A sweatshop is a working environment with conditions that are considered by some people of industrialized nations to be difficult or dangerous, usually where the workers have few opportunities to address their situation. This can include exposure to harmful materials, hazardous situations, extreme temperatures, or abuse from employers. Sweatshop workers are often forced to work long hours for little pay, regardless of any laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labor laws may also be violated. However, most sweatshop workers like having their job, and all work at them voluntarily.
Many economists, such as Paul Krugman[1] and Johan Norberg[2] defend the existence of sweatshops. People choose to work in sweatshops because the sweatshops offer them substantially higher wages and better working conditions compared to the only other available jobs--such as manual farm labor--and that sweatshops are an early and very important step in the process of technological and economic development whereby a poor country turns itself into a wealthy one. All sweatshop workers work there voluntarily. The nature of decision making indicates that the decision one makes is based upon the notion that their choice is the best option available. Likewise, when combined with the fact that most sweatshop workers say they are happy with their jobs, the idea of illegalizing or significantly regulating sweatshops merely takes away the most appealing line of work these individuals have to look forward to; forcing many into poverty from the life they considered comfortable when working in a sweatshop, as well as stunting the economic growth of their nation.
Although often associated with poor developing countries, sweatshops may exist in any country. Sweatshops have existed in several different countries and cultures, including in the United States. Sweatshops usually employ low levels of technology, but may produce many different goods, for example, toys, shoes, clothing, and furniture.
