Child Labor

Criminal justice courses as well as political science and sociology classes often study the phenomena of child labor. Research papers on child labor reveal the nations, companies and industries that use child labor in other countries. Paper Masters custom writes child labor research papers for any course and according to your specific instructions.

Child labor is illegal in a fully industrialized nation because as a nation becomes industrialized and its standard of living improves, child labor is looked upon as harmful to the well-being and development of children. Inhabitants of industrialized nations have an idealized view of children and childhood. They do not like to think of children toiling away for long hours in a factory. In addition, child labor goes against the image of a family most people in industrialized nations have. In this image, the father is the breadwinner, and the mother is the homemaker raising the children. Another reason child labor is illegal is that most jobs and skills in an industrialized nation which keep its economy functioning and progressing require an education.

Child Labor and Industry

Thus, children in an industrialized nation have to spend a number of years getting an education so they can become economically productive members of such a nation. But some cultures outside of the Western nations which make up most of the industrialized nations have a different view on child labor because they do not have an idealized view of children or the family and their education systems do not have much to do with training children for their economy.

Child Labor and Well Known Companies

Where do these factories send their goods? For the most part, larger well-known companies sub-contract with the factories to produce their goods. Most people remember the media circus surrounding Kathy Lee Gifford when it was revealed that her line of clothing for Wal-Mart used child laborers. Some others may remember the negative publicity Nike received when it was exposed as using sweatshop workers as well as being accused of seeking countries that pay workers sub minimum wages, did not permit workers to organize, and allowed other labor violations. There are many other lesser-known cases involving companies such as:

• The Gap, Inc.
• Target Corp.
• J.C. Penny
• Lane Bryant
• The Limited
• Disney
• Levi Strauss
• Reebok
• Liz Clairborn
• Ralph Lauren

All have all been accused of subcontracting with overseas factories that have sweatshop conditions including child labor