In 1993, child workers in Bangladesh
were found to be producing clothing for Wal-Mart, and [U.S.]
Senator Tom Harkin proposed legislation banning imports from countries
employing underage workers. The direct result was that Bangladeshi textile
factories stopped employing children. But did the children go back to school?
Did they return to happy homes? Not according to Oxfam, which found that the
displaced child workers ended up in even worse jobs, or on the streets and
that a significant number were forced into prostitution.
Paul Krugman (economist)