Introduction
The 5-portioned documentary called Sweatshop: Deadly Fashion presented pressing and critical issues concerning society and humanity. This specific series focused on struggling citizens in Cambodia, but represents other countries where majority of the citizens suffer in poverty, prejudice and terrible governance – especially third world countries for that matter.
In a span of days, this project managed to drastically change the perception of three magnificently well-off teenagers who lived life easily in their hometown-comfort-zone Norway.
Miles away from home, these three wealthy Norwegian citizens named Frida, Ludvig and Anniken took time to be in an immersion and see how life in Cambodia as a sweatshop worker was like – endless workload, uncomfortable workspace and living quarters, unreasonable salaries, challenging and heartbreaking testimonies. Through this experience they saw (together with the team and viewers) what difficulties and hardships a sweatshop worker faces on a daily basis. Hearing the tragic stories of poor people about hunger, death and poverty; experiencing their daily routine of budgeting, inhuman workload, scraps of food and clothing with their difficult lifestyle, impacted the lives of the three teens forever.
This can be a perfect reality that we’ll use as reference to some sociological concepts and ideas. I’ll be using four of the many notions we can discuss about, these four are what I think fit perfectly in the story of ‘Deadly Fashion.’
Sociological Concepts
It is said that another driver of social change is globalization, which refers to the interconnection of the marketplace without being hampered by national boundaries and time zones. Globalization is also related to Adam Ferguson’s concept on commercialism and capitalism, as capitalism has become the predominant global economic model since the twentieth century. I quote him when he states that “Progress is both inevitable and desirable, but was must always be aware of the social costs that might be exacted as progress is mad.”The factory workers were proof of the costs, Ferguson together with Smith believed that commercial growth was driven by self-interest. In the documentary the development of big clothing companies like H&M were undeniable. But the ironic fact that the people who create the products these companies sell – are not paid enough to even afford the product they made themselves. This depicts Thorstein Verbien’s notion and Pierre Bourdieu’s theory, which posits that people and social-class groups constantly differentiate themselves and compete with each other through the consumption of specific types of socially distinguishing services and goods. In the documentary, it was clear that the ownership and purchase of signature clothes indicated wealth or membership in the middle-to-upper class.
I want to reiterate what Sokty, one of the women who helped make a specific jacket for famous brands of garments (like Mango as seen in the series). She said, “It would take a year’s worth salary to buy that jacket” (a jacket she helped make but can’t buy!). This should come as an eye opener of how unfair the situation is. Somewhere in their schedule, the teens were taken to go shopping and budget their money. They were shocked to encounter what it meant to have low-budget shopping spree, just as they realized the irony of how these clothe-makers can’t afford clothes. We can see how the said ‘progress’ society aims to achieve will always have collateral damages – people like Sokty. This also depicts Judith Butler’s assertion regarding gender, that both gender and sex are not biologically but socially determined. With regards to the garment industry in Cambodia, the job of sewing the clothes is something clearly associated to the female gender. As Butler contends, gender is something that one does and not something that one is.
Soon I fear what Ferguson said: “But the self-interest demanded by Capitalism weakens these values (traditional values of cooperation and "fellow-feeling,” families or communities, and community spirit fostered by honor and loyalty), and ultimately leads to social collapse.” If this trend of big companies, rich and powerful people keep rising it is not far for more people to suffer great injustice. Is this so called ‘progress’ really worth the lives of our fellow humans?
He ‘advocated promoting a sense of civic spirit, encouraging people to act in the interest of society rather than in self-interest.’
Emile Durkheim also has an interesting point in the idea that “society, like the Human Body, has interrelated parts, needs and functions.” Like how a body’s parts play a role and function for everything to stay coordinated and connected all must work properly.
In the documentary we are shown how each factory worker had a task to do, after finishing it they pass it to the next person who does the next level for the clothing. Frida, one of the three teenagers who were immersed in the working routine and atmosphere at the factory, had even expressed ‘they depended on me (for the job to be fulfilled).’ This can perfectly show us the union of each part – each person. It also proves the importance of every single part or worker, the book says that “Herbert Spencer, a philosopher and biologist likened the development of modem society to an evolving organism, with different parts serving different functions.”
Different parts – different people interrelated with one another, serving different functions – different work that contributes to the success of the whole. Imagine a failed body part and how much it can cost you. It’s like in the factory; one worker down everything is affected, all the more reason why they should have proper benefits for a healthy lifestyle.
In a way this thought can be related to “The Division of Labor” as examined by Emile Durkheim. She saw the importance of this belief and value with regards to holding society together. In connection to this Amitai Etzioni founded a ‘Communitarian Network’ with the goals of strengthening the moral and social foundations of society.
The Famous Karl Marx also gave an astounding concept of how the rising capitalism would soon fall. He says “just as feudalism had been replaced, so too would capitalist society and the dominant bourgeoisie.” In this regard, Marx’s concept of class conflict was also depicted in the documentary. It is said that two great classes exist in society, namely the proletariat (workers) and the bourgeoisie (industry owners). In particular, Marx paints a future that shows how the classes and its tension would shift. He believes in the natural flow of the cosmos, sooner or later proletariat will be in the top class of society, this is seen in the concept “The Fall of the Bourgeoisie and the Victory of the Proletariat Are Equally Inevitable.”
“He believed that the proletariat would one day control society, having overthrown the system that had brought it into existence.”Upon reading this I was reminded of the activist in the series whom the three Fashionista teens met in their immersion. He was full of passion and zeal, believing in what he stood up for, promising his commitment to their principles and convictions until they achieve it.
They were also exposed to the riots and the calls of the poor during their stay; this I believe is one of the leading encounters that ignited their passion to help these people. Ludvig even tattooed in his ankle the slogan of these activists. It’s a campaign to increase the minimum wage in Cambodia to US$160 per month; Ludvig felt the solidarity so he tattooed it as a remembrance.
“The relationship between the classes is exploitative, enriching the owners of capital and keeping the working class poor,” this statement by Marx is now a reality and the lower class are slowly uprising, it is not long and not a surprise if the ‘inevitable’ that Karl Marx presented happens, it is just a matter of time. “The increasing solidarity of the working class, and weakening of the bourgeoisie, will in time allow the proletariat to take over control of the means of production and bring about a classless society.”
In Max Weber’s concept on social actions and class, he pointed out that bureaucracy should only have as much authority as members of society are prepared to allow it. This is determined by the social actions of individuals as they try to improve their lives and ‘life chances.’
Too much of power has been given to the bureaucrat that it left the lower class powerless against them, as seen in the series. A testimony of activists about how they are hurt in campaigns and riots show just how much unbalanced the power is between the classes.
Theoretical Perspective
Comte’s grand theory of social evolution involves society’s progress towards definiteness, heterogeneity, and integration. It also involves the increasing coherence of social groups, which strive towards increased cooperation and harmony through the state and the division of labor. This also means that as societies grow, they become more differentiated and complex.
This theory is evident in the documentary in the way that the tasks in the sweatshops are divided among the employees. It also shows the widening gap between the rich and the poor, as depicted by the contrasts in the lifestyles of Fride, Anniken, and Ludvig and the Cambodian factory workers.
Bibliography
D.K. (n.d.). The Sociology Book: Big Ideas simply explained. [Ebook].
Kleven, J. (Director). (2014). Sweatshop: Deadly Fashion [Documentary].
PROJECT PROPOSAL
Upon consideration of the documentary: Deadly Fashion and the different social concepts, together with theoretical perspective presented in ‘The Sociology Book,’ I decided to compose my paper in the following outline:
SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS: The four concepts that I think best connect with the events in the documentary are 1.) Globalization; 2.) commercialism and capitalism by Adam Ferguson; 3.) Division of labor by Emile Durkeim; 4.) Judith Butler's concept on gender; 5.) Pierre Bourdieu’s theory on consumption; 6.) class conflict by Karl Marx; and 7.) social actions and class by Max Weber.
As a THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE, on the other hand, is Comte’s Grand theory of social evolution, which aims to explain the changes that take place in the society.
