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Bolivia congress allows child labor from age 10

Considering it was reduced to 10 years from 14 years, it's not like they did a massive modification.

If imports weren't banned before, don't ban them now. Unless you think that 14 is somehow an appropriate age for work instead of being the age for education.
 
Well i did summer corn detasseling at age 13-14 and knew some who were related to the owners and started age 10-11 and that's in good old USA. In fact, farm labor at any age is legal here, so even worse than Bolivia. I assure you that was not easy or entirely safe work, 56 hrs/week. Given the peer pressure to sign up in rural areas (same with driver's ed and football), maybe we should ban imports from ourselves.

I'd like to hear your reasoning for this objection, because to me driver's ed at 15 and football at 8-9 is just as abusive. But hey, allowing 15 year old to drive gives mcdonald's a steady stream of labor. More important than safety i know
 
Well, reading the article I don't think I'd object too much. Looks like they require not only the childs consent but also parents and an "ombudsman" consent. Plus they can only be self employed at age 10, at age 12 they can work for others. Not really much different here in the states. At age 10 a child can have a lemonade stand and at age 12 they can do things like baby sit, their equivalent of working for others. Plus it looks like an employer will have to follow strict standards.

So long as strict laws are there to protect the child AND they are followed to the T I have no problem with it.
 
Well i did summer corn detasseling at age 13-14 and knew some who were related to the owners and started age 10-11 and that's in good old USA. In fact, farm labor at any age is legal here, so even worse than Bolivia. I assure you that was not easy or entirely safe work, 56 hrs/week. Given the peer pressure to sign up in rural areas (same with driver's ed and football), maybe we should ban imports from ourselves.

I'd like to hear your reasoning for this objection, because to me driver's ed at 15 and football at 8-9 is just as abusive. But hey, allowing 15 year old to drive gives mcdonald's a steady stream of labor. More important than safety i know

Because those aren't careers. That's why. The best system for tomorrows' society is one where people are trained for future careers, not for the jobs that sadly are being allowed to be filled by humans today.
 
Because those aren't careers. That's why. The best system for tomorrows' society is one where people are trained for future careers, not for the jobs that sadly are being allowed to be filled by humans today.


The trick is knowing what those future jobs are. Industries seem to change overnight and by the time a workforce is trained their skills become obsolete and replaced by new technology and/or more efficient methods. That might part of the reason the US had a jobless economic recovery.
 
Well, reading the article I don't think I'd object too much. Looks like they require not only the childs consent but also parents and an "ombudsman" consent. Plus they can only be self employed at age 10, at age 12 they can work for others. Not really much different here in the states. At age 10 a child can have a lemonade stand and at age 12 they can do things like baby sit, their equivalent of working for others. Plus it looks like an employer will have to follow strict standards.

So long as strict laws are there to protect the child AND they are followed to the T I have no problem with it.

When I did research on the Thai economy the children did not often have Cool Aid stands but worked in sweatshops. This is normal in many economies around the world and the Parents and the children agree to the conditions gladly. The kids and their parents are happy in the Philippines to get sex jobs, because it means a longer life than starving in the streets or fields. Of course, these latter kids we prefer to let starve as sex is naughty.
 
The trick is knowing what those future jobs are. Industries seem to change overnight and by the time a workforce is trained their skills become obsolete and replaced by new technology and/or more efficient methods. That might part of the reason the US had a jobless economic recovery.

well, there isn't much "trick" to it.

Best Jobs Of The Future - Business Insider

Everyone, including me, can give you a top 10 list easily.

Programmers are top of the line.
Engineers (from technical branches).
Doctors.
Lawyers and other judicial employees.
Teachers.
City planners
arhitects
Chemists
Biologists
Geologists
Chefs and food specialists
etc

What you won't see is factory workers coz of automation.
Retailers... they need to go out.
fast food workers should get expired.
etc
 
Because those aren't careers. That's why. The best system for tomorrows' society is one where people are trained for future careers, not for the jobs that sadly are being allowed to be filled by humans today.

Ok, but i'm talking about indifference to the kid's safety and well being. I don't see why career path should be relevant at that age. In the US, we put safety of minors at risk constantly with lackluster driving requirements, contact sports, and even just attending high school. Then there's the question why we allow 13 year olds to work in the fields all summer and with no parent consent or independent oversight. I remember even working thru a severe lightning storm as the owner just stood there arms crossed and fortunately, one of the kids took it upon himself to yell at everyone to run for the buses.
 
If kids want to work, let them.
 
well, there isn't much "trick" to it.

Best Jobs Of The Future - Business Insider

Everyone, including me, can give you a top 10 list easily.

Programmers are top of the line.
Engineers (from technical branches).
Doctors.
Lawyers and other judicial employees.
Teachers.
City planners
arhitects
Chemists
Biologists
Geologists
Chefs and food specialists
etc

What you won't see is factory workers coz of automation.
Retailers... they need to go out.
fast food workers should get expired.
etc

Glad to see that bankers and hedge fund managers weren't on the list. lol But I think some of those careers (teachers, doctors..) are already starting to get replaced by robotics and internet DIY'ers. IE: robots are doing surgery and dentistry. Almost anyone can watch the food channel for a few months and learn to cook like a chef. There are YouTube videos for almost anything you might want to learn and that access to information could easily eliminate a lot of teaching jobs and/or brick and mortar schools which in turn would eliminate the need for a lot of administrators which could save local and state governments tons of money. It's predicted that preventive medicine will reduce the need for surgeries and long term medical care and that could translate into less demand for health care givers and hospitals which would reduce the demand for administrators, doctors, nurses. As the costs of medical care becomes more transparent the public can make better choices about their health care and would probably use the medical system less frivolously which also bring down costs and demand for a lot of those jobs on the list.
 
Glad to see that bankers and hedge fund managers weren't on the list. lol But I think some of those careers (teachers, doctors..) are already starting to get replaced by robotics and internet DIY'ers. IE: robots are doing surgery and dentistry. Almost anyone can watch the food channel for a few months and learn to cook like a chef. There are YouTube videos for almost anything you might want to learn and that access to information could easily eliminate a lot of teaching jobs and/or brick and mortar schools which in turn would eliminate the need for a lot of administrators which could save local and state governments tons of money. It's predicted that preventive medicine will reduce the need for surgeries and long term medical care and that could translate into less demand for health care givers and hospitals which would reduce the demand for administrators, doctors, nurses. As the costs of medical care becomes more transparent the public can make better choices about their health care and would probably use the medical system less frivolously which also bring down costs and demand for a lot of those jobs on the list.

Most everything will eventually be better done by robots, if Humans survive long enough and can keep their act together. In the meantime the kids are toiling away.
 
Most everything will eventually be better done by robots, if Humans survive long enough and can keep their act together. In the meantime the kids are toiling away.


I'm a firm believer in giving kids chores and age appropriate responsibilities. But I think there probably are some farm chores that kids just shouldn't do. Operating a thrasher, alone, out in a field might be one.
 
In Bolivia entry into the workforce has been reduced to 10 years of age. The measure is to reduce poverty in the country.
Must we ban imports from the country?

Bolivia congress allows child labor from age 10

My thoughts about this are on a completely different track than anyone else's so far it seems. My overriding thought is how sad it is that in order to get out of poverty more persons within a family have to work instead of having living wages for parents. We've been heading in that direction for a while, though recently some hopeful steps have been afoot.
 
I'm a firm believer in giving kids chores and age appropriate responsibilities. But I think there probably are some farm chores that kids just shouldn't do. Operating a thrasher, alone, out in a field might be one.

How about digging for minerals in the deep with a pick and basket?
 
My thoughts about this are on a completely different track than anyone else's so far it seems. My overriding thought is how sad it is that in order to get out of poverty more persons within a family have to work instead of having living wages for parents. We've been heading in that direction for a while, though recently some hopeful steps have been afoot.

Though the thought is pleasant, I don't think I could accompany you along the path. Labor is a factor in production that sells and is bought at market prices. If there is no job at a higher price, then the Parent can either take the low wage, move or starve. The US has done a lot to change this situation in the world by championing first GATT and then the WTO and so allowing its population to buy what ever it wanted from other countries. This has brought over 1.5 Billion from subsistence to the middle class in the last 15 years or so. The world as a whole is in much better shape, than it was 30 or 40 years ago.
 
In Bolivia entry into the workforce has been reduced to 10 years of age. The measure is to reduce poverty in the country.
Must we ban imports from the country?

Bolivia congress allows child labor from age 10

The Prime Directive makes perfect sense to me. We have no right to impose our morality and laws on other countries. It's gotten us into more trouble than we even know.

Child Labor in the United States

Forms of child labor, including indentured servitude and child slavery, have existed throughout American history. As industrialization moved workers from farms and home workshops into urban areas and factory work, children were often preferred, because factory owners viewed them as more manageable, cheaper, and less likely to strike. Growing opposition to child labor in the North caused many factories to move to the South. By 1900, states varied considerably in whether they had child labor standards and in their content and degree of enforcement. By then, American children worked in large numbers in mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, and as newsboys, messengers, bootblacks, and peddlers.

We have labor unions to thank for showing us the light and the way.

It's none of our business.
 
The Prime Directive makes perfect sense to me. We have no right to impose our morality and laws on other countries. It's gotten us into more trouble than we even know.

That has always been my opinion also and is why I feel so unhappy with legislation that goes against that credo.
 
If kids want to work, let them.

Yeah even better, let's revert to the good old workshop days and 7 year old chimney sweepers and factory workers.
 
My thoughts about this are on a completely different track than anyone else's so far it seems. My overriding thought is how sad it is that in order to get out of poverty more persons within a family have to work instead of having living wages for parents. We've been heading in that direction for a while, though recently some hopeful steps have been afoot.

What's even sadder is the # who have kids just to have an extra hand to earn wages for the 'family'
 
In Bolivia entry into the workforce has been reduced to 10 years of age. The measure is to reduce poverty in the country.
Must we ban imports from the country?

Bolivia congress allows child labor from age 10

Considering that both the child's consent, parental consent, and consent of a public official is required, and if the conditions are good, I don't see why not.
 
In Bolivia entry into the workforce has been reduced to 10 years of age. The measure is to reduce poverty in the country.
Must we ban imports from the country?

Bolivia congress allows child labor from age 10

That's sad.

It's been proven it's more stimulative for developing nations to pay children to go to school, get high grades, pay for medical visits and pay for their books and school uniforms.

Bolivia is suppose to be Socialist, not an explotiative Capitalist hell-hole :'(

Oh well, people always lie (Bolivian government, not you JoG)
 
If we cut off economic ties to Bolivia they will probably find out that the new law does not actually reduce poverty but increases it.
 
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