should child labour be legal?

[2952-0-0]

So? Could it be legal to employ a five year old in a sweatshop? If so defend that answer.

[Richard]

Yes, child labor should be legal.  When I was 5 I worked for my dad in his publishing company.  I carried things around and ran errands, and I got paid for it.  It did me a lot of good.  Work certainly won't kill you.

[Alcon]

Yes, child labor should be legal.  When I was 5 I worked for my dad in his publishing company.  I carried things around and ran errands, and I got paid for it.  It did me a lot of good.  Work certainly won't kill you.

That's a family business, which makes it totally legal. That's not what the question is asking.

[Hatman 🍁]

Yes, child labor should be legal.  When I was 5 I worked for my dad in his publishing company.  I carried things around and ran errands, and I got paid for it.  It did me a lot of good.  Work certainly won't kill you.

I believe the question involved sweatshops. Does your father work for the GAP?

[Gabu]

Uh, no.  At age 5 you should playing with your friends, not going off to work eight hours a day.

[TeePee4Prez]

Minimum age should be something like 10 for a paper route or a few hours at a water ice stand.  14 for more "official" jobs such as McDonalds or a supermarket.  No more than 4 hours on school nights and 25 hours per week under 18 or no HS diploma.  Summer vacation a person 14-18 should be allowed 40 hours per week.

[AkSaber]

No way! Let the kids be kids. Chores should be their jobs.

[opebo]

Sure.  I know one way they could make a hell of a lot of money.

But seriously, I wouldn't mind young people working at a somewhat earlier age than they do now in the US, nor would I restrict their type of work.  However I think what makes us suspicious of this type of employment is that the parents or some other person may be coercing them into the job - certainly we allow parents power of coercion over children.  Of course they may also be forced into it by poverty. 

I think if there were a reasonable social safety net which prevented extreme want, and some reasonable limitations on parental power over children, there would be no harm in them engaging in some work.

[Ebowed]

Sure.  I know one way they could make a hell of a lot of money.

LOL, gotta love your sense of humor

[Bono]

Uh, no.  At age 5 you should playing with your friends, not going off to work eight hours a day.

Oh yea? Go ask a poor child what he prefers?
Playing?
Or food?

[2952-0-0]

Uh, no.  At age 5 you should playing with your friends, not going off to work eight hours a day.

Oh yea? Go ask a poor child what he prefers?
Playing?
Or food?

Not being beaten up by Scrooge, that's for sure.

[Gabu]

Uh, no.  At age 5 you should playing with your friends, not going off to work eight hours a day.

Oh yea? Go ask a poor child what he prefers?
Playing?
Or food?

If a child's family is so impoverished that the child cannot be fed, are you honestly suggesting that you think that sending the child to work for a living at age 5 is the best option?

[DanielX]

Depends on the type of work. An 8 year old tossing out the Afternoon Daily onto lawns for a few bucks? Fine. An 8 year old working 12 hour days in a factory or... err... following opebo's suggestion, not so fine. 

5 year olds? I can't see a 5 year old being able to do cost-effective work, if nothing else.

[Max Power]

I have worked at my parent's store since I was eight. I enjoy working at it, and it has taught me important lessons, such as managing your money wisely (I already purchased half of my Christmas presents for my family).

[Bono]

Uh, no.  At age 5 you should playing with your friends, not going off to work eight hours a day.

Oh yea? Go ask a poor child what he prefers?
Playing?
Or food?

If a child's family is so impoverished that the child cannot be fed, are you honestly suggesting that you think that sending the child to work for a living at age 5 is the best option?

Hopefully you think it's better than letting the child starve to death?

[Richard]

Yes, child labor should be legal.  When I was 5 I worked for my dad in his publishing company.  I carried things around and ran errands, and I got paid for it.  It did me a lot of good.  Work certainly won't kill you.

That's a family business, which makes it totally legal. That's not what the question is asking.

The question in the poll is "should child labor be legal?" and I answered and gave a reason.

[Richard]

Yes, child labor should be legal.  When I was 5 I worked for my dad in his publishing company.  I carried things around and ran errands, and I got paid for it.  It did me a lot of good.  Work certainly won't kill you.

I believe the question involved sweatshops. Does your father work for the GAP?

It did??  No it didn't.  The poll question was clearly "Should child labor be legal?".

No way! Let the kids be kids. Chores should be their jobs.

So no paper route?  That should be illegal?

[AkSaber]

So no paper route?  That should be illegal?

Gasp! I forgot that.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Good Lord no. No, no, no, no, no. Child labour is evil.

[opebo]

Sure.  I know one way they could make a hell of a lot of money.

LOL, gotta love your sense of humor

Seriously, doesn't The Market demand the Highest and Best Use?  Certainly there is one thing that stands head and shoulders above other jobs in terms of short hours, high pay, and just plain best marketability for the youthful and attractive.

[A18]

Sure.  I know one way they could make a hell of a lot of money.

LOL, gotta love your sense of humor

Seriously, doesn't The Market demand the Highest and Best Use?  Certainly there is one thing that stands head and shoulders above other jobs in terms of short hours, high pay, and just plain best marketability for the youthful and attractive.

Okay, opedophile

[Joe Republic]

Depends on the type of job. If it's a sweatshop, no. If it's the standard paper route, there's nothing wrong.

[Gabu]

Uh, no.  At age 5 you should playing with your friends, not going off to work eight hours a day.

Oh yea? Go ask a poor child what he prefers?
Playing?
Or food?

If a child's family is so impoverished that the child cannot be fed, are you honestly suggesting that you think that sending the child to work for a living at age 5 is the best option?

Hopefully you think it's better than letting the child starve to death?

See, here's where the libertarians and I part ways: if a family is so impoverished that they can't feed their child, I honestly don't really think that it's overly intrusive to ask those who do have money to spare a few bucks to ensure that the child doesn't have to choose between having to starve to death and having his childhood ruined, perhaps beyond repair, at least until the family can get back on its feet.  Would I want to fund every single thing the family does?  No, of course not.  But I can't see what would be so horrible in simply allowing them to have food, especially if they're honestly trying to get out of their poverty.

If a child earnestly wants to get a paper route to earn a few extra bucks, fine.  But sending a child to an 8+ hour per day job, likely against his will - I refuse to believe that this can ever be necessary when we live in such a wealthy part of the world.  Call me a dirty communistic Stalin lover if you will, but I would be able to sleep a lot better at night if the above scenario occurred than if the scenario occurred in which I knew I was forcing a family to send their child into child labor.

[A18]

There are private charities.

Now, I'd be okay with welfare, if it was a loan that they had to pay back, indexed for inflation by CPI.

[opebo]

Sure.  I know one way they could make a hell of a lot of money.

LOL, gotta love your sense of humor

Seriously, doesn't The Market demand the Highest and Best Use?  Certainly there is one thing that stands head and shoulders above other jobs in terms of short hours, high pay, and just plain best marketability for the youthful and attractive.

Okay, opedophile

My comments have nothing to do with personal preference.  One doesn't have to wear jewelry to recognize the market value of gold, or its Highest and Best Use.