Naina F.

Hussain
Dr. Deric Shannon
Sociology 101
8th December 2014
Globalization and Its Effects on the Bangladesh Garment Industry: Who takes
Responsibility?
The eight-story garment factory building collapse that occurred in Bangladesh in
April 2013 gave the world an insight into the harsh realities of one of the many
sweatshops that exist in todays world. Rana Plaza was a garment factory building located
in Savar, Bangladesh right on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of the country. It
accommodated roughly 3600 workers, of whom 1129 people died while the rest were
injured (Report). Rana Plaza was an example of one of the many sweatshops operating in
Bangladesh at the moment. A sweatshop, known as a workplace that has poor working
conditions, long working hours and poses possible health risks to the workers, exists in
many different countries including the U.S. After the tragic incident occurred, there were
different debates regarding who was to blame for this tragedy; the garment factory
officials (both the garment association and the owner of the factory), the multinational
retailers who are the customers of the products made at the garment factories, or the
garment factory workers themselves.
The tragedy that led to the death of 1129 garment factory workers is a
representation of how globalization1 can lead to the misuse of resources of an economy,
usually the misuse of resources of developing nations by more developed nations. Free
1 Globalization can be defined as the cultural and economic changes that have occurred
as a result of dramatically increased international trade and exchange (Ferris).
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trade that is endorsed by globalization can be defined as the import and export of goods
and services without any restrictions, and minimal government interference
(Encyclopaedia Britannica). Free trade has certain benefits, as well as drawbacks; while it
leads to specialization which incurs more efficient use of resources, lower wages, and
higher levels of employment across participating economies, it leads to intense
competition which in turn results in the exploitation of the working conditions of labor,
below average wages, as well as negligence of the basic human rights of workers.
The existing sweatshops in Bangladesh, most of them that operate under the
textile industry, contribute to a majority of the countrys annual income and development
rate. Globalization has played a key role in the development of the economy of
Bangladesh since the advancement of the garment industry of the country. According to a
study in John J. Macionis book Sociology, Bangladeshs garment industry contributes
to 75% of its annual exports (Macionis). Well renowned multinational companies such as
Walmart, H&M, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani, and Zara choose Bangladesh as
their main production unit due to its provision of cheap labor as compared to other
nations (Passariello, Lahiri and Sean).
While walking across a renowned multinational clothing store during Black
Friday this year, I could not stop thinking about the number of clothes that had a Made
in Bangladesh tag on them that cost at least $25. It frustrated me to think that something
that, according to a Wall Street Journal report, cost retailers about $1.5, were being sold
at such high prices (Passariello, Lahiri and Sean). Since most businesses are profit
oriented, my frustration was not because of the price the clothes were sold at, but rather

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because of the fact that they are taking advantage of garment workers who work about
eight hours every day and get paid $800 per year (McManus).
According to Emile Durkheims functionalist theory, all aspects of society are
interdependent and contribute to the functioning and stability of the society (Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt). From a functionalists perspective in this case, utilizing the low cost
labor and resources in the developing nations like Bangladesh, the economic inequalities
between more developed countries and developing countries promote social order (Ferris,
The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology). In general, from functionalists
perspective both economies participating in the free trade are being benefitted; wealthier
nations benefit from low costs, while developing nations benefit from higher employment
and greater economic development. However, some nations benefit more than others. The
wealthier nations are profiting more in this process since their benefits are resulting in the
subsequent exploitation of those working in sweatshops. There must be a fine line that
exists in determining how low customers like the multinational companies should pay for
their products and how much advantage can be taken of the lack of power some exporting
countries have, including Bangladesh. Due to competition within the market, the clothing
companies bargain to lower and lower prices until they are minimized. According to
Bakhtiar Uddin Ahmed, the general manager at Fakir Apparels (a garment factory in
Bangladesh), the companys profit margin does not exceed 2.5%. Even though the orders
are increasing everyday, customers are always pushing down costs (Passariello, Lahiri
and Sean). What they fail to take into consideration is how low wages fall to when their
cost is lowered so extensively. At the moment, the minimum wage for garment factory

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workers is $68 per month, and some factories pay even less in order to produce more
clothes and receive more revenue from customers.
Given that Bangladesh is a developing nation, and much of its economys wealth
comes from exports of the textile industry, it would be extremely harmful for the
economy if buyers back out and stop importing goods from Bangladesh since there are
other countries that are willing to provide the same amount of goods for the same price.
According to a documentary by The Guardian, if a supplier fails to meet the deadline for
shipment of the clothes, the buyer has the power to deduct 5% of the payment for each
week of the delay (Poulton, Panetta and Burke). This is what was the main concern of the
owner of the garment factory as for which they did not want to stop production on that
day even with the knowledge that the building had large cracks on the walls that appeared
the day before. Even though the customers are responsible for making sure that their
suppliers maintain a certain level of health and safety regulations in the factories, none of
these customers were aware of the violations. Due to the fact that they continued to place
orders while not making note of the conditions the garment factory workers were
working in, the clients of the products made at the factory also shared a fair amount of
responsibility for the incident that could have been avoided otherwise. Therefore,
stratification works in two different levels in this scenario where there is global
stratification2 between the suppliers and the buyers, and where there is class stratification
between the employers and the employees. According to Karl Marxs conflict theory, the
stratified labor market creates intergroup conflict and lack of power over decision-making
where the wealthier capitalists exploit the less powerful forces (whether that be the
2 Stratification can be defined as the division of a group within society based on social,
global and economic hierarchy (Ferris, The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology).
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suppliers in an economic context, or the employees in the social context) (Ferris, The
Real World: An Introduction to Sociology).
When thinking about the sociological imagination, it is important to make sure
that all aspects of society are being taken into consideration while coming to a decision.
As a result, this study of Bangladeshi sweatshops and responsible authorities for tragedies
similar to the factory-building collapse would remain incomplete if the perspective of the
lawmakers in the country and the garment factory officials were not taken into account.
The owner of the building was well aware of the cracks, which appeared on the walls
prior to the incident and still kept the production of clothes undergoing. Many workers
refused to come to work that day, and their lives were saved because of that one decision.
However, many still chose to go to work since the factory owner threatened to lay them
off if they decided not to come to work. The factory owner was taking advantage of the
lack of power the workers had to achieve his goal. According to Karl Marxs conflict
theory, social inequality creates intergroup conflict between the poor and rich since their
interests differ from each other and as a result, the poor find themselves at odds as they
attempt to secure and protect these interests (Ferris, The Real World: An Introduction to
Sociology). In this capitalistic system, the workers have to sell their labor at the cost of
their health and safety, fear of layoffs, and other forms of class stratification in hope for
earning below minimum wages that will help them support their family and earn them a
days income. The lack of autonomy in the workers lives during the Rana Plaza collapse
could then be blamed on the authorities of the garments factory, as they did not take
necessary measures to prevent and maintain the lives of the workers whom they were
responsible for.

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Garment factory workers also share a sense of responsibility in the occurrences of

tragedies like the Rana Plaza building collapse. Bangladesh garment workers have been
victims of extreme exploitation in workplaces ever since the emergence of the garment
industry in the country. Even after the several cases of factory fires and factory-building
collapses, the workers have failed to form strong labor unions to protect their rights and
bring upon change within the system. According to Max Webers modernization theory,
economic change is instilled through increased technological development where
traditional societies become more complex and more differentiated in that manner
(Margaret Anderson). Therefore, hard work, efficiency, and enterprises lead to economic
advancement. Moreover, the poor remain in poor conditions due to lack of proper
working habits, time management, gratification, and are not willing to take advantages of
opportunities such as education. As a result, the lack of workers interests to take
advantages of their large communities to form labor unions would be an irresponsible act
on the workers behalf, as they have not been taking sufficient responsibility for their
personal health and safety regulations.
From another point of view, it could be said that the reason why the workers at the
garments factory were not able to take advantages of the opportunities around them was
because of their life chances. Most of the garment factory workers in Bangladesh are
women, while most of the men that work at the garment factories do not have proper
education. Since these workers come from families with poor income and low education,
garment factories provide these workers with the jobs that they would have otherwise not
been able to get. If for instance they are dismissed from the garment factory, they would
not be able to get a better paid job elsewhere (Poulton, Panetta and Burke). The lack of

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life chances such as education (due to religious beliefs for most women and high
expenses for the rest), the status of women in society, and familial pressures (which
includes living expenses) affect the decisions made by garment factory workers in
Bangladesh. Mahmuda, a garment factory worker at Rana Plaza and a survivor of the
collapse, justified that the reason why she and her husband went to work that day was to
earn a days income. It was already near the end of the month, and it was crucial for them
to earn money for the upcoming months expenses or otherwise their wages would be
docked (Poulton, Panetta and Burke). As a result, what can be seen is that even though
the workers were hesitant to go work inside the factory on the day of the collapse, they
still decided to do so.
Moreover, the definition of cheap labor becomes culturally relevant as well.
According to Erving Goffman, the key to understanding the self is how we present
different selves in different situations. (Ferris, The Real World: An Introduction to
Sociology) Therefore, Bangladeshs cheap labor is a social construction that has been
created through interaction with other nations that also participate in agreeing to the
meaning of the self. The key institutions that play a role in the representation of this
image are the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA),
the government who determines the minimum wage levels and is also responsible for its
citizens, and the level of demand for employment the economy has. Looking at the
factory building collapse in Bangladesh from this perspective can indicate how the
government has a role in determining the price of labor attached to the pricing of the
export goods. The social construction, economic position, and the willingness to pay by

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the labor, and life chances of the workers at the garment factories of Bangladesh have
affected the amount of wages the labor receives.
According to a study by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable
Development, China has been using subsidies for its textile industry, which rendered its
products inexpensive as compared to other exporting nations (International Centre for
Trade and Sustainable Development). From a sociological perspective, countries such as
China who use their social hierarchal powers to their own benefits without thinking about
the effect it has on other nations contributes to the decisions made by multinational
companies who choose to import the goods from developing countries. Therefore, due to
increased competition brought into the market through Chinas unethical schemes, poorer
nations have to suffer by offering low wages and poorer working conditions.
In conclusion, from the Rana Plaza factory building collapse, the negative aspects
of globalization, free trade and capitalism came to focus. In this capitalistic system, the
structural forces with greater economic power are able to exploit the powerless such as
the developing nations, and their workers. According to Marx, workers in a capitalist
society are alienated from the process of work, their own productive work. Thus, in a
capitalistic system, the aim of the work ultimately becomes to find a means to satisfy
needs rather than to satisfy needsby earning enough money to provide support to ones
own family (Marx). By examining the structural forces that were directly and indirectly
involved in this tragedy, it becomes more and more unclear to find one single responsible
force. The formation of a capitalist system is such that profits are aimed at being
maximized by lowering production costs through minimal government intervention.
Thus, the root of the problem goes to the buyers of the products who determine how

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much they will pay the producers for their products. The producers also have the power
to determine how much they are willing to cut productions costs to. Lastly, the workers
have the power to render their skills more expensive through opportunities they can
possess such as education. As a result, in my opinion, all of the structures involved in the
Rana Plaza collapse were responsible in some form or another for a tragedy that could
have otherwise been avoided. However, in my opinion I deem the multinational clothing
companies such as Walmart, JCPenney and Primark most responsible because they are
the root of the process. They are the ones who outsource their production to developing
nations like Bangladesh. As a result of their economic hierarchy they play a major role in
determining the price of the productsthey are always pushing down costs in order to
make higher profits in the market. Since economies and countries participating in free
trade have become excessively profit oriented, it is extremely important that in a world of
globalization, individual forces start taking their own responsibilities and solving them in
order to make sure that incidents such as the garment factory building collapse do not
happen again. Several different organizations such as the International Labor
Organization (ILO) and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association
(BGMEA) have stepped in to make sure that factories provide safer working conditions
for garment factory employees. Thus, more frequent interaction between the different
social, economic and global structures will help bring social cohesion within society and
thus, excessive conflict can be further avoided.

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Works Cited
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Free trade. 2014. Britannica. 5 December 2014
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/218403/free-trade>.
Ferris, Kerry. The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology. Vol. 4. New York; London:
W. W. Norton & Company Ltd. , 2014. 4 vols.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. What is the functionalist perspective in Sociology? 2014. 5
December 2014 <http://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/sciences/what-is-thefunctionalist-perspective-in-sociology>.
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development. Bridges: Mexico
Challenges China over Subsidized Clothing, Textiles. Bridges. Vol. 16.
International, n.d. 35 vols.
Macionis, John J. Macionis, John J. Sociology. Vol. Illustrated. Granite Hill Publishers,
2007. 708.
Margaret Anderson, Howard Taylor. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Soceity,
Updated. Vol. 4. Cengage Learning , 2007.
Marx, Karl. Selected Writings. Ed. David McLellan. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2001.
McManus, Doyle. Bangladesh's sweatshops: A boycott is not the answer. 22 April 2014.
LA Times. 5 December 2014 <http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oemcmanus-column-bangladesh-garment-fire-20140423-column.html>.
Passariello, CHRISTINA, Tripti Lahiri and McLain Sean. What do Armani, Ralph
Lauren, and Hugo Boss have in Common? Bangladesh. 1 July 2013. 5 December
2014
<http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323998604578567522527553
976>.
Poulton, Lindsay, et al. The shirt on your back: the human cost of the Bangladeshi
garment industry. 16 April 2014. 5 December 2014
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2014/apr/bangladesh-shirt-on-yourbackhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2014/apr/bangladesh-shirt-onyour-back>.
Report, Tribune Online. Savar death toll reaches 1129. 25 May 2013. 5 December 2014
<http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/may/25/savar-death-tollreaches-1129>.

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