Advantages and Disadvantages of the Rise in Corporations

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Advantages and Disadvantages of the Rise in Corporations

Today we know that corporations, for good or bad, are major influences on our lives. They have essentially become a part of our lifestyle. These multi-national companies based around the world started through the industrial revolution, which was a period in history when people found new and efficient ways of producing goods, manufacturing services and creating new methods of transportation. This lead to exploitation of these corporations such as: child labour, low wages, poor working conditions and long working hours. Nike and Gap have been criticized for their workers in their worldwide sweatshops. The Global Exchange found workers hunch over sewing machines, kept awake by forced intoxicating drugs on 72-hour shifts. Child laborers worked in sub-standard health conditions, receiving pay far below minimum wage in factories that distribute to mainstream clothing retailers. Poor and desperate people work behind the closed doors of sweatshops where verbal, physical and sexual abuse is common.         

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As a result of this, trade unions formed. Their purpose was to protect and improve people's pay and conditions of employment. They also campaigned for laws and policies which will benefit working people. Trade unions exist because an individual worker has very little power to influence decisions that are made about his or her job. By joining together with other workers, there is more chance of having a voice and influence. The first fair trade shop was The Co-operative founded in 1863 who now sells more fair-trade products than any other retailer (over 2,200). This is why corporations may not ...

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