Child Labor

This week, Joe, Kevin, and Toren discuss child labor. They’ll discuss the eleven worst countries for child labor, the prevalence of child labor in chocolate production, tobacco, video games, and in mining. Plus: Oliver Twist and some curiously comedic examples of child labor in pop culture.

Music: “Angels with Dirty Faces” by Cab Calloway featuring June Richmond

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8 Responses

  1. So I am not sure if you guys have heard of or watched the “Gem” of a movie….Santa Claus Vs. the Devil…..but Santa in that movie basically has an army of ethnicly diverse children from around the world building toys and singing mournfully as Santa plays a piano. Clearly labour laws struck that practice down, forcing Santa to move to elves…

  2. The Planet Money Podcast on NPR tracked down where their t-shirt came from. If you haven’t already listened to that multi-part “episode” then it would give you an idea of what your t-shirts went through.

  3. Child labor seems to be preavalent in all supply chains of all former colonial produce.
    You already covered tobacco and chocolate here are two other ones.

    Tea:

    “Auditing by the Ethical Tea Partnership, which certifies estates for some of the biggest names in the industry, […] failed to detect the trafficking.”
    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/01/india-tea-firms-urged-tackle-slave-traffic-plantations

    Coffee:

    “Increases in the county-level value of coffee production led to more work among middle-income boys and girls, poorer children were withdrawn from school, while richer children were not affected”
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030438780600040X?np=y

  4. Usually I either like the song or will at least tolerate it and let it play… well done! You found the first one that made me want to fast forward through it!

  5. Kevin, you forgot to “TM” the ergo-ped bicycle, so expect to see one in a store near you soon! The first, only and best ergonimically designed bicycle that runs on environmentally friendly child power! I’ll be rich!!