March 18, 2004
Embracing Outsourcing
All the recent debates about outsourcing have made me think about how I should view it as a Catholic Christian. The moral theology course I’m taking at Steubenville has made me think much about it too. After much thought, and in context to our current economic system, I think Catholics in the developed world should embrace it as the best form of charity for people's material needs. After studying in Argentina as it was heading toward economic meltdown and experiencing the 5th world conditions of Nicaragua, I realized that the number one thing people need in developing countries is jobs. Upon further reflection, I find it unjust that I could always escape back to my cocoon in the suburbs of Atlanta, while the people I met there had to stay and face whatever lied ahead.
Losing a job creates hardship for anyone, whether they live in the 1st or 5rd world, but at least people in the developed world have many more resources to deal with unemployment than people in the 3rd world do. Numerous depressing realities exist in the developing world that we can’t imagine, or forget about as soon as we turn off the TV. I’m guilty of this myself. Many people in developing countries want a chance to provide for themselves and their families, but are sometimes forced to accept charitable handouts as a way to survive.
I believe in giving charity to organizations like Catholic Relief Services, who provide emergency relief to impoverished people, among other things. We must give to charity and always try to help the poor, as the Bible instructs us to do. I think it is important, though, to realize that giving handouts is only a short-term solution to the vast material inequalities of these modern times. I admit, it is much easier to send a $20 check to CRS than to lose a job and find a different one that pays less. Then again our Lord makes it clear to us that true charity is often (if not always) the harder path to take in the short-term.
For decades the US has encouraged capitalism and free trade (which I agree with), much to our benefit. Now, the efficiency and benefits of capitalism are finally spreading globally. Once the same rules of capitalistic efficiency are applied to us and give "our" jobs to poorer people in other countries, we cannot cry foul. We must also keep in mind, though, that this is short-term pain for long-term gain. As people’s standard of living increases globally and prices are kept low, they can buy American goods that they couldn’t before, eventually creating new jobs here. Before I am American, I am Roman Catholic. I hope other Catholics on the blog feel the same way. I know it is difficult, but instead of letting nationalistic, and sometimes selfish, feelings influence our opinion on outsourcing, we must put them after our conscience, which should be guided by the moral theology of the Church.
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Danny,
Thank you for this perspective. Whenever I hear of outsourcing, I am usually strongly opposed not so much because of Americans losing jobs, but because of the way foreign employees are treated. They are given extremely low wages, have to endure usually unhealthy work environments that damage them for life (Nike shoe factories in China for example), are given no health benefits to cover their new health problems due to their newfound jobs, and once they can no longer produce are tossed to the streets again. Is this ethical and increasing their standard of living or just reinforcing their need for charitable organizations? Perhaps you are suggesting that the majority of outsourcing is not so unethical in handling their employees and that some work which treats you as an animal is better than no work at all? Please enlighten me on this issue, because I only have knowledge of horror stories.
Thanks,
Maria
Maria,
Keep in mind that American companies overseas typically pay far more than the current jobs in the area and often have far better working conditions. It is not at the standard we would expect here, but the only reason we have those standards is because of competition for employees (just look at the old coal mines in the late 1900's).
The people who are hired by Nike and others would probably not have jobs at all otherwise. I once heard a man from somewhere in Asia (can't remember) argue vehemently that these people just want a way to work and earn an income - they don't need U.S. standards or money, anything is better than nothing.
The capitalist argument is that by allowing the jobs to go, you create competition for workers in these areas over time. Therefore global work conditions improve and wages go up worldwide. And remember, a $1 in third world countries goes much further than in our country.
I read a Catholic argument earlier that was similar to Danny's - I think we should really consider the potential benefits. Of course, we must also be aware of the potential problems that a capitalistic society might cause in these countries as well (materialism, etc.).
God bless,
Jay
Hi Maria,
I agree with Jay. I do not support work that exploits people, but when given the choice between that and no work, it is the lesser of two bad situations. Unfortunately, that seems to be the only way to development (we can think about what the developed countries went through in the industrial revolution).
I think developing countries agree. For example, when NAFTA created the maquiladoras right across the US border in Mexico, human rights people criticized all the companies that created jobs with lower standards there. I think that argument has merit, but it is interesting to note that China is becoming the "next Mexico" and Mexico is complaining that it is losing those lower standard jobs!
Another thing to add is that the current trend of outsourcing does not only involve blue-collard jobs, but now also white-collard jobs. White-collard jobs have basically the same standards as they do over here, so the worker rights issue is not an issue with these jobs. So things are improving.
In Christ,
Daniel
