| Suffering in the developing, "non-industrialized", Third | | | | lending organizations such as, the International |
| World is often referred to as a product of the | | | | Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank for loan |
| "capitalist industrialized" First World's promotion of | | | | assistance. As a condition of loan repayment, free |
| neoliberalist ideals and consumption patterns. These | | | | markets were encouraged. This new market system |
| patterns reinforce an uneven dependency relationship | | | | allowed revenue from foreign investors to dominate |
| between producer and laborer, whereby the first world | | | | the domestic market. This dominance made Mexican |
| continually exploits the third word for its cheap labor | | | | government and people dependent on the outsiders |
| resources. Neoliberalism refers to a political movement | | | | for capital and economic growth. Dependence on |
| that advocates economic liberalism as a means of | | | | outside markets makes these countries economies |
| promoting economic development and securing political | | | | and ways of life susceptible to changes in the demand |
| liberty. Standard neoliberalism policy includes cutting | | | | for their products in the foreign market as well as to |
| back on taxes and government social spending; | | | | the strict contractual demands of maquiladora owners. |
| eliminating tariffs and other barriers to free trade; | | | | Environmental and class changes similar to the ones in |
| reducing regulations of labor markets, financial markets, | | | | Youngstown, USA took place during maquiladora |
| and the environment; and focusing macroeconomic | | | | production in the frontier region of Mexico (and other |
| policies on controlling inflation rather than stimulating the | | | | Central American countries); one of the many |
| growth of jobs. It promotes low wages and high | | | | alternative labor sites for US and Western European |
| inequality through tactics such as anti-unionism. | | | | based companies. However, unlike the Youngstown |
| Dominant groups grounding of globalization and | | | | example, Central American workers negotiation for |
| development in theories of neo-liberalism encourages | | | | better conditions and increased wages has been |
| this relationship of power and control. Neo-liberalism | | | | limited. Central American workers were limited by their |
| makes present economic growth more important than | | | | lack of a protective government. In this instance, |
| long-term development of infrastructure. This | | | | factories could simply fire the striking workers and hire |
| interpretation of neo-liberalism ignores the development | | | | new employees. Without the influential support of |
| of necessary infrastructure for a country or region to | | | | powerful governments, workers took to militant |
| sustain itself. The illusion of progress and growth in | | | | unionization to demand their rights to secure jobs and |
| concentrated areas masks large-scale economic | | | | benefits. While these unions did win their fight, it was at |
| frustrations and income gaps. | | | | the expense of pay and benefits, both of which |
| Capitalist industrialization and associated factory | | | | decreased. |
| production severely alters the natural environment of | | | | This dependence on foreign market consumerism still |
| any place it encounters. Through this environmental | | | | exists today. The United States and other dominant |
| alteration, we are able to determine a number of things | | | | Western countries have the advantage of being able |
| about the community, such as, the importance of work, | | | | to find other areas to cultivate their products and |
| and even class divisions. In Youngstown, Ohio, USA, | | | | countries to produce a labor force. In addition, today's |
| steel mills and mines were erected over the once rich | | | | producers must now combat trade laws making it |
| natural farming land. As the environment changes from | | | | harder for them to sell in foreign markets. Fluxes in the |
| one that is natural to one that is manmade, class levels | | | | market and changes in trade policies of various |
| are constructed through division of labor based on skill. | | | | countries dramatically affect smaller nations who can |
| These classes further divide when individuals are able | | | | no longer rely on their traditional form of subsistence. In |
| to afford to live in alternative areas. In 1937, the | | | | many places where factory work could count for up |
| workers embarked on a strike to improve and regulate | | | | to 1/3 of the jobs, fluxes could have dramatic affects |
| working conditions. This strike required them all to work | | | | on the economy and well-being of the people. |
| together as agents in history. Despite losing the strike, | | | | As larger companies continue to outsource smaller |
| a 1942 committee, voted in support of the workers | | | | locally owned farms, the population is becoming |
| rights. This committee acted on behalf of a then liberal | | | | increasingly more reliant on selling labor to the |
| government seeking to be recognized as a resource | | | | companies rather than goods buyers. The result of this |
| for the working populations of America. This liberal idea | | | | change, to me, almost seems like a reversion to |
| of a government for the people is at the root of other | | | | colonial era product production, with third world laborers |
| countries acceptance of the circumstances leading to | | | | providing work at little to no cost to their western |
| globalization. | | | | markets. In order to stop this seemingly endless cycle |
| These same mills were subsequently evacuated and | | | | of dependence and destruction in the Third World, a |
| destroyed when cheaper labor could be found outside | | | | combination of actions is necessary from both |
| of the United States. | | | | consumer and producer. Many activists today highlight |
| Third world need for revenue and the United States' | | | | consumer purchasing of 'ethical products' as a method |
| desire for cheap labor facilitated the shift in location | | | | of resolving the current problem, consumers need to |
| and unfavorable working conditions from the United | | | | know how the products they buy are created and |
| States to places, such as, Mexico and Central | | | | then they need to demand the proper condition |
| America. As third world countries, like Mexico, sought | | | | through their purchase or boycott of associated |
| to release themselves from debt, they turned to | | | | products. |