global division of labor

The global division of labor is a very complex and intricate process. There are numerous factors that tie into its successes and failures. The global division of labor examines how people are incorporated in the global political economy. This process has uncovered shocking injustices and inequalities amongst the world’s richest and poorest nations. Just how well a person fits into this unique classification shows how high their standard of living is as well as how long they may life. In order to understand the global division of labor one must understand the role it plays into the bigger aspect of the global political economy. According to Adam Smith, there are three causes to the division of labor: one, “people’s natural propensity to truck, barter and exchange”; second, was “self love”. Third, people participate in numerous activities based on “habit, tradition and custom” (244In my opinion, the second cause mentioned is the one that drives people the most: the concept of “self love”. Acquiring the best and the most motivated people to enter into trade agreements and participate in the process of the division of labor. People are generally concerned with a Machiavellian method where “the ends justify the means”. This means that in order to get what they want to further promote the idelogy of self-love they will stoop as low as creating a division of labor.
One thing I have noticed with the global division of labor and how it ties into the global political economy is the role that Trans National Corporations play into everything. Transnational corporations are in the business of making money. More so, four countries in particular are in the business of making money: the United States, Japan, France and the U.K. where more than 50% of the 500 largest corporations in the world are located in. One TNC in particular stands out: Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a TNC that has come under harsh scrutiny for their decisions and practices such as low wages, restricting health benefits, cheap labor and environment degradation. SO much in fact that in the pursuit of more profits, Wal-Mart has become a TNC that outsources 3/4 of its products from China. This means if Wal-Mart was an independent country, it would in the top ten list of trading partners to China. TNC’s do not generally concern themselves with human rights issues or unfair trade practices. TNC's are responsible for creating an unbalanced shift of unskilled manufacturing production. TNC’s have allowed and even initiated developing countries to integrate themselves into global production all due to the fact they will settle for lower wages then the inhabitants of developed countries. TNC’s are in search of one thing and one thing only: more profits; it does not matter to them who are swept up in the process. Just look at the case of the major soft drink distributor, Coke and what is happening in India.
When TNC’s outsource their production many view it as a global economic stimulation meant to enhance the economies of those countries that stand to benefit the most. Outsourcing jobs to countries like India and China is great for each country’s economy respectively. However, for the country that is outsourcing the job, it is not so great. The industry that is being outsourced will have to lay off thousands of workers. These workers will now have difficulty finding new jobs and this will result in decreased purchasing power for them. In my opinion, it is not a global economic stimulation rather just an economic stimulation for the companies saving money by outsourcing and the countries receiving the outsourced jobs. Furthermore, when outsourcing jobs to foreign countries there are certain barriers to entry that must be considered such as language and culture. When a job is outsourced to a country that speaks a different language, has a different culture, follows a different governmental structure and follows a different set of customs, a company will find that it will end up having to spend more to help the workers adapt to the different set of norms and customs. So why are we outsourcing jobs to other countries (besides the obvious reason: profit)? It is in more ways harmful to the average American worker and our economy. This whole idea of interdependence and free trade are great but not when the disadvantages outweigh the benefits.
The capitalistic corporations that participate in outsourcing are also indirectly participating in another aspect of the global division of labor. Generally speaking in every society, every industry has a particular pattern of gendered work. There is a general trend of men's work being higher paid than women's work. Furthermore, women tend to be placed in particular sectors of employment. This is clearly seen in the case of the Maquiladoras that are found in Mexico. Women were subjected to substandard working conditions where they were forced to dress in provocative clothing being chosen more for their body image then their ability to actually complete the job’s requirements. Some of the research I have done shows how capitalism and patriarchy tie into the maquiladora industry. So basically, in the pursuit of more capitalistic means and a backwards Mexican viewpoint that men should be the dominant figure; we should turn our heads the other way? Basically these sweatshops are nothing more than a product of globalization. This is a billion dollar industry yet the women working in the maquiladoras only earn a maximum of fifty dollars per week. This is a staggering statistic considering the United States reaps the benefits of 80% of that industry. While the maquiladoras do employ men, over half the workers are women; most of them are between the sixteen and twenty-eight years old (which is appalling to me too...they are sooo young). The excruciating circumstances these women face is absolutely appalling. Not only are their working conditions hazardous to their health, they are also subjected to sexual violence such as rape and torture. Furthermore, they experience demoralizing exploitation. Having to show sanitary napkins and talk about their means of contraception is beyond atrocious and publicly humiliating.
Yes, I understand that Mexico has this law regarding paid maternity leave. So since the Mexican government is too cheap to pay women for maternity leave that woman has to suffer answering these questions and being punched in the stomach? This is when I say “shame on you, capitalism”. Although, I am a moderate republican and all for capitalism, I am disgusted to see America accuse Saudi Arabia of human rights violations because women are not allowed to drive there; yet America is using Mexico‘s maquiladoras as their “gateway to cheap labor” while women are suffering physical, emotional and physiological abuse. To me, it’s the same exact thing: a woman suffering sexual violence in Mexico and a woman not being able to drive in Saudi Arabia; they are all violations of human rights and gender inequality. Actually, the sexual violence experienced by women in the maquiladoras in Mexico is worse in my opinion. The lack of women drivers in Saudi Arabia is due to a cultural belief; however, the violence in the maquiladoras is because of corporate greed and the big investment Mexico will gain. So because of the fact that both Mexico and the United States reap numerous advantages both governments choose to look the other way. However, if America, in particular, tends to not gain any advantage they will easily point the finger.
The Maquiladoras are not the only industry in which women experience terrible circumstances and exploitation. In countries like South Korea, there is a booming industry based on sex. When the women are interviewed, like in the manquiladoras, it is more like an inspection of their bodies kinda like meat at a butcher shop. Women work as waitresses in nightclubs or restaurants where men can buy drinks and each drink usually comes with a few minutes of personal entertainment. If these women do not meet a certain quota each month they are subjected to demoralizing beatings from their boss. Furthermore, if the quota for the night is not achieved they have to go home with one of the clients. In Korea, the sex industry is targeted towards western women who satisfy the needs of Korean men. It is a Korean man’s struggle to gain vengeance for years of oppression by the west. These women became nothing more than an opportunity for what they saw as revenge against the western modern world that colonized them and made them feel inferior. These women that were part of the sex industry were powerless.
The sex industry in not only Korea but in various countries across the world made the woman out to be some sort of business investment or a capitalistic venture. It almost stopped being a means for men to pleasure themselves and fulfill their desires but rather men see it as just an opportunity to nothing more than to plant their country’s flag. This just shows how the world’s richest and most powerful nations (mostly the west) have controlled the rest of the world. The whole sex industry is just an appalling concept that is hard for me to fathom. Most of the men that partake in this degrading behavior towards women are married; some probably have daughters themselves. How can a government knowingly allow women to enter into sexual slavery where they will be abused, raped, tortured and stripped of any dignity they have?
Another issue that ties into the global division of labor and global political economy is undocumented workers. There is approximately over 5 million undocumented Mexicans in the U.S. workforce, equivalent with nearly 60% of the Mexican born immigrant population. The trade agreement introduced in 1994, NAFTA, has done well for Mexican exports, accounting for 84% but it still has not changed their standard of living; people are still poor and live in wretched conditions. NAFTA’s neo-liberal policies have resulted in free trade but not fair trade leaving Mexico with a trade deficit and decline in GDP. The illegal immigrants to the United States make up a large portion of the unskilled labor work force here; they do not jobs that quite frankly no one else wants to do.
In my opinion, while the global political economy has opened up the doors to more options for consumers, it has lead to dehumanizing and selfish practices that are at times overlooked all in the name of free trade and capitalism.

Israel's most recent antics: raid on the Gaza Flotilla Aid boats

On May 31 2010 Israeli forces raided six boats in international waters that were carrying aid for the people of Gaza. While the majority of boats were raided without much injury to the activists on board there were still nearly a dozen deaths and dozens of injured people. There were nearly 700 activists on board those ships that day all trying to help the people of Gaza by delivering them aid consisting of food, medicine and construction materials. On those ships were activists ranging from Turkish to Australian to U.S. activists. There were over a dozen United States citizens that Israel took into custody. Israel is becoming so bold that they do not even care about one of their number one allies or their citizens. Israel even took into custody a former U.S. ambassador...however he was immediately deported back to the United States.

The boats did deny Israel's request to dock at Ashdod, a port city in Israel but rightfully so. The activists wanted to ensure that ALL the aid on board reached the citizens of Gaza. They knew that if it was docked at Ashdod the Israelis would deem the items on board as "inappropriate". In the end that is what happened. The Israelis searched the boats and seized construction material that is vital towards the reconstruction effort in Gaza after last year's Israeli Offensive on Gaza where over 1,300 people were killed. Israel has once again breached numerous laws by blockading aid to civilians.

While I understand and actually support Israel's need to defend themselves as the only Jewish state surrounded by nearly two dozen Muslim/Arab States...I get that--I really do. However, this is an atrocity of epic proportions that the international community has not done more to stop Israel from senselessly denying the passage of ALL aid to Gaza. Construction materials are not a threat to Israel's security. The international community must recognize that by denying construction materials to pass through to Gaza it is essentially denying Gazans the right to live...this is a crime within itself. All the UN did was condemn the acts of killing innocent civilians. They have yet to outright condemn the denial of aid to Gaza.

Furthermore, this is not the first time that Gazans have been denied aid. The blockade on Gaza has existed since 2007 where Israel has continuously denied aid to Gaza and has imposed economic sanctions on them as well. Just because Hamas is not recognized by the International Community as a legitimate form of government it does not mean that the innocent civilians within that territory have to suffer. They are human beings just like Israelis just like Americans. Israel has complete control over Gaza's naval and air space. Therefore, everything that enters the region is allowed to be inspected by Israel where they unlawfully seize items such as construction material. Since when is construction material to rebuild homes considered warfare material? And even if warfare material were to pass through to the Gazans, do they not have the right to defend themselves as well? Why are the Pro-Gaza/Pro-Palestinian activists and defenders of the rights for Palestinians deemed as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers??

The inhumane actions taken by Israel is deplorable. How can the international community continue to sit back and watch as Israel continues to grow economically as Gazans are living in sub-standard conditions with the unemployment and lack of food security. This makes them fall victim to dependency on foreign aid--aid that never reaches them. Gaza Gaza don't you cry!! Palestine will never die. One day Gaza will rise up and become the homeland that Palestinians deserve.