Dear Jay:

This is a very difficult problem especially when so many companies violate the dignity of their employees to exploit them for a greater profit.

First, let us review the Church's teaching from the Catechism:

2424 A theory that makes profit the exclusive norm and ultimate end of economic activity is morally unacceptable. The disordered desire for money cannot but produce perverse effects. It is one of the causes of the many conflicts which disturb the social order.

A system that "subordinates the basic rights of individuals and of groups to the collective organization of production" is contrary to human dignity. Every practice that reduces persons to nothing more than a means of profit enslaves man, leads to idolizing money, and contributes to the spread of atheism. "You cannot serve God and mammon" (Mt 6:24; Lk 16:13).

2426 The development of economic activity and growth in production are meant to provide for the needs of human beings. Economic life is not meant solely to multiply goods produced and increase profit or power; it is ordered first of all to the service of persons, of the whole man, and of the entire human community. Economic activity, conducted according to its own proper methods, is to be exercised within the limits of the moral order, in keeping with social justice so as to correspond to God's plan for man.

2427 Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another (Cf. Gen 1:28). Hence work is a duty: "If any one will not work, let him not eat" (2 Thess 3:10; Cf. 1 Thess 4:11). Work honors the Creator's gifts and the talents received from him. It can also be redemptive. By enduring the hardship of work (Cf. Gen 3:14-19) in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to accomplish. Work can be a means of sanctification and a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of Christ.

2428 In work, the person exercises and fulfills in part the potential inscribed in his nature. The primordial value of labor stems from man himself, its author and its beneficiary. Work is for man, not man for work.

Everyone should be able to draw from work the means of providing for his life and that of his family, and of serving the human community.

2429 Everyone has the right of economic initiative; everyone should make legitimate use of his talents to contribute to the abundance that will benefit all and to harvest the just fruits of his labor. He should seek to observe regulations issued by legitimate authority for the sake of the common good.

2430 Economic life brings into play different interests, often opposed to one another. This explains why the conflicts that characterize it arise. Efforts should be made to reduce these conflicts by negotiation that respects the rights and duties of each social partner: those responsible for business enterprises, representatives of wage- earners (for example, trade unions), and public authorities when appropriate.

2431 The responsibility of the state. "Economic activity, especially the activity of a market economy, cannot be conducted in an institutional, juridical, or political vacuum. On the contrary, it presupposes sure guarantees of individual freedom and private property, as well as a stable currency and efficient public services. Hence the principal task of the state is to guarantee this security, so that those who work and produce can enjoy the fruits of their labors and thus feel encouraged to work efficiently and honestly. . . . Another task of the state is that of overseeing and directing the exercise of human rights in the economic sector. However, primary responsibility in this area belongs not to the state but to individuals and to the various groups and associations which make up society."

2432 Those responsible for business enterprises are responsible to society for the economic and ecological effects of their operations.218 They have an obligation to consider the good of persons and not only the increase of profits. Profits are necessary, however. They make possible the investments that ensure the future of a business and they guarantee employment.

2433 Access to employment and to professions must be open to all without unjust discrimination: men and women, healthy and disabled, natives and immigrants. For its part society should, according to circumstances, help citizens find work and employment.

2434 A just wage is the legitimate fruit of work. To refuse or withhold it can be a grave injustice (Cf. Lev 19:13; Deut 24:14-15; Jas 5:4). In determining fair pay both the needs and the contributions of each person must be taken into account. "Remuneration for work should guarantee man the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level, taking into account the role and the productivity of each, the state of the business, and the common good." Agreement between the parties is not sufficient to justify morally the amount to be received in wages.

2435 Recourse to a strike is morally legitimate when it cannot be avoided, or at least when it is necessary to obtain a proportionate benefit. It becomes morally unacceptable when accompanied by violence, or when objectives are included that are not directly linked to working conditions or are contrary to the common good.

2436 It is unjust not to pay the social security contributions required by legitimate authority.

Unemployment almost always wounds its victim's dignity and threatens the equilibrium of his life. Besides the harm done to him personally, it entails many risks for his family.

So what do we do when a company violates the Church's teaching on social and economic justice? Here is a list of things to do:

1. write companies with your concerns about their use of sweat shops.
2. writer Letters-to-the-Editor, or other articles in periodicals, blogs, and discussion groups, to inform the public about the problem,join associations who are actively working on this problem. 
3. join organizations working on this or other justice issues, such as the Education for Justice, Center for Concern, and joining us in our St. Thomas More Center for Truth and Justice. We are always looking for volunteers to work on our justice projects or to start a new project.
4. write your congressmen to express concern about sweat shops. (I am not a fan of making legislation for every little thing, but this is a social justice issue to which the market is not addressing and to which people are harmed. It is a legitimate role of government to protect people from exploitation).
5. ask your congressmen to investigate the problem of sweat shops in other countries and see about applying pressure upon those countries to stop the practice.
6. personally boycott the most egregious offenders if it is possible and encourage others to do the same.
7. pray for the companies and for the employees they exploit.

It will not be possible to boycott all companies who violate the Church's teaching on social justice, but the five options above can be done by anyone.

Just about every item of clothing I have is made in China. There is little I can do about it as I have no alternatives. Most of my computer is made in China. Even my Bible, the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition, is printed in China -- shame on you Ignatius Press, shame on you indeed, even if the print shop is not a sweat shop; shame on you or exporting the job overseas.

As for these corporations not knowing the conditions of the sweat shops they employ, that is not true. These corporations are completely aware of what they are doing; they just do not care.

On the issue of purchasing sweat shop products so that the slaves can make some money, this is not a good argument. If we are able to avoid sweat shop products we should, otherwise we become an accomplice to the sin. (It is no sin, however, when we have no alternative.) Even when we have no alternative, we can still protest. If we took a stand against the sweat shops, eventually companies would stop using them. If the U.S. government took a stand with other countries on sweat shops as a Human Rights issues, those countries may re-consider their positions.

The Education for Justice, Center of Concern has an interesting chart of the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the world realities by which we are challenged:

Teaching: Life is sacred, and the dignity of every human person is to be respected.

~World Realities: racism, prejudice, ethnic hatred; capital punishment; materialism, unrestrained commercialism and consumerism; drug trafficking and abuse; sexism; abuse of women and children.

Teaching: All people are equal and have the right and duty to participate fully in the life of their community.

~World Realities: individualism and lack of participation in community; class and economic divisions, stereotyping, and disenfranchisement; gender discrimination; ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination; neglect of immigrants and refugees. 

Teaching: All people have human rights and also must be challenged to live up to human responsibilities.

~World Realities: ethnic genocide, imprisonment of political dissidents, abuse of prisoners, denial of political and social freedoms; denial of the human right to food, to health care, to education, to proper housing.

Teaching: We are called to emulate God by showing a special preference for those who are poor and weak.

~World Realities: neglect of the poor, elderly, women and children; lack of affordable housing and medical care; a growing gap between impoverished and wealthy people, and between the rich nations of the Global North and the developing countries of the Global South.

Teaching: We work to continue the construction of God's reign on earth. Work is dignified when worker' rights are protected and the economy serves the needs of all people.

~World Realities: displacement of people from their land, widespread unemployment and underemployment, unjust labor practices, low wages, sweatshops, child labor; unregulated business practices (Enron); global systems of economic injustice such as unjust trade policies and structures.

Teaching: We belong to a global family and are challenged to love our neighbor as ourselves and to be in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the globe.

~World Realities: nationalism and economic competition, ethnic division, persecution of minority populations, small- and large-scale conflicts, gang violence; lack of knowledge and caring about others' problems and sufferings.

Teaching: We share one planet; we are stewards of God's earth and all of creation.

~World Realities: environmental destruction, pollution, global warming, loss of habitat for creatures and people, unsustainable consumption of global resources.

These are tough challenges.

It is not hypocritical, however, to protest the sweat shops in the ways outlined above while still buying products that are manufactured in sweat shops when there is no alternative due to availability or cost. We can do only that which we can do within our means and control.

This issue, however, is an issue that all Catholics, and all non-Catholic Christians should take notice. Allowing sweat shops to exist without protest is a fundamental violation of the justice and charity to which Christ calls us.

Thank you for bringing up the topic. I will be putting this question and answer on our Justice Watch blog as well.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary