jueves, diciembre 27, 2007

Un debate interesante


Una reciente investigación del New York Times descubrió que las tapas metálicas que que cubren las calles de Ciudad Gótica son fundidas por trabajadores descalzos en la India. Rodrik plantea el dilema habitual de este tipo de situaciones: las tapas se fabrican en la India por los menores costos laborales, los cuales están muchas veces asociados a menores estándares de seguridad. El ping pong que se desarrolla en los comentarios al post no tiene desperdicio:

Hmm. I bet no-one here has ever worked in a foundry. I have.

True, there are some simple things that can be done to make it safer. Enlightened self-interest suggests these should be done. But a small foundry (ie one that does job lots that are too small to mechanise) is always gonna be a hot loud ugly dangerous place, with plenty of dramatic photo-ops, wherever it is.

The answer above - that even the worst sweatshop is better than subsistence (or worse, sub-subsistence) farming is correct. It's shown to be by the number of peasants who have flocked to them since the beginning of the industrial revolution.

1 comentario:

Anónimo dijo...

I am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link