Last night, I caught most of the PBS/Frontline documentary Is Walmart Good for America. It was a fascinating look at the mega-retailer, free trade, our trade imbalance with China, and our modern consumption-based economy.
Frontline doesn't hide its bias very well, but it is still a thought provoking program. I don't believe there is a simple answer to the question. Walmart may indeed bully its suppliers and exacerbate our trade imbalance. Is this a reflection of Walmart's lack of ethics or the result of a changing market forces in a new global economy? Probably both. So how should I as the average joe consumer supposed to respond? Boycott Walmart? If I did that, I'd probably have to boycott every other major "big box" retailer in the area. That limits my options and means higher prices for the goods I need. Is that good for America? Bob Dylan penned the song "The Times They are a Changin'" and I think we are indeed in one of those great transition times (at least economically).
I would have liked to have seen some probing into the role unions have played in the exodus of manufacturing jobs from the US. Chinese workers may be underpaid, but US workers in the last 30 years have been over paid (one worker featured in the program was being paid over 50k a year to operate a machine - why get an education if you can do that?). Too what degree have unions gotten too greedy in demanding their "fair share" of the pie thus pushing corporations to outsource to cheaper labor markets? You probably won't hear too many in the mainstream media ask that question? Walmart is a much easier target.
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2 comments:
Frontline is a great news program, and they did a great job highlighting Wal-mart. The thing is Wal-mart is a way of life now, they have seperated themselves so much from the "Big-Boxes" they are in a league of their own. It's no longer poor wages and bad health care, it's the number of law-suits and moral mistreatments of workers that is also pushing them away from other big box companies. You look at their history with women, its atroucious. What the Mart does to economies and more so communities is a sin, for every one Wal-Mart that opens 4 SuperMarkets close, not to mention the effect the stores have on Mom and Pop stores.
If you mean lets go with the flow by saying "Times are a Changin" what does that do?? as a History professor you should know that we have to fight for a change and fight for what is right in our hearts. I'm unsure what you mean by that, what are we just supposed to accept the harsh treatment by this evil empire?? Accept not giving us healthcare, accept looking at women employees as to put it as one executive said "Men are here to make a career and women aren't. Retail is for housewives who just need to earn extra money." So whats your take on Wal-Mart, on what it does to your taxes, on what it does ethically and the number of lawsuits for violation of workers rights?? Just go with the times because they are changing??? Something has to be done, but how? How can you stop Americans from trying to save a dollar for the sake of workers rights? You cant stop ignorance.
good post, Nord
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