Comments on: Capabilities http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2006/12/28/capabilities/ "That was the beginning of the century; this is its end. I have been thinking not only of the people who lived there once, but also of the generations of dogs accompanying them in their everyday bustle, and one night— I don't know where it came from— in a predawn sleep, that funny and tender phrase composed itself: a road-side dog." - Czeslaw Milosz, Borderlines. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:41:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Kishore http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2006/12/28/capabilities/#comment-677 Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:08:26 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2006/12/28/capabilities/#comment-677 Seems a nice one, will read it completely tonight. Hope you've been keeping well... Seems a nice one, will read it completely tonight.
Hope you’ve been keeping well…

]]> by: Apu http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2006/12/28/capabilities/#comment-676 Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:51:28 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2006/12/28/capabilities/#comment-676 Child labor *is* a tragic situation, no question. But I'm not entirely convinced about sweeping bans such as the Indian goverment is currently enthused about. First, there are industries that systemically exploit children. I'm talking fireworks, bidis, carpets, and any kind of indentured labor. Many of these are already illegal, yet continue to flourish. How can the government talk about banning *all* child labor when it has not even been able to hit this baseline target? As for the "softer" kinds of child labor, especially in rural areas, you have to work at a local level on understanding the problem and providing them attractive alternatives. Blanket legislation by itself is neither helpful nor enforceable. I see ugly visions of corrupt, bored cops hassling some 6-year-old tending goats. Child labor *is* a tragic situation, no question.

But I’m not entirely convinced about sweeping bans such as the Indian goverment is currently enthused about.

First, there are industries that systemically exploit children. I’m talking fireworks, bidis, carpets, and any kind of indentured labor. Many of these are already illegal, yet continue to flourish. How can the government talk about banning *all* child labor when it has not even been able to hit this baseline target?

As for the “softer” kinds of child labor, especially in rural areas, you have to work at a local level on understanding the problem and providing them attractive alternatives. Blanket legislation by itself is neither helpful nor enforceable. I see ugly visions of corrupt, bored cops hassling some 6-year-old tending goats.

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