[forensic]

We can't save the world. Even if our entire country voted for it, we could not save the Chinese from their own policies.

They are adults living in a sovereign nation; they are responsible for their own working conditions.

I'm not going to feel white-guilt for stuff that happens in a foreign country over which I have zero control.

[m_eiman]

Even if our entire country voted for it, we could not save the Chinese from their own policies.

Vote with your wallet. If nobody will buy products produced using awful methods, they will no longer be produced that way. It's quite simple. Then you'll say "But everyone else is buying them, so it doesn't matter if I do it too". To which I say "Don't care about what others are doing, just do the right thing yourself".

[forensic]

It's impossible for me to have perfect information, or even relatively accurate information about the working conditions of the people who made my stuff.

Also since working conditions are subjective value judgements, I can't even objectively say that someone is working under bad working conditions.

In the first world there are high-rise window cleaners. Some people would consider washing windows a mile in the sky to be cruel and unusual punishment. Others consider it a thrill and would pay to do it.

I am not qualified to determine the difference between a sweatshop and just a highly efficient assembly line. Even if I was qualified, I would not have the necessary information. Even if I had the necessary information, I use too many products for me to examine the supply lines of each one. Even if someone did this for me, they would not be able to probe into the dark depths of communist China.

No, this doesn't fall to me. The working conditions of Chinese people are the responsibility of Chinese people. I will engage in trade with Chinese people and let them decide how they wish to work and how they wish to organize their society.

Ethnic paternalism is so 19th century.

[rimantas]

Ok, don't buy the products. Then they are without the jobs. How does it help exactly?

[Volpe]

Yes, because that's how capitalism works! If you don't buy a specific product, the whole market fails and everyone dies of hunger.