In the class of Global Perspectives we discussed global trade. Then we were assigned to answer the following questions after reading this text:
Many of the manufactured goods purchased in Europe or North America are made in China or the Indian subcontinent. Sometimes this means that an item of clothing might cost more to repair, or even to dry clean, than it was to buy in the first place. For many electronic items, such as laptop computers or smartphones, the price of the individual product may be many times more than the monthly wage of the worker who assembled it.
Yet, especially for electronic devices purchased on contract, it can often make more financial sense for the consumer to throw it away after a couple of years in favour of a slightly upgraded model. Those discarded phones often end up back in the developing world, in vast waste dumps, where the metals and chemicals used in their manufacture slowly pollute the environment and make people sick.
Do you consider these sorts of relationships to be an inevitable part of global trade?
In mi opinión, I don't believe these sorts of relationships are inevitable of global tarde however it is difficult. These companies, the ones who sell the product much more than the monthly wage of a worker, takes advantage of this people hence they only think about them and think they being rich instead of being fair. Besides, they have the power to do what they do, and they do it no matter equality. If they concerned about the harm they do to the people and the environment, it is possible that these relationships could be avoidable.
Should factors such as the environment, human health, or the gap between rich and poor play a greater role in international relations, whatever the cost?
Yes, the environment, human health, or the gap between rich and poor should play a greater role in international relations. These factors are the most important issues as they affected our life. They are putting their wealth before the health of millions of people. They only care about how much money they win and they make a huge difference between rich and poor since they take advantage of the poor people. We should take care about people's health, about the issue we are destroying this amazing world and fight for equality, however people in this world are ambitious and his only concern is money.
What is your own opinion about the issue?
I believe that global trade is beneficial for the entire world, however in this way only benefited the richest countries. Goods that were manufactured in developing countries, the workers didn't benefit as equal as the company, if not they worked in horrible conditions and in clandestine workshop, and the developed countries take advantage and sell the goods much more than the wage of a worker that made it. Also, I believe that we, the consumers, have to stopped buying the products of these companies. It is difficult but not imposible, if we are all together we could do it.
What more can you find out about this issue? Make a summary of the different opinions you find.
I found different opinions about if global trade is beneficial or risky for the world.
Firstly, I found an opinion of
Kim Smith that said "International trade is imperative to our business since que export to 70 countries". According to what I read, Kim Smith said that it is very important global business for their company and that global trade allowed their business to grow. Also, said that with global trade comes new jobs and growth.
Secondly,
Peter Bowe have the same point of view of Kim Smith. He said that if global trade not exist, their company wouldn't exist too, like many other companies in the world. "We understand the power that exporting has on a business's growth, and with over a couple hundred U.S employees, everyone at Ellicott Dredges knows that our jobs depend on exports".
