Labor inequality and modern slavery we must discover its roots and causes. For first world countries like the United States, inequality in work is about income inequality as well as a lack of opportunity. Examining levels of inequality in the global workforce reveals far more oppressive inequalities. These labor inequalities take many forms, such as modern slavery, debt bondage, human trafficking and forced labor, but it is difficult to point a finger at why they still exist. Historical inequalities were endemic and contributed to the development of the slave trade, which constitutes one of the greatest forms of labor inequality. The traditional form of colonialism was once a way for nations to increase their power and influence. At this time it was accepted that military force could be used to obtain resources from foreigners and their lands. Human labor was not seen as an asset, but rather as a variable affecting production yields. The settlers had neither the desire nor the need to repel human suffering, and its victims were often uneducated and unable to express themselves or ignore their problems. With the introduction of globalization, our nations have come together in markets and organizations to get rid of practices such as colonialism and imperialism. The free market expanded to every nation it could reach, giving way to more inequality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Countries no longer invade foreign colonies and acquire their land for economic gain, but their method still resonates in the whole world. Instead, multinational corporations and global lenders use their own political and economic control to influence foreigners in favor of their economic growth. Imperialism still exists in its final form called neocolonialism. Some key characteristics of neocolonialism are (1) a trend of economic growth characterized by a heavy dependence on the export of primary products, (2) a system of forced labor for agricultural resources, and (3) a global supply chain governed and regulated by multinational companies, traders and intermediaries. A nation subject to neocolonialism has its economic system directed from outside and, therefore, its political policy is controlled by external sources. The use of this regime aims to exploit developing countries rather than develop them. Economic dependencies have formed with these countries, leaving them with no choice but to return for additional aid that adds to their national debt. These corporations take over land and become a major source of employment, leaving their economy and population dependent on the corporation's actions. When imperial power has much more capitalist power, it can dictate government policy in the neocolonized state. Multinational corporations may often begin operations in another country, but this does not always mean that they are the source of exploitation. Often they start operations on land that does not necessarily belong to them, exploiting the land and the peoplewho live there. The modern colonizer decides to expand his supply chain and build factories, manufacturing facilities and exploit lands and farms to liquidate all the assets therein. Now of course they can only do this with the permission of the country's government, which is why they prey on nations that are underdeveloped, weak and in need of help. This practice keeps alive the practice of keeping wealth flowing from poor nations to the first world ruling class. Neocolonialism is often the reason why many inequalities and labor exploitations exist in a foreign country. On the surface, neocolonialism seems to refer to companies creating manufacturing facilities that need local workers to operate, but this is often not the case. Often, neocolonialism perpetuates current inequalities within a foreign country. Their economy is being strangled by lenders who create empty promises and unilateral agreements created solely to deplete the country's resources as quickly as possible. Many point the finger at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. After World War II, they began offering loans to poor and underdeveloped countries that desperately needed help. This promise would only be made if the suffering nation agreed to privatize its economy and allow companies access to its materials, and it would reluctantly accept efforts to develop its economy and basic infrastructure. Workers themselves are racialized and in a position where they are forced to accept deals that lead to debt bondage, out of desperation. Coincidentally, their governments must do the same to these lenders and businesses to keep their economies afloat (Bonacich 2008). As we all know by now, the infrastructure of these countries was not developed as they hoped and their economies only faltered. Today, they suffer from some of the worst income, work and environmental inequality in the world. The pervasiveness of slavery in the modern era is driven entirely by the ability to produce large profits without real risk, while the economy and its actors accept the suffering of victims. Fortunately for these companies, when they are caught exploiting the land and its inhabitants, there is only brief outrage, an empty promise is made, and consumers start buying their products again. An argument for Nestlé's supply chains Ghana's "gold coast" was once the center of the African slave trade, and in some ways the practice continues. Their instability began when their government led by Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a coup. There is speculation that this coup was planned and approved by the British and American governments led by Lyndon B. Johnson. Since then, the country has been plagued by instability, with record famine and drought. They had triple-digit inflation rates and were in dire need of help. They undertook an economic reform effort through the IMF, which has since led to positive structural reforms that, unfortunately, also perpetuate modern slavery. The IMF now controls Ghana and threatens to stop providing loans unless the country continues to comply with its wishes. One of the biggest companies sustaining slavery in Ghana is Nestlé, with its massive and growing demand for cocoa. Cocoa harvesting is labor intensive and requires a high demand for jobs, but requires low-skilled labor,this is why children are often targeted. Around 2 million children are engaged in cocoa farming in Ghana and Ivory Coast on farms that are part of Nestlé's supply chain. These two places alone produce around 60% of the world's cocoa and the labor required to harvest it is dangerous and removes children's chances of further education. Children work in the cocoa fields for more than 8 hours a day swinging machetes, burning the fields, spraying pesticides, and lifting bags of cocoa weighing more than 100 pounds. Workers do not receive enough chemical pesticides and must therefore purchase their own from China, whose instructions are not included. These chemicals have no place to be stored and are often found stored in workers' homes. The spray tanks are even washed into the water sources where communities get their drinking water. With global demand for cocoa expected to grow 30 percent over the next five years, this problem could worsen. In a study conducted by the Fair Labor Association, they examined Nestlé's cocoa plantations along the Ivory Coast in West Africa. Nestlé promised to eliminate child slave labor in its supply chain as early as 2001, but the 2012 study proves otherwise. Ivory Coast is the world's leading producer of cocoa and also the largest exporter. The problem with Nestlé's supply chain is that it is not entirely transparent. To moderate and regulate ethical cocoa production, Nestlé created the Nestle Cocoa Plan, but only 20% of its cocoa cultivation falls under this plan. The remaining 80% corresponds to a standard supply chain, not very transparent and as well maintained as it should be. This unfortunately leads to around half of their cocoa production being untraceable. This is not Nestlé's first wrongdoing. They are also criticized for forced labor, trafficking and child labor within their seafood production sites. A study by Verite revealed inequalities within Thailand's seafood industry, highlighting evidence of deceptive recruitment practices (Verite 2015). Workers were subjected to these recruitment practices in their home countries and then transported to Thailand in inhumane conditions. Some were forced into debt bondage and exposed to abusive working conditions, such as no days off and forced overtime. Workers surveyed said they earned about $10 per day before fees and deductions, while paying between $400 and $500 for the work itself as recruiting fees. The recruitment process took place without going through the legal immigration and labor procedures defined by the Thai Foreigners' Employment Act. The Many Faces of Inequality The exploitative nature of slavery has never changed, its face has only changed its mask. In 2016, an estimated 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery (Alliance 2017). The Trafficking in Persons Protocol defines human trafficking under three terms. “Act” refers to an act of either recruiting, transporting, harboring or receiving a person. The second term is “objective,” which is the specific reason why the act is committed, whether forced labor or exploitation. Finally, the “means” is how the person is convinced to give up their rights, whether through the use of force, kidnapping, fraud, coercion, debt bondage , etc. Traditional slaverywas usually entirely forced while modern slavery is often contractual and temporary and referred to as forced labor. Forced labor differs from slavery because it involves coercion under threat of punishment that was not offered voluntarily (Kartha 2017). Most victims experience many forms of coercion to prevent them from getting out of debt. Around 24 percent of workers had their wages withheld due to threats of non-payment, 17 percent faced threats of physical violence, and 16 percent faced actual physical violence. Threats also include denial of food, shelter or water, debt manipulation and threat of eviction. In 2016, of the 40.3 million victims of modern slavery, 24.9 million of them were subjected to forced labor. Among these 24.9 million forced laborers, 16 million operate in the private economy which generates illegal profits of around $150 billion per year. Forced labor can be state-imposed, with work imposed by public authorities, the military, and even prison labor in some cases. . An estimated 4.1 million people were victims of state-imposed forced labor. This includes recruiting citizens to work for economic development, military personnel performing work unrelated to the military, and prisoners forced to work against their will. The most common form of slavery today is debt bondage. In North Korea, one in ten people are forced into forced labor after being recruited against their will. This involved children working in agriculture and schools receiving payment on their behalf. If they do not participate, they will be punished within the school itself, but this could be avoided through bribes. Adults participate in community labor where they work for up to 100 days straight, and if they refuse, their food rations are reduced. If we compare all forms of slavery, debt bondage confines more victims than all other forms of slavery combined. Debt labor/servitude is a predatory relationship between work and credit. agreement. Victims often enter into loan agreements with parties who seek to exploit their labor. When the party lacking assets applies for the loan, they often agree to work hard to repay it. Due to the imbalance of power between the two parties, the debtor is often exploited to the point of slavery. Victims find themselves working for extremely low wages and paying interest rates of 10 to 20 percent per month. Sometimes up to half of the debtor's salary is taken to repay the debt, and the lender has the power to make deductions for poor job performance, or for anything else they deem necessary. When workers can't afford to live on this measly wage, basic necessities like food and clothing require more loans, adding to the debt. If the debt is not repaid, it can last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations. Debt bondage often involves workers paying recruitment fees to obtain employment as well as documents, training, permits and travel expenses. The topic of slavery and human trafficking is already recognized as extremely unequal, but there are even deeper inequalities within the system. Most victims of human trafficking are women and children. Indeed, most of the victims detected around the world are victims of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation. In a.

Essay / Labor inequality and modern slavery we must discover its roots and causes. For first world countries like the United States, inequality in work is about income inequality as well as a lack of opportunity. Examining levels of inequality in the global workforce reveals far more oppressive inequalities. These labor inequalities take many forms, such as modern slavery, debt bondage, human trafficking and forced labor, but it is difficult to point a finger at why they still exist. Historical inequalities were endemic and contributed to the development of the slave trade, which constitutes one of the greatest forms of labor inequality. The traditional form of colonialism was once a way for nations to increase their power and influence. At this time it was accepted that military force could be used to obtain resources from foreigners and their lands. Human labor was not seen as an asset, but rather as a variable affecting production yields. The settlers had neither the desire nor the need to repel human suffering, and its victims were often uneducated and unable to express themselves or ignore their problems. With the introduction of globalization, our nations have come together in markets and organizations to get rid of practices such as colonialism and imperialism. The free market expanded to every nation it could reach, giving way to more inequality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Countries no longer invade foreign colonies and acquire their land for economic gain, but their method still resonates in the whole world. Instead, multinational corporations and global lenders use their own political and economic control to influence foreigners in favor of their economic growth. Imperialism still exists in its final form called neocolonialism. Some key characteristics of neocolonialism are (1) a trend of economic growth characterized by a heavy dependence on the export of primary products, (2) a system of forced labor for agricultural resources, and (3) a global supply chain governed and regulated by multinational companies, traders and intermediaries. A nation subject to neocolonialism has its economic system directed from outside and, therefore, its political policy is controlled by external sources. The use of this regime aims to exploit developing countries rather than develop them. Economic dependencies have formed with these countries, leaving them with no choice but to return for additional aid that adds to their national debt. These corporations take over land and become a major source of employment, leaving their economy and population dependent on the corporation's actions. When imperial power has much more capitalist power, it can dictate government policy in the neocolonized state. Multinational corporations may often begin operations in another country, but this does not always mean that they are the source of exploitation. Often they start operations on land that does not necessarily belong to them, exploiting the land and the peoplewho live there. The modern colonizer decides to expand his supply chain and build factories, manufacturing facilities and exploit lands and farms to liquidate all the assets therein. Now of course they can only do this with the permission of the country's government, which is why they prey on nations that are underdeveloped, weak and in need of help. This practice keeps alive the practice of keeping wealth flowing from poor nations to the first world ruling class. Neocolonialism is often the reason why many inequalities and labor exploitations exist in a foreign country. On the surface, neocolonialism seems to refer to companies creating manufacturing facilities that need local workers to operate, but this is often not the case. Often, neocolonialism perpetuates current inequalities within a foreign country. Their economy is being strangled by lenders who create empty promises and unilateral agreements created solely to deplete the country's resources as quickly as possible. Many point the finger at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. After World War II, they began offering loans to poor and underdeveloped countries that desperately needed help. This promise would only be made if the suffering nation agreed to privatize its economy and allow companies access to its materials, and it would reluctantly accept efforts to develop its economy and basic infrastructure. Workers themselves are racialized and in a position where they are forced to accept deals that lead to debt bondage, out of desperation. Coincidentally, their governments must do the same to these lenders and businesses to keep their economies afloat (Bonacich 2008). As we all know by now, the infrastructure of these countries was not developed as they hoped and their economies only faltered. Today, they suffer from some of the worst income, work and environmental inequality in the world. The pervasiveness of slavery in the modern era is driven entirely by the ability to produce large profits without real risk, while the economy and its actors accept the suffering of victims. Fortunately for these companies, when they are caught exploiting the land and its inhabitants, there is only brief outrage, an empty promise is made, and consumers start buying their products again. An argument for Nestlé's supply chains Ghana's "gold coast" was once the center of the African slave trade, and in some ways the practice continues. Their instability began when their government led by Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a coup. There is speculation that this coup was planned and approved by the British and American governments led by Lyndon B. Johnson. Since then, the country has been plagued by instability, with record famine and drought. They had triple-digit inflation rates and were in dire need of help. They undertook an economic reform effort through the IMF, which has since led to positive structural reforms that, unfortunately, also perpetuate modern slavery. The IMF now controls Ghana and threatens to stop providing loans unless the country continues to comply with its wishes. One of the biggest companies sustaining slavery in Ghana is Nestlé, with its massive and growing demand for cocoa. Cocoa harvesting is labor intensive and requires a high demand for jobs, but requires low-skilled labor,this is why children are often targeted. Around 2 million children are engaged in cocoa farming in Ghana and Ivory Coast on farms that are part of Nestlé's supply chain. These two places alone produce around 60% of the world's cocoa and the labor required to harvest it is dangerous and removes children's chances of further education. Children work in the cocoa fields for more than 8 hours a day swinging machetes, burning the fields, spraying pesticides, and lifting bags of cocoa weighing more than 100 pounds. Workers do not receive enough chemical pesticides and must therefore purchase their own from China, whose instructions are not included. These chemicals have no place to be stored and are often found stored in workers' homes. The spray tanks are even washed into the water sources where communities get their drinking water. With global demand for cocoa expected to grow 30 percent over the next five years, this problem could worsen. In a study conducted by the Fair Labor Association, they examined Nestlé's cocoa plantations along the Ivory Coast in West Africa. Nestlé promised to eliminate child slave labor in its supply chain as early as 2001, but the 2012 study proves otherwise. Ivory Coast is the world's leading producer of cocoa and also the largest exporter. The problem with Nestlé's supply chain is that it is not entirely transparent. To moderate and regulate ethical cocoa production, Nestlé created the Nestle Cocoa Plan, but only 20% of its cocoa cultivation falls under this plan. The remaining 80% corresponds to a standard supply chain, not very transparent and as well maintained as it should be. This unfortunately leads to around half of their cocoa production being untraceable. This is not Nestlé's first wrongdoing. They are also criticized for forced labor, trafficking and child labor within their seafood production sites. A study by Verite revealed inequalities within Thailand's seafood industry, highlighting evidence of deceptive recruitment practices (Verite 2015). Workers were subjected to these recruitment practices in their home countries and then transported to Thailand in inhumane conditions. Some were forced into debt bondage and exposed to abusive working conditions, such as no days off and forced overtime. Workers surveyed said they earned about $10 per day before fees and deductions, while paying between $400 and $500 for the work itself as recruiting fees. The recruitment process took place without going through the legal immigration and labor procedures defined by the Thai Foreigners' Employment Act. The Many Faces of Inequality The exploitative nature of slavery has never changed, its face has only changed its mask. In 2016, an estimated 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery (Alliance 2017). The Trafficking in Persons Protocol defines human trafficking under three terms. “Act” refers to an act of either recruiting, transporting, harboring or receiving a person. The second term is “objective,” which is the specific reason why the act is committed, whether forced labor or exploitation. Finally, the “means” is how the person is convinced to give up their rights, whether through the use of force, kidnapping, fraud, coercion, debt bondage , etc. Traditional slaverywas usually entirely forced while modern slavery is often contractual and temporary and referred to as forced labor. Forced labor differs from slavery because it involves coercion under threat of punishment that was not offered voluntarily (Kartha 2017). Most victims experience many forms of coercion to prevent them from getting out of debt. Around 24 percent of workers had their wages withheld due to threats of non-payment, 17 percent faced threats of physical violence, and 16 percent faced actual physical violence. Threats also include denial of food, shelter or water, debt manipulation and threat of eviction. In 2016, of the 40.3 million victims of modern slavery, 24.9 million of them were subjected to forced labor. Among these 24.9 million forced laborers, 16 million operate in the private economy which generates illegal profits of around $150 billion per year. Forced labor can be state-imposed, with work imposed by public authorities, the military, and even prison labor in some cases. . An estimated 4.1 million people were victims of state-imposed forced labor. This includes recruiting citizens to work for economic development, military personnel performing work unrelated to the military, and prisoners forced to work against their will. The most common form of slavery today is debt bondage. In North Korea, one in ten people are forced into forced labor after being recruited against their will. This involved children working in agriculture and schools receiving payment on their behalf. If they do not participate, they will be punished within the school itself, but this could be avoided through bribes. Adults participate in community labor where they work for up to 100 days straight, and if they refuse, their food rations are reduced. If we compare all forms of slavery, debt bondage confines more victims than all other forms of slavery combined. Debt labor/servitude is a predatory relationship between work and credit. agreement. Victims often enter into loan agreements with parties who seek to exploit their labor. When the party lacking assets applies for the loan, they often agree to work hard to repay it. Due to the imbalance of power between the two parties, the debtor is often exploited to the point of slavery. Victims find themselves working for extremely low wages and paying interest rates of 10 to 20 percent per month. Sometimes up to half of the debtor's salary is taken to repay the debt, and the lender has the power to make deductions for poor job performance, or for anything else they deem necessary. When workers can't afford to live on this measly wage, basic necessities like food and clothing require more loans, adding to the debt. If the debt is not repaid, it can last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations. Debt bondage often involves workers paying recruitment fees to obtain employment as well as documents, training, permits and travel expenses. The topic of slavery and human trafficking is already recognized as extremely unequal, but there are even deeper inequalities within the system. Most victims of human trafficking are women and children. Indeed, most of the victims detected around the world are victims of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation. In a.

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