When contracting with Chinese manufacturers, it's very hard to avoid forced labor

[74hc595]

@anon21100188

Because we (the American/Western consumer) are ok with it. All the gadgets, tools, and toys that we’ve come to expect being ridiculously cheap and getting cheaper are ridiculously cheap because we’d rather have them cost less than not rely on slave labor. If the consumer cared enough to change their buying habits, the companies would change along with us.

Due to high level of automation in modern industry low labor costs don’t have all that much effect on the final price. Somewhere I read that it’s about 10% or less of final product price for things like phones. That’s not much for the consumer, but it’s huge amount for corporations, especially in the race to the bottom that characterizes unregulated capitalist economy. Frequently consumer doesn’t even see the price difference (but brand owners do) and sometimes products made locally may be even cheaper and higher quality.
While it’s worth buying ethically made products whenever possible, individual consumer choice won’t stop unethical business practices. Only proper regulation could do that. The situation is a bit analogical to global warming crisis in this way.