The World of Walmart
By: Allison Toller
Success For Walmart
Walmart started out as a five and dime store in 1950 by Sam Walton. But soon it grew into much more. By operating with the same principles that Walton used in his five and dime store they were able to grow into a large company charging lower prices than most other places.
America and Walmart
Walmart is great for the smart consumer they get lower prices all around on things they need to have without having to shop around at six different stores. To get the lowest prices for their consumers Walmart basically tells manufacturers how much they are willing to pay for an item. To keep their lowest prices Walmart pushed most manufacturers to move their production to China. This pulls jobs out of America and towards other countries where goods could be produced cheaper.
Lower Prices pros and cons
When rubber maid saw an increase in the cost of producing their products Walmart refused to increase their prices and dropped many of the rubber maid products. Because of their desire to keep cost low they were not able to supply the american people with as much product. They also pushed labor out of the U.S. and toward China. Where labor laws are different. They opened themselves up to the possibility of more forced labor being used while their products were being produced.
Everyday items that might be produced under slave labor
- coffee
- converse
- i phone
- game consoles
- toys
Slavery for Less
Is it ever okay to enslave someone? The answer is a big and loud NO. Just because you do not feel like paying a little more for something does not give you the right to force someone into a life of slavery. Even for lower prices.
Places like Walmart are good for relationships between the US and China. The US. trading with china promotes a better economy in both places. The US as workers and the US as consumers have two completely different sets of values.
US consumers
- i want it cheap
- I want it now
- I don't care how its made
US workers
- fair wages for me
- more pay for me
- less hours
- more benefits