In today's world, you might believe that a majority of Americans would oppose supporting a company that exploits the use of child labor to produce its goods. However, chances are that all of us, in one way or another, supported these businesses the last time we went shopping. Whether it's a toy for a child or a jacket to keep you warm, it was probably made using child labor in one of many different parts of the globe. The use of child labor is an important factor of the global economy in today's era of globalization where US companies such as Nike, Reebok or Wal-Mart have taken control of the market (Calucag). Western civilization has attempted to combat child labor for years now with little to show for it. The main reason was the failure to find reasonable ways to communicate Western values ​​and opinions about practices that should be eliminated and transform them into effective solutions. Third world countries offer child labor (cheap labor) as a competitive advantage in the world market (Qadeer). As a result, Western companies have let low costs and high profitability blind their morality. As a result, instead of ensuring that no child labor is involved in the production of their products, companies have embraced it by operating their operations in countries that allow it. In this way, companies are able to keep production costs as low as possible, thus increasing profits. Child labor is the employment of children who do not reach the legal minimum age. UNICEF defines child labor as an ongoing phenomenon, with exploitation on the one hand and the development of a strong work ethic on the other (Stackhouse). When children are forced to work long hours, their ability to attend school or co...... middle of paper ......izabeth. Child labor in sub-Saharan Africa. Boulder, Co.: Lynne Rienner Publishers Inc., 2004. Basu, Kaushik. Child labor: cause, consequence and cure, with observations on international labor standards. December 1998. 11 21 2010 .Nero, Ken. What is bonded labor? 08 September 2010.Burra, Neera. Born to work. Oxford University Press, 1995.Calucag, Ernesto B. "International Trade and Labor (Popular Economics)." World of Business (2004).Serra, Steven. “Clinton will seek a big increase in funding to fight child labor overseas.” New York Times February 7, 2000.Qadeer, Mohammed. "why the third world still needs child labor; WORK." The Globe and Mail (Canada) December 12, 1996. Stackhouse, John. "UNICEF report states that 'child labor condemns dangerous work, betrayal of rights'." The Globe and Mail December 12 1996.