You may have heard that sweatshops abuse human rights, and that we should do everything we can to shut them down.

For those of us living in prosperous countries, it is easy to lament the existence of sweatshops in the developing world. In America, we are so fortunate to enjoy some of the best working conditions in the world. So, when we get a glimpse of working conditions in places like Bangladesh, we are understandably appalled.

However, the fact of the matter is that what we call sweatshops are actually helping to lift developing countries out of poverty and into the global economy. And when we actively call for boycotts or for the shutdown of these factories, we actually harm these workers and stall economic development. To demand that these factories shut down would also mean trapping these nations in perpetual poverty.

In order for these nations to raise their own standards of living, they must be free to compete in the global economy. These factory jobs are crucial for making this happen.