For every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Following on from Tori's April Fools Day post, I began looking into the negative effects of globalisation.
The below videos are three, nearly four, years old. They investigate working conditions in factories in Bangladesh. My knowledge of international human rights standards across the globe isn't sufficient enough to say whether there have been improvements on circumstances like this or not. I'd love to believe that situations have improved but I'm certain that some places are equally as bad or worse even today.

NB: the videos get pretty heavy at some points...





Is globalisation only advantageous to those who are already in a privileged position? I believe globalisation plays a massive role in widening class divisions between the rich and the poor. It can be argued that globalisation creates jobs for many people in countries less well off than our own. However, in my opinion, it is blatantly apparent that international corporations completely exploit the need for jobs in poorer countries outside the EU (who, I guess, don't have the protection of European working time directives and international laws to protect their working conditions), taking advantage of people who are so poor they're willing to work for whatever tiny wage they are given. I recall reading an article about an Apple factory in China that had to install nets outside of its buildings and forced its workers to sign "I will not commit suicide on these premises" contracts because the worker suicide rate was so high due to the horrific working conditions and harsh production targets. The article was actually published either this year or last and I will try to find that at some point.
Of course it's not just third world countries in which people are used for their cheap labour, after all, people in the UK stereo-typically whine about immigrant workers coming over and "taking their jobs" because companies think they can get away with paying migrant workers an undercut wage. So I suppose globalisation is good for those migrant workers who can leave harsh conditions in their home country and immigrate to better circumstances.
Have to look into this in more depth.