Want your optinion on ethical issue??
Vernon Kronenberg
Here in Australia it is common to support a Made in Australia policy. As an
Australian, and other things being equal, I try to buy Australian. This is
not mainly a matter of national prejudice; it has more to do with a policy
of "import replacement", because Australia has a high negative Balance of
Payments, and anything we can do to reduce the national debt is a good
thing.
Food labelling in Australia is pretty strict, and must include country of
origin, which I find extremely useful. To take a petty example, when I
select walnuts or almonds I have the choice of [at least] China (cheapest
but not of best quality), US (high price may not be matched by commensurate
quality), and Australian (likewise). But at least I know where I'm buying
from; and people who choose to buy their canned shrimp from Thailand are
welcome to the residue levels....
An equally interesting and not irrelevant question is what exactly is meant
by "Made in USA" and we are debating that here. If you buy a suit, does it
mean "assembled in Colombia from US made material" (or vice versa); does it
mean "made from imported material, assembled in Colombia, and with just one
button stitched on in the US to as to qualify as Made in the USA". The
question is: at what point can an article NOT be labelled as Made in the US
of A?
If you buy an Australian souvenir over here, as likely as not it has been
printed in Poland, or made in China. What's the point of my giving you an
Australian souvenir gift that, upon even cursory inspection, has been made
in faraway country?
A good question, but it needs to be unpacked into its economic,
industry-type, health related and other components. Regards
Vernon Kronenberg, member APPE (US) and AAPE (Aust)
Wickett wrote in message <346050D6...@mediaone.net>...
>I am working on an ethics paper for my master's degree, and I want your
>opinion on the following issue;
>
>Is it ethical for a consumer to buy a product just because the
>manufacturer claims that it is "Made in the USA"? In other words, are
>domestic content laws ethical?
>
>I appreciate all opinions.