Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watcgl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watcgl!jchapman
From: jchapman@watcgl.UUCP (john chapman)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: tariffs,shoes: a source
Message-ID: <2693@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-Oct-85 09:46:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: watcgl.2693
Posted: Wed Oct 23 09:46:56 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Oct-85 01:19:00 EDT
References: <2673@watcgl.UUCP> <1778@watdcsu.UUCP> <2681@watcgl.UUCP> <1784@watdcsu.UUCP>
Distribution: can
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 41

> >> >Well not to make an issue out of it particularily.... but one of the
.
> >> >*highest* paid factory worker (all blacks) gets $40/wk which is
> >> >below even the South African governments poverty line for blacks.
> >> >It's easy to understand how the shoes from those factories might be
> >> >cheaper. [John Chapman]
> >> 
> >> So, would they be better off not working and getting $0/wk? [David Canzi]
> >
> >yes [John Chapman]
> 
> Fine.  Let us agree, then, that South African blacks would be better
> off with no food than they are now with inadequate food.  (This has
> something to do with the *intangible* benefits of starvation, no doubt.)

The arguments that they are better off (as they are now) are basically the
same as those used to justify continued slavery in the american south
(they need masters or they'll starve; they wouldn't know what to do with
freedom; at least as slaves they get fed every day....... and on and on)

It seems to me that you were the one expressing concern about the workers
of other countries - all I'm saying is that you should be careful .
Those people would probably be a lot better off if you sent a letter
to Bata telling them that you would like to buy their shoes but are
morally unable to do so due to the conditions/renumeration of their
South African employees (rather than just buying the shoes because they are
cheap and justifying it by saying it gives them *some* income - or were
your previous comments just crocodile tears....?).


> Given this, it is, of course, immediately obvious that we must restrict
> imports from *all* shoe-producing countries.  (The reasoning that leads
> to this conclusion is so simple that I'll let you explain it.)

Well it's certainly not my statement (nor one I would make) so I'll let
try and explain your logic.....

> -- 
> David Canzi
> 
> There are too many thick books about thin subjects.