Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy

Bowe writes about non-sex slavery in America (though sexual abuse makes appearances, as you’d expect), from Florida to Kansas to Saipan. He argues that slavery is in its essence about power rather than just about saving money; power unsupervised invites abuse and is abused. Repeatedly the perpetrators justify themselves by saying that the victims are poor and couldn’t do better anyway, even when—as with the Kansas case—they’re well-trained and jobs with better pay and conditions are also available to them. Bowe argues that mainstream Americans have made a choice not to know how our oranges, clothes, and devices are made—something the recent reporting on Foxconn has also made clear. It’s an engaging and enraging read, and show more Bowe does one very powerful thing that makes me wonder why everyone else doesn’t: he tells you the race/nationality of every person in the book, not just the nonwhites/non-Americans. By disrupting the default, he makes clear how much privilege matters to people’s perspectives on labor issues without even needing to say so explicitly. show less

An important book.

"If you can read this page, you are on top of the world and billions of people are beneath you. Your ignorance and your lack of a program will likely equal the squalor of your grandchildren's existence."

I found this book very informative. Hard to put down.

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