"John Retchford" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]
> Slocoach wrote:
> > Sad to say yes. Just a brand, the guy at Pacific Brands had no idea
> > about manufacturing conditions (that says they don't care to me).
> > So far Trek doesn't look too bad, at least they claim that they check
> > regularly, that way they get the quality.
>
>
>
> I think you get into some philosophical difficulties when you start to
> apply selective morality. People could come back and say: But Trek is a
> USA brand. Isn't that the country with the biggest stock of weapons of
> mass destruction, which imprisons more of its citizens than almost any
> other, that executes its citizens and that holds prisoners of (illegal)
> war indefinitely and contrary to all international conventions, but
> that's all right because it refuses to sign up the the World Court where
> it might be held accountable?
>
> Most countries (alas, even ours!) have their wicked and selfish ways and
> it is sometimes hard to make good judgements on their worth. China is
> trying hard on many fronts, but has a long way to go to be considered
> truly civilized. So, in different ways, does the USA.
>
> John Retchford
>
I quite agree. The US and Australia (and no doubt others) have very
questionable morals on many issues. However, it generally seems to be the
case that people employed in factories in these countries are looked after
to some extent by unions. It's true, though, that here in Australia, many
'Made in Australia' items (probably not bikes though) are made for less than
the minimum wage, by home workers. The whole thing stinks. I'm very happy
indeed to buy goods from any country, if I'm assured as far as possible that
the goods are made and traded under (what most people would call) fair and
reasonable conditions. There doesn't seem to be a clear way for the consumer
to be able to tell that goods have been made and traded fairly (except
buying through the limited sources of fair trade goods, such as Oxfam), and
until that is the case the only option seems to be to make a judgment based
on the little information we have, such as information on human rights and
employee rights.
Russell
