Lecture 4: Sweatshop Students

Question 1

Explain Zwolinski’s argument in favour of sweatshop labour

Answer 1

1. Sweatshop labour is beneficial to workers
2. Sweatshop labour is voluntary
3. Sweatshop labour is the best available alternative for the workers who choose it (the fact they choose it indicates that the other options are worse)
4. It is morally permissible to provide people with an option that makes them better off than they would do otherwise.

Conclusion –> it is morally permissible to provide people with an option that makes them better off than they would otherwise

Question 2

What is wrong with Zwolinski’s argumentation?

Answer 2

1. Workers do not always voluntarily consent
2. Consenting to work vs. Consenting to the conditions

Question 3

What is the utilitarian view on sweatshops?

Answer 3

The right action is the one that maximizes aggregate wellbeing

Employing sweatshop labour is wrong if (and only if) it does not maximize aggregate wellbeing

Question 4

What is the weakness of the utilitarian view on sweatshops?

Answer 4

1. It is empirically questionable (disagreement about facts)
2. Somethings appear wrong even if they maximize utility (the roadise example / disagreement about values)

Question 5

What are the different elements of the deontological framework / right-based morality

Answer 5

1. Promoting good consequences is NOT all that matters
2. Individuals are autonomous, they have plans and projects of their own
3. Individuals have rights, they protect their sphere of autonomy.
4. Other individuals can constrain your actions AND you have duties of assistance

Question 6

What is autonomy?

Answer 6

The capacity of humans to self-govern

Question 7

What is Kant’s categorical imperative?

Answer 7

You should never treat people as mere means

Act as if the maxims of your action were to become through your will a universal law of nature.

Question 8

What is the deontological vision on sweatshop labour?

Answer 8

1. Permissions: MCNs are permitted not to hire the poorest people.
2. Constraints/Prohibitions: MCNs are not allowed to treat employees as mere means
3. Requirements: MCNs have a duty to improve conditions when it’s a low cost to them

Question 8

What is the deontological vision on sweatshop labour?

Answer 8

1. Permissions: MCNs are permitted not to hire the poorest people.
2. Constraints/Prohibitions: MCNs are not allowed to treat employees as mere means
3. Requirements: MCNs have a duty to improve conditions when it’s a low cost to them