, and any experience that has an impact on people’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors can be considered educational. Parents are responsible for finding better jobs to meet the needs of their children. There are many good ways to make money, and education is one of your obligations to your children. Becoming a parent is a sacrifice, but if you see your children finish their studies and realize their dreams, you will feel very happy. The important thing is to receive a better education to help us grow and become better Internet users, which no one can get rid of. Adults must teach young people to understand their rights to ensure their safety and understand their own personal safety restrictions.

In order to understand the rights of children, there must be early plans and community plans that can help them. We all know that education can alleviate poverty and stop the cycle of child labor. This is why we have free education and everyone has the opportunity to learn. The government must increase support for children’s education and livelihood plans for families at risk or engaged in child labor. This step can indeed help stop the cycle of poverty and child labor. They should generate the lowest family income, and parents will ban their children on the street or sell them to survive. If we can help these families to get out of poverty and obtain a stable monetary income, many children will not have to work in these conditions. However, we must consider that the government will be the government that supports the system, and they may not be enthusiastic about supporting this idea, especially in developing countries.

In summary, the relationship between education and child labor is the negative impact of child labor in schools. Child labor deprives all children of the opportunity to learn and enjoy childhood. To stop this problem, parents must support their children’s education and the government must increase the rights of every child, especially their right to education. Children are the future of our world and their knowledge will make our world full of vitality and prosperity.

I wonder how many of us really know what goes into making Samsung’s new slimmer tablet or Apple’s newest iPhone? The answer is the mining of rare earth minerals without which none of these devices can work. The unsettling truth about how these minerals are mined is probably not what you want to hear, but it has been kept under wraps for long enough. Hello my name is Elizabeth Shaw, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here at the ‘Future of Technology Conference 2017’. There is great hope in front of me here; there is great excitement in the room for the future of our industry. But it must be an industry of which we are proud; one that is sustainable; an industry that exercises corporate, social and moral responsibility.

Today, I am here to expose the ethically abhorrent practices of rare earth mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Northern China before I call on everyone in this room to take action against the abuses within our industry.

The treatment of rare earth miners in the Congo is immoral, it is unjust and it cannot go on. In the DRC rare earth miners work 12 hours a day with their bare hands in search of the tantalum, cobalt and tungsten for our iPhones. Their payment for a gruelling day’s work: $5, a sharp contrast to the $500, $800 or $1000 you and I paid for our precious “space grey” smartphones. They have no safety equipment. They haul the minerals on their backs, all under the eyes of the foreman constantly urging them to work harder, faster, longer, often using violence to do so.

But then there is the issue that lies beneath the surface: the hidden child labour. The hidden child labour that Apple, Samsung and HP are quite happy to keep just where it is: deep, deep in the Luwow mine. A mine where children as young as 10, that’s right just 10 years old slave away in brutal conditions day in and day out to support their families. Do we really want to be responsible for contributing to child labour? No, we don’t. While we are casually swiping, scrolling and taking selfies, approximately 40,000 children – according to UNICEF – are working in unregulated, unsafe mines to support an industry that ransacks resource-rich land. Local communities gain nothing from this.

I know what you’re thinking: “But Apple couldn’t possibly support such horrific treatment”, “If Samsung knew what was happening they would have nothing to do with it”.

Well they do know and they have stated they will continue to source from the DRC as long as it adheres to their code of treating workers with dignity and respect. Well my question to Apple and Samsung and to all of you here today is where is the dignity in underpaid miners digging for these minerals with their bare hands? Where is the respect in forcing men and children to work in poorly supported tunnels? The practices of rare earth mining are morally bereft. Not only does the industry mistreat its workers, but it also has significant and deadly repercussions for the environment and local people.

Let’s look at China. Baotou is the world’s largest supplier of rare earth minerals: it is a toxic nightmare. The once green, productive, farming village, has been replaced by a vast pond of toxins containing radiation, acids, heavy metals and radioactive material. The mine’s effect on surrounding communities — catastrophic. The toxic pond does not have a proper lining meaning the poisonous sludge has been seeping into the village drinking water for 20 years. Wang Jianguo is a 43 year old farmer, his health is destroyed and his livelihood with it. The encroaching toxins have taken his crops, his livestock and the lives of seven of his friends. The local people aren’t working at the mine, being paid by the mine or have any connection to it, yet they are dying of cancer, suffering from diabetes, battling debilitating osteoporosis and choking from chest problems because of their geographical closeness to a hideous pile of sludge. This is such a stark contrast to the gleaming, white, Apple stores we are used to. Tech companies have made sure the black sludge doesn’t creep anywhere near their shop fronts.

While the likes of Apple, Samsung and Vodafone are slow to act on this issue, the Arts industry is already weighing in. The Brisbane Festival’s key show in 2015 was a re-telling of Verdi’s Macbeth through the lens of the conflict in the Congo. In this show the witches symbolize the faceless representatives of a multinational mining company. The extraordinary performance grabbed theatre-goers with both hands, opening the eyes of the audience to the plight of the Congolese. Similarly, when actor Robin Wright discovered the truth about this illicit trade, she felt compelled to take action, as a privileged American, through creating a film – When Elephants Fight – to put a spotlight on the issue. In this film, she asked families with workers in the mine ‘What can we do?’ And they responded, ‘Be our voice – we have no voice here’. And that is what she has done with the launch of the #standwithcongo campaign, and that is what I urge you to do today. Be the voice of the 7-year-old Congolese child sent to work each day because he is small enough to climb into tiny holes in the mine. Be the voice of the Baotou resident in Northern China whose internal organs are deteriorating from the toxicity of the air and the water. Be the socially responsible voice of a member of our industry determined to make a difference. It is not only the responsibility of the Arts community to highlight this issue; it is the responsibility of the tech industry – of which we are a part – to take real action on this issue.

As members of the tech industry, and consumers of smartphones and devices, we are all implicated in the atrocities committed in the DRC and Northern China. So, what can be done? How can we combat this? I’m a realist; I’m at a conference about the future of technology. I know we, as consumers won’t stop buying phones, tablets and laptops. But fair trade in this industry is possible, despite its magnitude. There is already a new wave of smartphone manufacturers, such as Fairphone, that guarantee transparency of their supply chains and use fairly mined minerals only. We can make choices as consumers. As members of the tech industry, we can be a voice for the voiceless when we take on our multitude of roles in various tech companies. We can involve our workplaces in the Global e- Sustainability Initiative at gesi.org that is working towards a responsible transformation to a sustainable world for the electronics industry.

Now that we know the truth about our shiny tech products, as the future of technology, let’s do something about it.   

Every character in the story develops its individual features and has a fixed place within the narrative. Expectedly, all of them embody human qualities. Often, the qualities represented by the characters are contradictory. The leading character of Ebenezer Scrooge is mainly compared to the character of Tiny Tim based on their exclamations “Bah! Humbug!” and “God bless us every one!”, which differ in their core. Tiny Tim performs a symbolic part, by giving a face to the countless faceless deprived children Dickens used to meet back in his day in London daily. Dickens’s intention is to inform society and warn about the world in which a pure child can die even though its disease is curable. Many of Dickens’s pieces are about poor children, but A Christmas Carol is the most compelling and the most emotive.  He adored sentimentality, and so did his readers.  You can walk past beggars and homeless people on the street every day, but would you just walk past Tiny Tim?  Dickens trusts his readers wouldn’t. By crafting a character that was unambiguously a victim of his destiny, and in no way in control of it, he assumed his readers would grasp what it was like to be poor, underprivileged and insignificant and they would start being mindful about it. In the third stage of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present accompanies Scrooge to the household of the Cratchits. There, he sees from the horse’s mouth the trouble of Tiny Tim who, regardless of suffering from a grave illness, is a gentle and sympathetic young child. Seeing Tim act in such a way affects Scrooge deeply. Readers can notice that Tiny Tim is an ideal religious character.  He is literally sacrificed to help Scrooge realize the effects of not caring about others.  He is suffering a great deal and ultimately passes away from starvation and lack of medical attention.  Modern science is nowadays able to decode the symptoms of Tiny Tim’s disease, which may help the reader understand him better. Medical doctor Russel Chesney made his diagnosis based on Tim’s malformations mentioned in the book, together with the narrative’s suggestion that Tim’s illness would be treatable, in case father had more money. According to Chesney, “Tiny Tim suffered from a combination of rickets and tuberculosis. Rickets is a bone disorder caused by a deficiency in vitamin D, calcium or phosphate. Lack of these crucial nutrients softens the bones, and leg braces would have been the 1840s solution. Not only that, but vitamin D deficiency can contribute to tuberculosis by weakening the immune system, allowing the bacterial infection that causes the disease to run rampant. Tuberculosis, once known as the ‘white plague,’ was a killer in Dickens’ time, Chesney said.”  Tiny Tim’s life in overcrowded, dirty and unhygienic London would have set him up for both diseases. “At the time, 60 percent of children of working-class London families had rickets, brought on by poor nutrition and lack of sunlight. (London’s coal-choked skies blocked the sun’s ultraviolet light that helps the body synthesize vitamin D.) At the same time, half of working-class kids had signs of tuberculosis, Chesney reported Monday (March 5) in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Tiny Tim’s rickets could have been reversed — and his tuberculosis improved — by sunshine, a better diet and cod liver oil, a supplement rich in vitamin D, Chesney said.” Tiny Tim’s death is straightforwardly the consequence of Scrooge not paying Bob Cratchit enough money, and not caring about his family enough to at least ask about them.  Scrooge’s disregard and disdain towards Tiny Tim is indicative of how out of touch he is. Scrooge is so awe-struck by the boy’s devotion, and his religiousness, that he asks the ghost if he will die.  When the spirit tells him he will, he shouts out in tremor and asks why the child can’t be saved. What follows is more than enough for Scrooge to understand what he did wrong. 

“… What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

Scrooge hangs his head in humiliation when the words he said to the men asking for donations for the poor are thrown back at him.  The ghost bids him to “forbear that wicked cant” and remember where the surplus is, reminding him that “in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions” At long last, Dickens takes pleasure in in telling us that Tiny Tim did not die, and Scrooge was like a second father to him.  In the end, at least one child was spared.  Dickens anticipated his readers would attempt to save some children themselves. However, the harsh reality was truly different and by far not as happy-ending for most Victorian youth. 

Victorian children are always remembered within studies due to the amount of change they had to undergo throughout the course of their, often very short, lives. Not only was the industrial revolution one of these changes but the way in which they worked day to day right through to education. Victorian Child Labour was the norm in the 1800s. There was no such thing as child protecting services like we know nowadays. “Child labour was not an invention of the Industrial Revolution”, says Emma Griffin, a professor of history at UEA. “Poor children have always started work as soon as their parents could find employment for them. But in much of pre-industrial Britain, there simply was not very much work available for children. This changed with industrialisation. The new factories and mines were hungry for workers and required the execution of simple tasks that could easily be performed by children. The result was a surge in child labour – presenting a new kind of problem that Victorian society had to tackle.” According to professor Griffin, studies have revealed that the standard age at which children began working in the first half of the 19th-century Britain was 10 years of age, although this differed extensively depending on the areas you were looking at. Regarding industrial regions, the average age of a working child was around eight and a half years old. “Most of these young workers entered the factories as piecers, standing at the spinning machines repairing breaks in the thread. A few started as scavengers, crawling beneath the machinery to clear it of dirt, dust or anything else that might disturb the mechanism. In the mines, children usually started by minding the trap doors, picking out coals at the pit mouth, or by carrying picks for the miners. As work was often scarce in the country, rural children tended to start work later – typically at 10 and a half years old. Their work consisted of bird-scaring, sowing crops and driving horses. In towns, most boys were employed as errand boys or chimney sweeps, though once again finding employers who wanted to hire a child could be a difficult task. The average age for starting work was 11 and a half years old.” As a result, there was a significant diversity in the starting working age. The youngest labourers would be generally found in the industrial regions. Nevertheless, all of them struggled under the same hardships. They were forced to work for an awfully small wage, carrying out the tasks that were dull and often life-threatening, and in addition frequently working long, draining hours. Luckily, not everybody found this practice acceptable. The extensive hiring of child labourers in factories and mines indicated a split with established routine and was something that various groups considered repugnant. It caused a series of Parliamentary investigations into the situation of hardworking children in factories and mines, which recorded the horrifying conditions endured by the young workers. The descriptions particularly dazed authors Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Charles Dickens – encouraging the origins of ‘The Cry of the Children’ and A Christmas Carol. Child workers emerged in some other novels by Dickens, perhaps the most remarkable examples would be Oliver Twist, as the trainee of Mr Gamfield the chimney-sweep, and David Copperfield. “David Copperfield was based loosely on Dickens’s own experiences of starting work at Warren’s Blacking factory at the age of 12 following his father’s imprisonment for debt. Charles Kingsley’s Water Babies took up the plight of the nation’s chimney sweeps and a host more ephemeral novels, such as Frances Trollope’s The Life and Adventures of Michael Armstrong, the Factory Boy and Charlotte Elizabeth’s, Helen Fleetwood also exposed the suffering of child workers to the middle-class reader. In addition, many of the period’s most vocal and prolific commentators turned their attention to child workers. And of course, the situation of child workers entered the political heart of the nation when reformers such as John Fielden and Lord Ashley, the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, took up their cause in Parliament.” The anti-child labour movement ended in two key pieces of legislation. The Factory Act from 1833 and the Mines Act from 1842. The Factory Act banned the hire of children younger than nine years of age and regulated the hours that child workers at the age between nine and thirteen could work. The Mines Act raised the opening age of shaft employees up to 10 years. Essentially, the two Acts homogenized the industrial areas with the rest of the nation and terminated the methodical service of young children. 

This was a significant step forward for young workers’ interests, however it did not do much to better the working situation of the countless child labourers that stayed at work. Kids in their workplaces remained essentially unguarded from the exploitation and abuse at the hands of their employers and workmates. In the 1850s the upcoming liberal MP, George Edwards, toiled as a farm helper under a man who “never missed an opportunity to thrash me”. This, he completed though, was “no exception to the rule, all poor boys in those days were badly treated.” In spite of the fact that some parents knew of their children’s mistreatment, poverty often tied their hands and made them unable to take any action at all. For instance, Roger Langdon portrayed how he was almost murdered by the drunken ploughman, for whom he laboured. However, informing his parents did not bring him any help, as “every other place in the parish was filled and my parents could not afford to keep me in idleness” he continued to work for the ploughman. Facing the systematic misuse of juvenile and defenceless employees established a more problematic issue than merely eliminating small kids from the workplaces. Approaching the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, some additional improvement was made. The Factory Act of 1878 banned children to work before reaching the age of 10 and was relevant to all trades. It was reinforced by the Education Act of 1880, which presented obligatory schooling up to the age of 10. “Subsequent amendments raised the school-leaving age to 12, with dispensations to leave before this age if pupils reached the required standards in reading, writing and arithmetic. By the end of Victoria’s reign, almost all children were in school up to the age of 12. This helped to ensure that a marked improvement in child welfare occurred between the beginning and end of Victoria’s reign.” concludes Griffin. Even though there were laws that were passed over a period of several decades that to some extent improved the working conditions and dealing with children, it was not until individuals like Lord Shaftesbury and Thomas Agnew took action that proper change occurred. To be able to imagine the actual working situation, one must know what the jobs entailed and what difficulties were linked to actual execution of the tasks. Victorian child labour comprised a wide-ranging spectrum of employments. Steam was the number one source of energy during Victorian times. Firstly, there was working in coal mines. Coal powered everything from trains and steamships to factories that employed steam to power their devices. In order to have steam one needs water and heat. To have heat one must burn coal, and heaps of it. Hence, coal mines exploited a great part of the Victorian child workforce in the 1800s. The idea of employing children for working the coal mines was very appealing to mining corporations. Children were far tinier, which allowed them to move better in tight places. Also, they required the employer to pay a lot less money. One of the on the job features of Victorian child labour was, as already mentioned, the frightful working circumstances. This was predominantly amplified in the coal mines. It was dark in the mines, making it tricky to see and at times would cause perpetual difficulties with sight from the continuous tension in the eyes. Furthermore, as a result of a lack of suitable ventilation, coal dust was extremely thick in the air. Bearing in mind that Victorian children would work up to 18 hours a day it is simple to see how it would be easy for respiratory complications to appear. On the top of that, there was unvarying noise, and rat plague was more than usual in the mines. Some children grew permanent spine distortion from being forced to walk bent over repetitively. Explosions or cave-ins were an omnipresent concern. Due to the near non-existence of safety awareness in the mines and all Victorian child labour for that matter, death was a persistent and ever-present threat. Another popular job for Victorian youngsters was chimney-sweeping. The life of a chimney sweep in Victorian times was nothing like what you see in movies. It was a cruel, dull and tedious survival for Victorian children working as chimney sweeps. Some were as young as 3 years old, when performing the task. Their extremely small body size named them a widespread pick for going down the tight chimney heaps. A Victorian child chimney sweep may have well been the most hazardous job for children in the 1800s, particularly when the child first began doing the job. Being sent down the smokestack the first numerous times would cause the child’s arms, elbows, legs and knees to be chafed and skinned to the flesh. Often their knees and elbows looked like there was no skin on them at all. The person in charge would then rinse their cuts with salt water and make them go down another chimney without any compassion or consideration. Subsequently, the child would grow lumps making their duty a little more endurable. But the perils of the job were merely commencing. Falling was a main worry for chimney sweeps or getting wedged in the smokestacks also, both could cause death very easily. The endless breathing in of dust caused irretrievable lung mutilation in many child sweeps. There were some registered cases of children getting trapped in chimneys and no one even knowing it, deserting them to die alone from exposure, smoke inhalation or worse. The lifespan of Victorian Chimney sweeps hardly ever made it to middle age. The tactics used in the Victorian era were indeed horrendous. Sometimes supervisors even kidnapped children to use on the job. They underfed them, so that they would be skinny enough to continue going down chimneys. Sweeps typically outgrew the job around 9 or 10 years of age. The worst fact, however, is that children were not even essential for the job. Sweeping chimneys could be easily and more safely done just by using brushes. In 1875, a 12-year-old boy George Brewster died after his Master Sweep commanded him to clean the chimney at Fulbourn Hospital. Previously mentioned Lord Shaftesbury was visibly moved by the story and the splattering of public turmoil that followed. “He proposed a new Act that would supersede the Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act of 1840.The Chimney Sweepers Act 1875 made sure that all chimney sweeps had to be registered with the police. Then their work had to be officially supervised. The guidelines of the previous acts would be enforced as well.” Though, there were far more working children in need of help, not only child chimney sweeps. Victorian Child Labour was hardly something new for Britain or Europe for that matter. Children had been exploited for labour for centuries before. They were required to help take care of their families. It was during the 1800 alertness began to spread toward the problems of child labour in factories and other workplaces. There were laws and amendments passed until the use of children under the age of 16 years of age was forbidden for full-time work. Although up until these acts were approved child labour in Victorian era was widespread. Factory owners perceived children as inexpensive and efficient work force. They toiled for a sheer fraction of what a grown-up would make. Unfortunately, girls were even more ill-used.  For their size and vitality there were occupations that kids executed as good or even better than adult workers. Every so often you would find more children workers than adults ones employed at a factory. At the factories children had no rights. They were given the filthiest and most dangerous jobs. Frequently a child would be instructed to clean under still running machines. There almost no safety measures enforced in Victorian era, hence the event of an injury or death was not unusual. Victorian child labour was made up of extremely long working hours. The usual work week would last from Monday to Saturday from 6 A.M. to 8 P.M. Workers would be hit or penalized for being late, falling asleep or making a mistake. “In 1881 Thomas Agnew, a Liverpool businessman visited the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He was so impressed by what he saw that he went back to England and started the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. This set the ball rolling and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (SPCC) was created in 1891.” In a progressively complex society, the opportunities for illiterate children were poor. Considering this, several instituted day schools were established. These involved the Ragged Schools, Parish Schools, apprenticeships and Church Schools. Ragged schools were invented in the Sunday School established in 1780 in Gloucester by Robert Raikes. He trained children to read so that they would be able to interpret the Bible. Later, John Pounds from Portsmouth, assembled groups of kids to entertain his disabled nephew, and by 1818 managed to have a class of around 40 members. He was schooling them to read from the Bible, as it was the only easily accessible book. Before long, this concept extended to London. In 1844, nineteen Ragged Schools merged to create a ‘Ragged School Union’, led by Lord Shaftesbury. In 1861 they were schooling more than 40,000 pupils in London. These involved the children of criminals, drunkards, violent parents and abandoned orphans. By 1870 one could count 250 Ragged Schools in London alone and above a hundred schools in the shires. In the meantime, Quintin Hogg, the son of a wealthy London trader, had established a Ragged School in 1863, when he was just 18 years old. His students were the roughest and most deprived children of the streets of London. Hogg endured, and set up a ‘doss house’ for destitute boys. His sister volunteered to lead classes for girls, who were by no means any less fierce. Even the University of Westminster can trace its origin to Quintin Hogg. There were also the Parish schools. Parish workhouses were expected to deliver an education for the children in their care whom they had not managed to apprentice out, but this responsibility was inadequately monitored. The concept of apprenticeships was quite marvellous: for a stable period, generally seven years, a leader of a craft would coach a young person so that they could make their living at that craft. The leader provided accommodation and garments, but was not obliged to compensate the apprentices, even though a lot of them did in the final stage of the learning period, as the apprentices had acquired enough skills to prove useful and benefit the business. This routine was utilized all through the society. Thriving traders, financiers and goldsmiths made neat amounts from the rewards paid by the parents of expectant apprentices. “The members of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames, who had a monopoly of river traffic, had 2,140 apprentices in 1858. Poor masters could profit from the unpaid labour of children taken from the parish workhouse. There were many scandals of parish apprentices being so ill‐treated that they ran away, or even died.” Even though schools have always been around it was not until the Victorian period that they were improved significantly and accessible to children from all social classes. When Queen Victoria initially came to the throne schools were for the rich kids only. Generally, children never attended school and did not know how to read or write. Children coming from wealthy families were usually tutored at home by their governesses until the age of ten. Affluent boys would then go to public schools. “Only the English could call their most exclusive and expensive educational establishments ‘public’. Winchester College was the earliest, founded in 1382. The College of St Mary at Eton followed, in 1440. There was a burst of new foundations in the 19th century, reflecting the aspirations of the middle classes to the status symbols of the nobility and gentry. They emphasized the importance of sportsmanship and of a brand of Christianity later called ‘Muscular Christianity’. They produced self‐confident young men ready to become leaders destined for the army or the civil service, at home or in the Empire. Scholarship came lower down in their priorities.”, says Liza Picard, researcher and writer about London’s history. Girls, instead, continued to be taught at home. In the upper classes it was expected that a girl would get married to an eligible bachelor and hence she did not require a formal schooling. It was enough to look attractive, be able to entertain her husband’s companies, and give birth to a rational number of heirs. A lady was required to be skilled in so-called ‘accomplishments’, for instance singing, dancing, sewing, playing the piano or flower‐arranging. If she would not find a suitable husband, she was tackled with an unattractive future as a ‘maiden aunt’ who would always help to look after her elderly parents or her relatives’ children. She could possibly be required to work as a governess, closed in the classroom with pupils who had almost no interest in taking in the information she would be providing. This became more and more unappealing to smart females. However, their prospects were expanded when Queen’s College in Harley Street, London was founded in 1848, to provide governesses an acclaimed and profitable qualification. No ‘accomplishments’ were needed there. Other girls’ public schools arisen as well. This increase in female education led to reintroduced requests for the vote. The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies was established in 1897, passionately criticised by the Queen, who from her place of incredible authority saw no purpose of women’s participation in vote. Finally, in 1870 there was an act passed which made it obligatory for all children aged between five to ten years of age in Britain to attend school. This was very similar to the system we use today. The school lasted from Monday to Friday, though the age of children leaving the school was much lower. The leaving age was risen to eleven in 1893, nonetheless parents and employers of working children still prohibited many of them from attending school for they were making money, without which some families would not be able to manage. Schools were different from what we are used to today. Within poor inner-city parts there could easily be between 70 and 80 pupils crammed in just one classroom. The schools were imposing buildings with high up windows to prevent children from seeing out of. Moreover, the interior of the schools lacked any type of creativity or inspiration and was often very plain to avoid distracting the pupils from paying attention to the teacher. Smaller classes were usually found in village schools; nevertheless, the age differences between children were much bigger. It was common to see children with an age gap of as much as four years working together. Because of the size of the school lecture halls, the learning process became rigid and implemented a large amount of repetition. Typically, the teacher would be writing on the chalkboard and the children would copy the notes down. Education was short of inventiveness and it was a harsh, uneasy way for children to learn anything at all.

Introduction

Recently, there has been growing interest in globalization and its influence towards child labour. Child labour has increased in the last decades due to globalization (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004) and more and more interest arises for the impact that globalization has on it.

A lot of studies and researchers have investigated the relationship between globalization and child labour, but there is a wide range of results. Researchers only investigated a specific part of globalization, for example, the social impact on globalization (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004; Fors, 2014). Other researchers focussed on the economic effects globalization has on child labour, and some researchers focus on the political effects.

This paper analyses the different dimensions of globalization to gain a comprehensive overview of the impact that globalization in total has on child labour. First, different terms are defined. Thereafter, the remainder of this paper is divided into three sections: the economic-, social- and political globalization and the impact of these dimensions on child labour.

Defining different dimensions of globalization

Globalization has different dimensions, and each dimension is linked to child labour in a different way. The three dimensions discussed in this paper are the economic -, social and political dimensions. To gain a comprehensive view of the relationship between globalization and child labour it is important to consider all these dimensions. A first step in discovering the relationship is to define the terms of the different factors of globalization and to gain a better insight into child labour.

According to Gunter & van der Hoeven (2004), ‘‘globalization is taken to mean the gradual integration of economies and societies driven by new technologies, new economic relationships and the national and international policies of a wide range of actors, including governments, international organizations, business, labour and civil society’’ (p.8). The three different dimensions of globalization arise out of this definition. According to Bottery (2003) is economic globalization best described as the convergence from three factors. The first factor is the increasing movement of capital around the world, whether national or international, due to information and technology. The second is the existence of very large institutions, third is the more and more influence transnational companies get (as cited in Rifai, 2013). The second dimension is the social globalization, ‘‘Social globalization is meant to capture the international spread of information, ideas, and people’’ (Dreher, 2006, as cited in Fors, 2014, p.126). The last dimension, political globalization, consist of ‘‘international financial institutions having increasing power over national economies and state decision making’’ (Rifai, 2013, p. 89). Before the globalization, states were dominant actors in the world. Nowadays, political leaders have less influence over people (Giddens, 1999, as cited in Rifai, 2013). This development above, together with the international and national legislation describe the political globalization.

In this paper, the relationship between globalization and child labour is analysed. Besides defining the globalization aspects, it is important to take a look at child labour. Child labour consists of exogenous factors, most significant are the decision-making in-home situations, the degree of poverty in the family, and the authority decisions (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). The biggest part of child labourers works in the agricultural of the services sector, only 7% in the industrial sector (Fors, 2014). 14,5% of children aged 5 to 14 participated in work in 2008, calculated from a total of 176 million children worldwide. Almost 90% of the child labourers are located in Asia, the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa (Diallo et al., 2010, as cited in Fors 2014).

Impact of economic globalization on child labour

There is a lot of inconsistency between researchers which influence economic globalization has on child labour; the impact of economic aspects is considered due to the influence of income levels, international trade, trade openness and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). According to Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem (2016), the urge for child labour is directly impacted due to the want of growing expansion. ‘‘A relationship exists between child labour and a country’s level of globalization when countries are considered by their income level, and that this relationship is positive for the group of medium-low income and low-income countries’’ (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016, p. 144). In conclusion, there is a relationship between income levels and child labour although this is different for low income (positive relationship) and high income (negative relationship) countries. Looking at the relationship between international trade and child labour, researchers are not corresponding to this relationship. According to Fors (2014), international trade and FDI don’t play a significant role in child labour.

In contrast to this, Neumayer and De Soysa (2005) stated that trade openness and FDI reduces child labour (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Cigno et al. (2002, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016) claim that trade openness and international trade have no or just a slight reducing effect on child labour. In contrast to the previous, Edmonds and Pavcnik (2006) discover a negative relationship between trade and child labour. In accordance with Neumayer and de Soysa and Edmonds and Pavcnik, David and Voy (2009) find a negative relationship between FDI and trade with child labour (as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Finally, child labour rates increase until a limit of globalization, from this point on child labour levels starts to decrease (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016).

There is a lot of discussion about the relationship between economic globalization and child labour, some researchers state that there is no, or just a slight effect, between economic globalization and child labour. Others found a negative relationship between the two.

Impact of social globalization on child labour

The influence of social globalization on child labour is described by trends, education and child labour acceptance. According to Gunter & van der Hoeven (2004), there is a move in the past decades from informal home work to observable paid employment. Furthermore, child labour ensures direct earning that provide favourable effects to low-income families (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004). There is a significant negative relationship between social globalization and child labour (Fors, 2014), Fors state that ‘‘social globalization does have a real effect on the incidence of child labour that, in contrast to economic globalization, does not appear to be driven by income effects’’ (2014, p. 148). According to Fors (2014), social globalization enhances the potential for skilled labour, this increases the need for schooling and decreases child labour. Moreover, child labour acceptance has been influenced by social globalization.

Developing countries change from the view that child labour is acceptable to the view that it is less acceptable due to they must meet the international standards due to globalization (Lopez-Calva, 2001, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). According to Fors (2014), further reducing child labour acceptance can be achieved through dispersing of international norms and therefore improve favour for schooling. Disperse of international norms is negatively related to child labour.

Impact of political globalization on child labour

Political globalization has to do with the type of political regime and the political actions towards countries where child labour takes place, about the impact of the latest are researchers incoherent. Child labour appears more in repressive political regimes where appropriate regulations are not implemented (Meffei et al. 2006, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Developing countries have adopted child labour laws due to pushing and concerns from industrialized countries who threatened to boycott products produces with child labour (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004).

In contrast to above-mentioned, Fors (2014) stated that boycotts and trading sanctions do not influence most child labourers, because just 7% of the child labourers work in the industry sector. The political actions are thus addressed to just a small part of the target group. In accordance with Fors, there are more researchers doubting the effectivity from political actions, such as boycotts and import bans (Maskus 1997; Basu and Zarghamee 2009; Doepke and Zilibotti 2009, 2010, as cited in Fors 2014). In conclusion, it is intended that political actions have a positive influence on child labour. As seen above, it is difficult to address the political actions towards the target group. ‘‘Improving political factors could improve globalization, but it has less of an impact on child labour rates’’ (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016, p. 145). ‘‘It therefore seems reasonable to suppose that without the assistance of decisive development policies aimed at reducing high rates of child labour, it will be very difficult for low-income countries to achieve higher levels of development and welfare from globalization because, far from decreasing, the child labour rate will continue to rise’’ (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016, p. 146).

According to different researchers, political globalization has a positive influence on child labour. Although a lot of researchers question the effectivity from political actions, improving these political factors improve globalization and thereafter it has a small influence on child labour.

Conclusion

The main purpose of this paper is to gain a comprehensive overview of the different aspects globalization has and the influence these different dimensions have on child labour.

The relationship between the economic aspect of globalization and child labour is ambiguous. Researchers agree about the fact that there is a relationship between globalization level and child labour when countries are considered by their income level (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). About the relationship between international trade and FDI is much more discussion. Fors (2014) state that there is no significant relationship, in accordance with the previous, Cigno et al. (2002) suggest that there is no or just a slight reducing effect on child labour. In contrast, Neumayer and De Soysa (2005) state that there is a relationship between trade openness and FDI.

The relationship between social globalization and child labour is a significant negative one (Fors, 2014). This negative relationship has its root in the move from informal home work to observable paid employment (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004).

Between political globalization and child labour, there is a relationship between the more repressive political regimes and the level of child labour. (Meffei et al. 2006, as cited in Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016). Due to the push of industrialized countries, child labour in developing countries have adopted child labour laws (Gunter & van der Hoeven, 2004). Despite the adopted child labour laws, there is a lot of scepticism about the laws. Fors (2004) stated that boycotts and trading sanctions do not influence most child labourers. The purpose of political actions is to have a positive effect on child labour, improving political factors could improve globalization (Labourda Castillo & Sotelsek Salem, 2016).

To sum up, child labour and globalization have a relationship in different dimensions. Researchers do not always agree about the significance and whether the relationship is positive or negative. Globalization is a wide-ranging term and it is not possible to generalize which dimensions has which effect on child labour.

Reference List

1. Fors, H. C. (2014). Social globalization and child labor: a cross-country analysis. The Developing Economies, 52(2), 125–153. doi: 10.1111/deve.12041
2. Gunter, B.G. & van der Hoeven, R. (2004). The social dimension of globalization: A review of the literature. International Labour Review, 143(1-2), 7-43. doi:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2004.tb00545.x
3. Labourda Castillo, L., & Sotelsek Salem, D. (2016). Does globalization contribute to decreasing child labor rates? Revista de Economía Mundia, 44, 127–152. Retrieved from http://www.sem-wes.org/en/node/1391
4. Rifai, I. (2013). Various dimensions of globalization and their implications for the leadership and management of education. Lingua Cultura, 7(2), 87. https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v7i2.425

IKEA is present in different international markets which have made the company phase the risks/challenges of expanding internationally. It is important to note that IKEA does not manufacture most of its products and it has had to partner with suppliers internationally. One of the biggest problems the company has had to face in recent years was the accusations that the company used child labor in its factories in Pakistan. Management acknowledged that the situation was not handled correctly. In order to ensure that they have quality suppliers that comply with their company philosophy, IKEA developed a code of conduct expressing the minimum requirements that are expected of all IKEA providers in relation social and labor conditions, labor below the age allowed by law, environment, and forestry. IKEA guarantees that suppliers apply and comply with the requirements established in the Code of Conduct. IKEA encourages its suppliers to institute environmental management systems in their operations and many suppliers have already met the requirements. To be able to successfully expand internationally companies must adapt to the culture, comply with the law and continuously work on their corporate social responsibility.

IKEA’s relationship with its suppliers should expand to cover social and environmental issues. Until relatively recently, it was assumed that the responsibility of companies was only generating profits. Currently, this conception is not enough nor acceptable. In addition to generating profits for its shareholders, the company must take responsibility for how their activities affect, positively or negatively, the quality of life of their employees and the communities in which it conducts its operations. While economic and social development continues to improve in some countries, there is still considerable work to be done to achieve conditions favorable in the economic, social and environmental fields that benefit all of society. With privatization increasing throughout the hemisphere, the power and influence of companies continue to grow. It is increasingly evident that building a fair society and more sustainable economy depends, in large part, on the influence large companies such as IKEA have in implementing actions to help the environment and social issues.

Furthermore, by covering social and environmental issues IKEA gains tangible benefits for the company. Some benefits may be loyalty from consumers, improvement of relations with suppliers, good company image, contribution to the development of communities and the common good, increased visibility among the business community, access to capital, by increasing the value of your investments and your profitability long-term and better-informed business decisions. A social and environmental stance can be used as a differentiating element and as a competitive advantage, with positive financial results. The adoption of this strategy is a path that implies difficult leadership decisions in the company in order overcome problems such as low civic culture, corruption, insufficient legal frameworks, and others that have prevented the company from fully developing as a responsible citizen.

In the case of IKEA and as seen throughout the analysis, there are two major factors to consider: Labor exploitation and environmental care, so developing a global policy of zero tolerance to practices that lead to these problems should be of full importance. Then these policies must be spread by all the various stakeholders, both inside and outside the company, in order to make them a cultural part of it. In order to have the security that these policies are being correctly applied, independent companies should be hired. These companies should be dedicated to inspecting suppliers, setting, implementing, and enforcing regulations. This will create a sense of belonging and pride with the company, as well as a good image to the perception of consumers.

Barner should decline the offer to participate in the documentary. The refusal of the filmmaker to let the company see the footage will allow an IKEA representative to be ambushed with the information he was not aware of. IKEA’s stance could be manipulated and the company could end up being represented in a negative light. In the long run, going on record in the documentary could cause harm to the image and reputation of the company and its other suppliers. IKEA should investigate the allegations on its own to present its side of the story in the best light and prevent as much negative backlash as it is able to. A public statement on the matter should be issued as soon as possible, in which the company states that the issue is being taken seriously and action is being taken.

The fact that Rangan Exports did not comply with the contract and employed children would originally cause the revocation of the contract. However, this would not really be a solution to the problem, and in the same way, it would not be considered an ethical or moral response on the part of the company taking into consideration that steps had already been taken in previous years to minimize child labor. However, putting myself in Barner’s shoes, I would know that an ethical commitment should not be based on finding ‘the least worse’ but really looking for a good solution to the problem. IKEA is an example of a socially committed company, given the principles with which it was founded. Having this background culture rooted in the company, being in the place of Barner while raising a scandal of this magnitude is not an easy task.

To be able to face this situation, the simplest answer would be to stop selling carpets or pass their production to a country with fewer problems in their labor policies. However, this would be a decision with a short-term perspective and would have no impact, other than just ignoring the problem. In parallel, as general manager in the area of carpets, Barner had the responsibility to protect not only the economic part but more than anything, the brand, image, and reputation of the company. However, Barner was at a disadvantage, given that India, Pakistan, and Nepal refused to sign an international agreement against child labor exploitation, which stipulated that children under 15 should not work. This denoting the little interest that these three nations had in abolishing this problem, which could be due both to the acceptance and cultural naturalization that existed on the basis of this problem, as well as to several other issues, taking as an example the great interest rates which they generated unpayable debts and passed from generation to generation, thus contributing to the need that existed in families for their children to work.

In conclusion based on a greater understanding of what child labor exploitation means in these countries and why it originated, I would suggest for Barner to take the opportunity to create a charity foundation, which helps families pay the loans they have been carrying for generations, help parents generate more income and looking for a better alternative to working in IKEA and other companies. Barner can regularize the purchase of carpets certifying them with a quality control where it is found that there were no children involved in the manufacture of the same, as an endpoint would help children involved in labor exploitation remain in a classroom and not in a factory. In parallel, the only way in which all this could materialize and really have a great impact and generate a change in society would be to implement the culture that IKEA has developed based on its ethics and morality so that its suppliers, such as Rangan Exports, adopt in the same way.

In my point of view, I would recommend IKEA to maintain its current focus on child labor with his suppliers. IKEA has responsibly interfered in this problem, having a positive impact on society, generating and following new initiatives against the use of minors in the manufacturing sector. The fact that IKEA follows this path, conserving its policy and culture based on ethical and moral values, has made the company know how to act in times of social crisis, taking care of the environment and respecting human rights. Which has been an intelligent movement, since acting ethically can bring great benefits to companies, such as the development of competitive advantage to be perceived as a socially responsible company, the preference of consumers, better perception in the quality of the products, etc. However, there are other stakeholders which generate pressure for companies to be socially responsible, these being investors, governments, organizations, and the media, from newspapers to social networks. Therefore, the pressure exerted on companies in terms of the obligation to render accounts to the various stakeholders is increasing, not to mention the growing social concern that is spreading in the new generations. If IKEA decided to change its current approach, it would find itself embezzled in many different problems, the biggest being lost total credibility by its customers, investors, and employees, since they would not be acting based on their fundamentals as a company, this generating a decrease in the sense of belonging of the workers given the change of the business culture.

However, for there to be a truly remarkable impact, IKEA must work in cooperation with other organizations, companies, and even governments, since child labor exploitation is such a big problem, very proactive participation of the company could lead to a disadvantage which would break with their business model. For these reasons, there must be a balance between the level of participation that a company has in the various problems and the implementation of its business strategy.