TRUE COST DOCUMENTARY

Redefining development in the lens of Amartya Sen, a country can only be fully developed
when every individual has an access to their basic rights, needs and freedom. Another facet that
also contributes to the development of a country is the external factors such as fair trade and
globalization. In the present time, as the world is rapidly changing the problem of inequality,
social injustices, climate crisis, and etc., have become apparent and taken away many lives. In
light of the documentary entitled "True Cost" where garment workers from Bangladesh are
faced with human cruelty as they are forced to work in an unsafe place and paid with a salary
that is less than the cost of their basic needs. The question now lies in who should be held
accountable for the catastrophic event in the fashion industry and where does it end?

After watching the documentary, there are a lot of triggering points as to why it is difficult for
developing countries to replicate the footsteps of the already developed ones and how
globalization affects the former specifically in the fashion industry. A lot of people have the same
impression that working in the fashion world as a garment worker is a safe job, while it is partly
true there are aspects that needed to be considered first (e.g. working conditions and
environments) before concluding that it is a safe and secure job because having that kind of
mindset does not think critically and would only add salt to the wound. The situation of the
garment worker in Bangladesh is due to the lack of government support, dependence on
western countries, having limited and different alternatives compared to others, and the unfair
treatment in trading. Furthermore, the system that conceptualizes globalization are those who
belong to the top chain and are made up of only a few people whose goal is to generate profits.
As seen in the clips, developing countries like Bangladesh who are in the bottom chain don't
have any option and a voice in the global market, thus, leading to compromising and risking
their cost for them to do business. Instead of helping developing countries to increase the cost
and value of their labor, big companies from developed countries continue to exploit and ignore
the lives of the workers.

Letting a system which has already rotten functions in a society would lead to disastrous and
catastrophic events that costs life and environment. Everyone should be held accountable for
what happens to the garment workers in Bangladesh and other countries. From the government
to the consumers, everybody has a responsibility to protect and sustain life. It is unethical that
the garment workers pay with their blood for the cheap clothing that the fast fashion created. As
a consumer, it is not enough to boycott a company, one should become a responsible consumer
who is aware of the consequences of every purchase he makes. Moreover, to stop human
cruelty that is happening around the world, let us think like an activist that criticizes and talks
about the problem at hand to find the best solution.