An article in the New York Times by Allen Myerson highlighted the importance and necessity of sweatshops for developing nations. He, along with a handful of other economists, argue that sweatshops are a guaranteed gateway for developing nations to come into their own by generating a national economy, opening job opportunities and giving the push in alleviating poverty. 

Economists' support of sweatshop labour is indeed intentionally good, and looks towards the future of developing nations in hopes that they will become developed. However, it is important to realise that the injustice is happening now. People today are being treated poorly, being underpaid, horrifically abused. Is it fair that these thousands of people will have to play martyr and be sacrificed today for change that could occur in 50, maybe 100 years?

This is where Fair Trade comes into play. Fair Trade is a movement that offers a system that benefits both the consumer and the workers, producers and farmers. 

Companies that adopt the fair trade system employ workers in developing nations, offering better working conditions, a living wage, sustainability, and an overall general improvement in trading conditions. The use of a fair trading system in developing countries allows for the exact points in Myerson's article to be addressed without the need for sweatshops. Numerous accounts and interviews of workers employed in fair trade manufacturing facilities are enormously proud of their work and happy to be in their position.

There has been an emergence of fair trade companies operating that are coming to and helping those in need. Become a part of the solution. Look for the fair trade logo.

Helpful Links & Reading Material: 

// Fair Trade

// Why Should I Choose Fair Trade? 

// People Tree - Emma Watson visits Bangledesh