In this column Nicholas Kristof asks us to reconsider out view of sweatshops inasmuch as the loaded term ignores the fact that these factories and businesses can represent a significant economic opportunity for the developing world. Most of his examples are from Asia, but Kristof does have Africa in mind as well:
The best way to help people in the poorest countries isn't to campaign against sweatshops but to promote manufacturing there. One of the best things America could do for Africa would be to strengthen our program to encourage African imports, called AGOA, and nudge Europe to match it.
Kristof's stance reminds me of the way most Africans view capitalism. While some polemicists theorize about the evils of globalization and capitalism, most Africans I know are smart enough not to want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. They want more but better globalization and capitalism rather than the shoddy versions that often trickle down to them.
