[ClumsyPilot]

> As our report describes in detail, the labor conditions of incarcerated workers in many U.S. prisons violate the most fundamental human rights to life and dignity,” said Clinical Prof. Claudia Flores, the director of the Global Human Rights Clinic. “In any other workplace, these conditions would be shocking and plainly unlawful

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/us-prison-labor-programs-vio...

[sgjohnson]

The US constitution actually allows slavery/involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime, as per the 13th amendment:

> Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

So it makes little sense to compare prison labour programs to "any other workplace".

[ClumsyPilot]

> makes little sense to compare prison labour programs to "any other workplace"

Either it's force labour, or it's not. You can't get away with things just by slapping a different label on them.

> The US constitution actually allows slavery

If a Chinese person posted here "actually all the human rights abuses in China are perfectly legal and in accordance with Chinese law" you would not be impressed.

We wouldn't be like "alright, nothing to see here". In fact, we would probably be horrified that the inhumane system was codified officially, and is here to stay, as opposed to being a temporary result of oversight and corruption.

So forgive the international reader like myself for being extremely unimpressed with this state of affairs.

[sgjohnson]

I’m pretty sure that most countries allow forced labour as a punishment for a crime.

In my native Latvia, a member of the EU, it’s the most commonly handed out criminal punishment. x hours of unpaid public work. Typically on a strict schedule. Or you can go to the can if you’re opposed to such “slavery”.

Oh and yes, there are also labour programs in our prisons that are probably comparable to the ones in the US. An easy sell actually, because you can either

1. fill your day by doing some work in horrible conditions for basically no pay, but you get to do something

2. rot in your cell all day long

I’m pretty sure that most people pick option 1. After all, you need a way to buy cigarettes.

Nobody calls this slavery.

We also have mandatory military service that started this year. I’m happy to call this slavery, because it’s imposed on people that haven’t done anything wrong.

But you seriously can’t compare forced labour as a punishment for a crime vs any other workplace. It’s disingenious for very obvious reasons. Why not go a step further? Why not claim that it’s a human rights violation to incarcerate people in the first place? After all, the universal declaration of human rights says that EVERYONE has the right to leave their country, re-enter it, and freely move about in their own country, and this is a “universal human right” that’s so clearly being denied to prisoners.

So forgive the international reader like myself for seeing nothing morally wrong with this state of affairs.

[michaelcampbell]

> You can't get away with things just by slapping a different label on them.

This is almost precisely what a legal system is, and does.

[therealdrag0]

A parent forcing a child to do their chores is forced labor, but no one calls it that or slavery (except the kid :)). Context matters, and compulsion alone is not a rights or ethical violation.

[zaggynl]

Whataboutism and you're comparing a factory to a prison.

[krageon]

A prison that builds things is a factory. It's insight into the fact that in fact the norms are no different in the US.

[zaggynl]

I would assume the people working in the Chinese factory have _some_ time off to go outside said factory? Or have the ability to turn in their notice and leave for a different job?

Agreed on the fact that both seem like a corporate hellhole one way or the other.

[krageon]

I honestly don't see the difference between a factory worker that works seven days a week and lives close to the factory (and doesn't travel, as that's for folks with free time and disposable income) and someone who is in prison. In both cases there is only a very small society that they are actually a part of and very limited personal autonomy. I know a lot of folks like to say the theoretical presence of choice means someone is free, but let us be honest here: When you are poor, you may have a choice of where you are imprisoned but that doesn't mean you can escape.

[hnfong]

What you say is true, but unless you have a way to eliminate poverty, the moral imperative doesn't provide a solution.

It doesn't make sense to outlaw poor people. And paradoxically, at least under context of international trade, the only sustainable way to get poor countries out of poverty is for richer countries to trade with them.