Cocoa is one of the mostly consumed farm product in the world. Many people in the world consume cocoa in the different forms that it is out into after its harvest. However, the consumers will hardly understand the challenges that have to be overcome by different people before the farm produce is converted into a consumable good. There are various ethical elements that have not been considered in the production and would raise exclusive concern to consumers as well as the rest of the world. This analysis will aim at analyzing the element of unethical labor and slavery in cocoa plantations. It may be concluded that child labor was evident in cocoa farms and some firms were aware of the challenges that were being experienced and they had to deal with the challenges that were on the way. Utilitarianism and care ethics theories are proper definition of the fact that consumers to get sensitive of the unethical practices involved in the production process of cocoa.
Although, there are other producers of cocoa in the world, Ghana and Ivory Coast are among the highest producers of cocoa. They have been renowned for being the producers of high quality in Africa. The high production of cocoa in Ghana and Ivory Coast has attracted different people to the farms. However, it has been discovered that it was not all that easy for cocoa production. There are exclusive fouls surrounding cocoa production, which have attracted media in a bid to investigate their origin. The main issue that has surrounded cocoa production is child labor. This extremely critical issue has been major concern in the world. Different stakeholders have been in the fight against child labor.
It is alarming how many children have been denied the chance to attend school in the bid to generate income for their families. Parents have been convinced by owners of cocoa farms to hire their children for labor in their farms where some money will be paid to them in return. According to the report given BBC investigators, the element of child labor is wider than many people may think. Children as young as six years are being recruited in the farms. They are exposed to extensive labor practices that may negatively influence their growth. Children have been denied their right to education, which has been exclusively expensive to their lives. This is one of the elements that have made it possible for different organizations to camp in cocoa farms, in a bid to challenge child labor.
However, it has dawned to many people that child labor is an extremely unethical issue and needs to be controlled by all means. This is the reason why most producers of cocoa have been keen to monitor the regions, as well as dealers who entertain child labor. They ensure that anyone linked to child labor does not distribute or produce cocoa on behalf of the specific firm. Cadbury Chocolate, which is a major cocoa producer, has been extremely keen on the kind of dealers it engages in its business. This has been because of the increasing levels of child labor in the cocoa farming areas. It has blacklisted a set of its dealers who have been exclusively linked to child labor in their firms. Extensive bans have been extended to different cocoa farms, where owners have been linked to the habit of recruiting children to work in the farms.
Utilitarianism theory would best fit analysis of the element of child labor in the cocoa producing countries. This is a theory mainly concerned with the definition of a proper course of action that maximizes utility. The theory mainly defines the bid to maximize happiness of the consumers, as well as reduce suffering among the producers. America is one of the major markets of cocoa from these African countries. However, there has been extremely sensitive on human rights with child labor being a central concern. It is following this that there have been exclusive campaigns against child labor in the country. The theory has become extensively sensitive in this case as Americans are against consumption of goods that have been produced under exclusive disrespect of ethics. Americans are for the point where both the producers and consumer enjoy the good at stake. Most Americans are getting to avoid immorally produced goods where cocoa is the main product that they are avoiding.
Following the extensive cases of child labor, the cocoa market in America has been reluctant in consumption of the product. They are extremely concerned with how factories as well as farms produce this sweet product. They are against the exclusive abuse of children by producers of cocoa. There is ardent need to respect human rights and it should be recognized that children have equal rights as to those of grownups. Therefore, there was extensive need to respect human rights in the bid of high production. Therefore, as producers aim to maximize their output, they must be ready to do it with the highest consideration of the existent human rights. On the other hand, consumers who are the Americans succeed on showing the significance of human rights on the kind of products they produce.
On the other hand, is the care ethics theory. This aims at justifying the existence of moral ethics in the significant elements of relationships, as well as dependencies in the life of a human being. This is a theory that aims at ensuring proper relationship between care-givers and the care-receivers. In this case, the theory is for the contrary take of events in cocoa production. It pushes for a point where owners of the farms are critically concerned with the wellbeing of the individuals who work in their farms. Americans are mainly concerned with the wellbeing of the caregivers who have been ignored for a long time in their line of duty. Americans insist that child labor and slavery in these farms must be abolished.
Child labor has remained an extremely sensitive issue in the world. Different people have come out with exclusive challenge of how it has been exercised in different countries. This has resulted to use of extensive theories in the bid to challenge how it has been taking place. As a result, utilitarianism and care ethics theories may be exclusively fundamental in analyzing child labor. These theories insist on proper care of employees at the work place. They need to be exclusively focused on as they define critical point on how people should relate with each other at work. All points that are to be considered vital in a working environment must be respected as much as possible. It is wise to be respectful of the rights of all individuals despite their age or experience at work. Moreover, people have to remain sensitive of the unethically manufactured goods. This means that morally upright individuals should not consume cocoa, which has been produced under exclusive unethical practices. However, the two theories are different on the emphasis they lay on different elements. The first difference is inclined on the utility consideration, in which utilitarianism is pegged. This means that all parties must be satisfied for the theory to be meaningful to a given situation. On the other hand, the care ethics theory emphasizes on proper relationship between the caregiver and the care receiver. In a business platform, different people may have different motives. Therefore, utility may be achieved differently by the two parties involved in the business. This means that Americans have been extremely keen on the joy they obtain from cocoa by reconsidering the issues that the producers have to overcome in the process.
Bibliography
BBC. "Slavery in the Chocolate Industry." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNpwIzeyjKQ (accessed April 3, 2014).
Robbins, John. "Is There Slavery In Your Chocolate? « John Robbins Official Site." John Robbins Official Site. http://www.johnrobbins.info/blog/is-there-slavery-in-your-chocolate/ (accessed April 4, 2014).
