Civilization Cure Or Disease :: essays research papers

Upon flipping to the business section of the New York Times an Ohio University student saw a startling headline glaring back at her â€Å"American Corporations Suspected In Millions of Third World Deaths.† As she read the article it became apparent that international corporations many of which were based in the United States exploit the poorest of the poor. These companies paid workers extremely low wages and exposed them to hazardous materials with out any protection. Working conditions were unsafe and often lead to health problems. It appeared that slavery was alive and well in the name of â€Å"Global Industrialization.† Even more shocking was the fact that this new form of slavery was also present within our own borders. Migrant workers and illegal aliens were becoming an increasing percentage of America’s labor force. These workers were paid well below minimum wage for jobs, which often put their health if not their life in jeopardy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It appeared that America’s industrial empire was built upon the exploitation of the poor throughout the world. Often women and children were the victims of the â€Å"Global Market Economy.† The article stated that millions of goods were produced by children as young as 6 in third world and developing nations. Companies producing these goods claimed that it was not â€Å"slave labor† they claimed it was the â€Å"efficient use of human resources for production.† It seemed that companies in their desire of â€Å"progress† and profit were oppressing the world’s poorest nations and their citizens. This is not a new phenomenon it has gone on through history; the strong oppress the weak. What is amazing though is the fact that industrialized nations all consider themselves to be the most civilized societies in the world. Industrial powers view less developed nations as backwards which is a synonym for barbarous. But are the societies of industrially advanced nations truly the most civil? This is the question Montaigne raised over 400 years ago in his paper entitled â€Å"Of Cannibals.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout history it seems that the most technologically advanced societies are the most powerful. And the most powerful nations view themselves as the most civilized people in the world. But what exactly are the defining attributes of a civilized society? According to Webster’s Third International Dictionary a civilization is: an ideal state of human culture, characterized by complete absence of barbarism and non-rational behavior, optimum utilization of physical, cultural, spiritual, and human resources, and perfect adjustment of the individual within the social framework.