[ALEXIS_DH]

i´m having this ethical issue.

say you are driving around.. and a kid (6-8 years old) offers to sell you candy on the street on a school day at 11am.
you.....

a) you buy the candy

b) look elsewhere, dont buy anything

for a) on one hand, you are putting some money into that kids pocket, which will help the finances at his home and feed him and his family. on the other hand, you are also patronizing child labor, and you make it a little more economically attractive for lowlifes to have more kids to make them work, or pull their kids out of school and send them to work in the streets and use the money for not necesarilly good deeds.

for b) on one hand you are not patronizing child labor, and make it less profitable for lowlifes to pull their kids out of school, and make it less attractive for them to have more kids, due to the increased burden of them, as kids in such an enviroment would not be as self-suficient. on the other hand, you are sending this kid home with less money on his pocket, which may mean no dinner today, or him being smacked for not bringing in enough money.

what option appeals you, and why?

 

[sanjuro]

donate money to the local children's charity.

 

[kinghami3]

Well, is there a difference between child labor and abusive child labor? I don't have a specific moral problem with it, especially if it to help the family survive, but if that child is being abused in any way then there is a serious problem. IMO, getting food for the child is more important than an education, though the latter is still important.

 

[rooftest]

Just give the kid the drugs he's trying to raise money for - cut out the middleman.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Well, is there a difference between child labor and abusive child labor? I don't have a specific moral problem with it, especially if it to help the family survive, but if that child is being abused in any way then there is a serious problem. IMO, getting food for the child is more important than an education, though the latter is still important.

i think an overwhelming majority of 8yo kids and under working on the streets are from abusive child labor.
i have a hard time believing most of those kids came up freely and alone with the idea of buying candy by the bulk and selling it on the street. in most cases i think they are pushed by the parents (whether for food, or for drugs, alcohol or whatever they want).

i agree that the kids meal is more important than education. but at the same time you patronize this kids, you are also rewarding the parents behaviour and lack of planning, and indirectly encouraging them to have more kids (marginal costs diminishes, utilities go up) and sending them to the street.