The Issue isn’t Kylie Jenner, it’s Capitalism

Summary

The article argues that the core issue with the exploitation seen in cases like Kylie Jenner's is not with individuals but with the capitalist system itself, which incentivizes the use of cheap labor to maximize profits, leading to a cycle of poverty and inequality.

Abstract

The piece discusses the widespread criticism of Kylie Jenner and her sister's clothing line over allegations of not paying Bangladeshi workers, a controversy that reflects a broader issue with capitalism. It highlights that exploitation of labor is standard practice in businesses aiming to maintain low production costs and high profit margins. The author points out the hypocrisy in selectively boycotting certain companies while overlooking others with similar practices, noting that ethical shopping is often a luxury due to the high cost of products from companies that pay fair wages. The article underscores the growing wealth gap, the difficulty of affording basic living expenses on an average salary, and the inevitability of a societal burst if current economic trends continue. It suggests that consumers can exert power through their purchasing choices by supporting local businesses, second-hand stores, and ethical brands. The author also looks to the Nordic countries as examples of successful capitalism that doesn't enslave its citizens, advocating for a system that includes free education, healthcare, and a strong role for unions in negotiating fair wages, rather than relying on government-imposed minimum wages. The COVID-19 pandemic is cited as having exposed the inadequacies of underfunded public services like the NHS, emphasizing the need for systemic change rather than mere applause for essential workers.

Opinions

The author believes that capitalism in its current form is inherently flawed, as it encourages the exploitation of labor to keep product costs low and profits high.
There is a perception that it is hypocritical to single out certain companies for labor practices when many others are equally complicit.
Ethical shopping is seen as a luxury due to the higher prices associated with fair labor practices, which are unaffordable for the average person.
The wealth gap is growing, with an increasing number of billionaires alongside a rise in poverty levels, making it difficult for many to meet basic living expenses.
The author suggests that the solution to these issues lies in part in the models provided by Nordic countries, which balance capitalism with social welfare through redistributive taxation and strong unions.
The pandemic has highlighted the consequences of underfunding essential services and the need for systemic reform rather than superficial gestures of support.
Consumers are encouraged to use their purchasing power to support ethical businesses and to engage in collective action through trade unions and voting to effect change.

The Issue isn’t Kylie Jenner, it’s Capitalism

Capitalism in its current state is no longer working for us.

There has been a lot of discussion and general dissatisfaction about Kylie Jenner. Now, this isn’t new, the Kardashian clan are a daily occurrence in my news feed; but what piqued my interest this time was the reason people were angry. Her clothing line with her sister “Kendall + Kylie” was accused of not paying their Bangladeshi workers, they vehemently denied this and said these claims were untrue but as people called to ‘cancel’ them for the umpteenth time it made me wonder. Of course, the exploitation of labour is horrendous but it’s common practice in most businesses, in fact it’s pretty much standard because the bottom line is, that’s how capitalism works.

If your morals don’t allow you to shop from “Kendall + Kylie” because of alleged worker mistreatment I hope you don’t order from Amazon, or eat any Nestlé products, or have an iPhone or buy Marlboro cigarettes and the list goes on because all these companies are guilty of that. Calls to boycott Boohoo because they pay their workers disturbingly below minimum wage are honourable, but the truth is there are very few fashion retailer factories that pay a fair wage. H&M, Sports Direct and New Look were discovered to be using child labour while Topshop’s parent company Arcadia refused to pay for the unused goods not bought during the coronavirus. This problem isn’t exclusive to fast fashion, abuse of labour is rampant in most industries.

The reason these corporations make millions in profit is because they use cheap labour, it’s business 101. Having cheap products is more attractive to customers but it decreases your profit margin because you still have to purchase the goods so how do you make this up? Pay lower labour costs. Amazon is slowly becoming a monopoly as Jeff Bezos is set to become a trillionaire in the next 6 years despite numerous Amazon factory workers and delivery drives blowing the whistle on their working conditions.

It’s unfair to be furious at people who still buy from these companies because it’s a luxury to shop ethically. The organisations that are honest and pay fairly are expensive, very expensive. It goes back to profit margins, the only way to increase profit is to charge a higher price which the average person can’t afford. It’s a vicious cycle of large corporations paying lower wages to have cheaper products which more consumers buy because they are being paid lower wages; and around and around we go.

We live in a bubble where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The wealth gap is rising at a scary pace, we live in a time with the most billionaires in our history and also the most people living in poverty. An average salary is not nearly enough to afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment in most capital cities let alone bills and food on top of that. They need us to buy their products for them to make their money, but how are we to do that if after every pay-check families must decide on going hungry or being homeless? It’s not a question of if the bubble will burst, it’s a question of when.

We have power in how we spend our money, if you can afford to shop ethically do it! Instead of putting your money in the hands of PLT or Primark give it to local boutiques or second hand stores. Depop is a great site to buy pre-owned clothes (as well as sell them) and most Instagram brands make the clothes themselves and there are so many to choose from.

And to those arguing ‘this is inevitable, just work harder’ I advise you to look at the Nordic countries which manage to get the most out of capitalism without being a slave to it. They enjoy the luxury of free education and free healthcare while also operating in a free market economy. All citizens work with the government to achieve this balance through redistributive taxation; the rich are willing to pay a higher tax to indulge in these benefits. Instead of a government imposed minimum wage which hinders the growth of small businesses as they can’t afford to higher more people, they favour unions to negotiate with organisations to decide on fair pay.

The pandemic has already widened the already deep cracks in our social systems, it’s exposed the dirty underbelly that we choose to ignore when things are going well. The NHS has been underfunded for quite some time now but it was easier to dismiss it as a priority when we weren’t living through a global pandemic. They could scrape by on what they had prior to coronavirus but was nowhere near equipped enough to deal with the mass influx of patients the pandemic caused. Doctors and nurses don’t need us to applaud them every week they need more ventilators and PPE in order to do their job.

So, how do we fix it? If there is a one step solution I would tell you in a heartbeat, but there isn’t. Our broken capitalist system doesn’t have a cure all answer however there is a template of how it could work in Scandinavia, we just need to make the steps to get there. Joining a trade union is known to help increase your wages while using your vote has, time and time again, proven to get the government to listen.

It’s easier to direct your anger towards those that benefit from unchecked capitalism but with a slight pivot you’ll find more satisfaction in directing your anger at the real problem.