This week, find a "case study" of technological exploitation (with citations), and discuss

how the business practice evolved using any of the theories discussed in class
(Marxism, World Systems, ACT, etc. ...).
Does the exploitation take place during the development or the production phase? How
is the practice exploitative?
Propose two possible ways of targeting this form of exploitation. Keep in mind, with
complex social and economic issues, there is no "silver bullet" (as I've said in class),
and most successful approaches are multifaceted. What I'm looking for is a piece of a
solution for your selected case study, not the entire solution itself.
The following excerpts show Monsantos exploitation of farmers in developing
countries through attempts to create dependency on their GMO seeds. The
exploitation occurs during the post production phase (selling phase) when farmers
in developing countries buy the product unaware of potential issues such as higher
cost in the long run, possible crop failure, and complete dependency on Monsanto.
Argentina's tax agency has raided a Monsanto Co. contractor and found what it
calls slave-like conditions among workers in its cornfields. The AFIP tax agency says
Rural Power SA hired all its farmhands illegally, prevented them from leaving the
fields and withheld their salaries. They had to de-tassel corn 14 hours a day and buy
their food at inflated prices from the company store. (Bloomberg Business)
The authors of the study view the switch from natural to genetically modified seeds
as a direct result of World Bank policies that forced Indias cotton industry to
compete globally starting in the mid-1990s. Not only did the genetically altered
seeds cost up to 10 times as much as regular cotton seeds, needing to be rebought
each planting season, they also used more water than natural seeds. [6] As a result,
farmers were further trapped in a whirlpool of debt and dispossession that already
plagued the region, leading to drastic increases in farmer suicides. In 2009, the last
year for which figures are available, 17,638 farmers who used genetically modified
products committed suicide (one death every thirty minutes), leaving behind
families whose futures remained burdened by a debt death could not erase.
(Powerlines)
In 2001, Argentina was in the midst of an economic crisis; the nation was at its
most vulnerable, and Monsanto did not hesitate to take advantage of the situation.
Because Monsanto claims to communicate regularly with customers regarding

proper use of [their] product, Argentinian farmers ultimately receive punishment

for any of the products misuses, as opposed to Monsanto. In fact, Monsanto had
already gained a bad reputation in Argentina as a result of the initial introduction of
their pesticide, Roundup, which is believed to have contaminated water supplies
and caused an array of health problems. This trend is indicative of Monsantos
knowing exploitation of nations that lack regulation of such products. Monsanto
tried the hardest to help the Haitian and Argentinian farmers when they were most
vulnerable. If they were truly trying to assist regardless of socioeconomic politics,
the company could have simply sent monetary aid. Instead, what they offered was
not just a quick fix, but enticing bait that hid the hook of a generations-long
commitment to the company and its products. (Powerlines)

Potential solutions
1. Educating farmers in developing countries so they can make more informed
choices when purchasing seed would stop farmers from being taken
advantage of. The examples that I have pointed out concerning India and
Argentina show that farmers are exploited often through ignorance, more
specifically of ethical practices and potential negative consequences of using
Monsantos seeds.
2. A main problem is that Monsanto is a monopoly player in the agriculture
industry with major control over public relations. Because of deals made with
various parties who have power, such as governments, it is extremely difficult
to regulate Monsanto and force them to operate ethically. Despite articles
about Monsantos unethical practices, it still generates enormous amounts of
profit. Many are unaware of the suicides in India etc. thus more widespread
media coverage of their behaviour could convince consumers to boycott the
companys products.

References

Sheffo, Catherine. (2014). Monsanto: Sowing Inequality. Powerlines. Retrieved from

http://amst.umd.edu/powerlines/monsanto-sowing-inequality/

(2012). Argentina says Monsanto contractor abuses workers. Bloomberg Business. Retrieved
from http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9SADUU80.htm