Conclusion: Social Justice in the Globalization of Production

Abstract

Ever since its inception, capitalism has taken several forms to sustain its position as a dominant form of economic system. The basic form of capitalism was found in agrarian societies where commodity surpluses were sold for profit. During the Industrial Revolution, as society progressed into industrial capitalism, Henry Ford’s remarkable invention of the assembly line that facilitated speedier production of cars was replicated in various industries throughout the global economy. This marked the beginning of the Fordist regime, where industries began to see unprecedented production of goods in the emergence of machineries. While this has brought about standardization and an increase in quality of commodities produced, workers were also subjected under strict and rigid control systems with no room for creativity to flourish as difference was seen as a compromise on standards. In addition, people began to work in factories and produce not for themselves but consumers whom they might never have met. Profit was also consolidated in the hands of the owners of those with means of production, while workers were reduced to getting wages for their labor. During the Fordist regime, males were traditional breadwinners and were predominant in the workforce. The majority of the women took on roles of the traditional homemaker, and few participated in the industrial economy. Also in the Fordist regime, increased demand and the advancement of technology enabled, expedited and intensified extraction of raw materials and resources, creating huge amounts of land wastes that were not disposed of properly. However, the issue was put on the backburner due to pressing issues such as unemployment and economic crises.