[terrykohla]

You don't want to support sweatshops? That is great! That means you're starting to understand how things work and where they come from.

Keep doing your research and you'll soon find that economically speaking, eliminating what you call sweatshops is like trying to eliminate gravity.

Everybody needs to eat and if they refuse to live a dishonest criminal life, they'll take a job no matter how little it pays and that opens up new business oportunity. It's the law of the market and it won't change if you or a little group tries to buy locally because not everyone can afford (even if they are aware) to buy more expensive local products. This is why Wal-Mart has been unstoppable.

Most electronics (computer/cell ph) now a days are manufactured in what you'd call a sweatshop.

How did things get so bad ?

It all depends on the information you consume, bad news vs good news. The opportunities we have now a days are overwhelming, things have never been better (or worse).