Counterargument

Some people argue that sweatshops are actually beneficial.  There are many possible reasons behind this argument.  One argument is that cheap labor in sweatshops helps keep the price of many goods down in other countries.   Another argument is that sweatshops create more employment opportunities for people in developing countries.  Jobs in sweatshops, while seemingly miserable to many Westerners, are often seen as an improvement over some of the other jobs in poor third world countries.  If there weren't sweatshops, it would force people to find different jobs in less desirable trades, such as prostitution, or lead to lives of crime.  It also lets people work indoors instead of out in the heat.  Trying to force a Western ideals and style of living on others is viewed as arrogant by many despite the good intentions.  Yet despite these arguments, we still feel that it is possible to gain better working and living conditions for the workers without getting rid of jobs.