Thinking about the wealth of nations

This post is a bit of a late response, but hey, better late than never. 

I was quite taken by the fun "wealth of nations" activity we did last Friday. I think it was an excellent way to reinforce students awareness of the inequalities between countries of the world and how they are perpetuated. I hope that the activity and the questions that were to follow it are soon posted on the blog, as I'd like to use them in my class.

The activity made me think about inequalities between nations and peoples, how they are exploited ( the IMF for example ) and how we often forget about these things in this cozy, reality removed place we call Victoria. So often do we forget about how many in the world live in absolute poverty. 

Reading the Japan Times online last weekend I stumbles across a review of a documentary movie which illustrates this inequality. It's called China Blue and is about factory workers in China's garment industry. The movie investigates a factory that makes jeans for export and employs mainly teenage girls ( who as the owner of the factory makes clear are, " docile and easily controlled" ) for only  pennies an hour. A modern Dickensian nightmare.   I really want to view this film and I think it would be an excellent resource to introduce teens to who really is responsible for making the thing they covet and how companies, both here and in China make huge profits on the backs of exploited labor.

The full article can be found at: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ff20080926a2.html