The Cheap and Nasty Truth about “Made in China”

The Cheap and Nasty Truth about “Made in China”

The last two and a half centuries have seen our great nation develop immensely in its intake of products from foreign countries. These countries are as close in proximity to the United States as Mexico or Canada but have also expanded into countries that are further away like India and China. Therefore, the origin of each product in our households provides us with a glimpse into how that product was designed, manufactured, and shipped into our country. Once these items cross our shorelines, they must also stand up to Americans’ views about their countries of origin. This is particularly true regarding countries like China, which is why we will be providing you with more information about what it means to be “Made in China” and how that might impact an American’s perspective.

When our American products and technologies are shipped overseas to China for manufacturing, they enter a well-oiled manufacturing machine with centuries of experience. However, this machine doesn’t function the way we have come to expect from American manufacturing companies. This machine employs thousands of Chinese workers who live in dormitories within several miles of the manufacturing plants themselves. While these individuals often have access to housing via their employers, their working hours are sporadic and unpredictable. In the event a manufacturing deadline is not being met, plant management, has the liberty to call upon the thousands of housed employees to report to work. This allows for extreme scalability to meet manufacturing demands while also placing these employees in a position where they may be unable to make plans with their friends and families. Obviously, something that should concern American citizens who believe in human rights.

This infringement upon human lives is expanded upon as these employees enter the manufacturing plants where they work. These facilities are often constructed without meeting the appropriate codes required of them by the province in which they were built. This has sometimes resulted in some facilities being built without proper ventilation for employees.  If, for example, a manufacturing company does not properly ventilate their facilities and they work on chemical components for some project, they could be exposing their employees to deadly toxins. Obviously, this is of a great deal of concern for those concerned about these employees’ work environments. Unfortunately, in many of these cases, employees also do not receive benefits such as sick leave or vacation time. Without access to these options, Chinese employees and employees in other countries, often go years without seeking out medical attention. This obviously impacts the health of those individuals and ultimately will decrease their desire and ability to create great products!

It is for those reasons mentioned above that all American’s should consider buying American products before they seek to buy products from foreign countries like China. When purchasing items from foreign countries, we urge you to do your research so that you can identify how your purchases impact the well-being of the workers in those countries.

 

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