DiLorenzo is a little off base. Under a system of pure capitalism, we'd still have child labor because they wouldn't be any legislation prohibiting it. It's not that people suddenly said, hey, let's voluntarily end child labor. As the article state, kids went to work for a reason and employers hired them for a reason as well. Cheap labor.
Market processes "give", and for that we should be grateful, but they can also "take away", which is why many look to law and collective bargaining to secure their past gains. Those people are wrong about a lot of things. They may be in for a rude awakening if productivity declines as benefits rise, but it's not as though they are behaving irrationally or immorally.
Under a system of pure capitalism, we'd still have child labor because they wouldn't be any legislation prohibiting it.
Reread the article Jess. You are missing the main point - free choice, which unions obliterate.
I started working when I was old enough to push a mower from block to block.
I guess you'd have deprived me that?
Exactly...If this guy was any where near being close to right, we wouldn't have over 20 million illegal aliens in this country trying to go to work for these capitalists...And the capitalists wouldn't be chomping at the bit to hire them...
BTW, Jess, pure capitalism equals the pure freedom our over-constitutional behemoth took from us beginning with the ICC's creation. All to guarantee the railroads a minimum profit to the detriment of the small competitors that were squeezing the profits their own over-extended Govt subsidized misallocations of capital created.
Add the Fed and the income tax in 1913. Inflation with fiat currency and egregious taxation permitted the massive Govt expansion and over reaching power ensued - the New Deal was the socialist tax and spender's icing on the cake, a central planner's delight. In fact an early 30's America was jealous of the "wonders" of Euro-socialism/fascism govts such as Mussolini, Hitler & Stalin. Have we not yet learned the lessons of the misery that the utopian idiocy of planned economies and society brings??
We are but a pale semblence of our pre-1890 America of limited Govt and maximum freedom. And I for one will never give up on it's restoration.
Let's redefine "child labor," because the image of the coal-sooted 10-year old boy just isn't working.
Under pure capitalism, most companies wouldn't have an incentive to recruit kids to work because of their lower production value. Those that foolishly do would face the wrath of angry consumers who believe that pre-teens shouldn't be out toiling in factories. But child labor laws restrict high school teens from working at fast-food jobs or order-entry jobs where they can gain valuable experience. So these kids are more likely to be in the streets than working.
Actually we wouldn't for several reasons. Market pressure from consumers boycotting such companies, not to mention the companies themselves desire to produce the best product and gain the most market share. Capitalism would control the wage market just as any other market. Children could not, and would not in some instances, be able to compete with skilled workers
Owen finally became ashamed of his self and his wealth, all accrued by child labor, as young as 9 years old.
Painting capitalism as the savior of the world is a tad disingenuous. All of the past and current purveyors of socialism are capitalists.