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I'm open to an alternative to Apple products, but I'm hard pressed to find a company that make computers that are not made in similar or worse factories. And wh

I'm open to an alternative to Apple products, but I'm hard pressed to find a company that make computers that are not made in similar or worse factories. And why does China get a free pass in this ? Isn't communism suppose to prevent this sort of thing ?

hack_edu 15y ago
1. China isn't a communist state anymore. Hasnt been for decades, regardless of any propaganda or rhetoric. It is an authoritarian state run by a single party that happens to be named Communist. 2. China does not get a free pass in the eyes of most. Its just that no one is willing to stick their neck out and take a stand.
- Volpe 15y ago
  Which year (in your view) did China stop being communist? China is as much a communist state, as the US is a democracy... I think that probably describes it best.
jiggy2011 15y ago
I think a properly elected representative democratically elected government would help prevent this sort of thing regardless of economic ideology. I've never been to china but the impression I have gotten is that it is basically a class system where those on the bottom have no power whatsoever. This means that the Chinese government have no incentive to improve working conditions as they don't have any votes to win, workers can simply be used to "churn" which seems to be working well for boosting their economy right now.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- rsynnott 15y ago
  > I think a properly elected representative democratically elected government would help prevent this sort of thing regardless of economic ideology. This may be rather naive. Similar conditions in Western factories didn't really go away until after World War 2; in the case of exposure to known-dangerous substances, not til the 60s or 70s. Some of the countries involved were democratic in the early 20th century; certainly the UK and arguably the US (I say 'arguably' because the US excluded a substantial part of its population from the franchise at the time). Certainly, government did something; the effective banning of factory towns (through banning scrip and mandatory rental), in particular, was very important. It was mostly down to the labour unions, though. > This means that the Chinese government have no incentive to improve working conditions as they don't have any votes to win When has improving working conditions _ever_ been a vote winner for a major party, anywhere? Historically, it has almost always been done due to union pressure.
zeroboy 15y ago
RIM manufactures their smartphones on-site in Waterloo Ontario Canada (if I'm not mistaken, I know people who work there). The working conditions and wages are excellent by any standard. I was never a user of Blackberry smartphones, but I will be from now on because I refuse to support inhumane and cruel working conditions with my money.

hack_edu 15y ago

1. China isn't a communist state anymore. Hasnt been for decades, regardless of any propaganda or rhetoric. It is an authoritarian state run by a single party that happens to be named Communist. 2. China does not get a free pass in the eyes of most. Its just that no one is willing to stick their neck out and take a stand.

Volpe 15y ago
Which year (in your view) did China stop being communist? China is as much a communist state, as the US is a democracy... I think that probably describes it best.

jiggy2011 15y ago

I think a properly elected representative democratically elected government would help prevent this sort of thing regardless of economic ideology. I've never been to china but the impression I have gotten is that it is basically a class system where those on the bottom have no power whatsoever. This means that the Chinese government have no incentive to improve working conditions as they don't have any votes to win, workers can simply be used to "churn" which seems to be working well for boosting their economy right now.

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
rsynnott 15y ago
> I think a properly elected representative democratically elected government would help prevent this sort of thing regardless of economic ideology. This may be rather naive. Similar conditions in Western factories didn't really go away until after World War 2; in the case of exposure to known-dangerous substances, not til the 60s or 70s. Some of the countries involved were democratic in the early 20th century; certainly the UK and arguably the US (I say 'arguably' because the US excluded a substantial part of its population from the franchise at the time). Certainly, government did something; the effective banning of factory towns (through banning scrip and mandatory rental), in particular, was very important. It was mostly down to the labour unions, though. > This means that the Chinese government have no incentive to improve working conditions as they don't have any votes to win When has improving working conditions _ever_ been a vote winner for a major party, anywhere? Historically, it has almost always been done due to union pressure.

zeroboy 15y ago

RIM manufactures their smartphones on-site in Waterloo Ontario Canada (if I'm not mistaken, I know people who work there). The working conditions and wages are excellent by any standard. I was never a user of Blackberry smartphones, but I will be from now on because I refuse to support inhumane and cruel working conditions with my money.