The first half of this book goes into aspect of the apparel production industry, namely cotton production for T-shirts and related items. The book begins in Texas and explains the ways that the state was incredibly important in the production of cotton, specifically in the city of Lubbock.
I find it interesting how much the US has put into subsidizing the production of cotton and other goods, particularly in Texas, as this action almost inherently clashes with Neoliberal ideals. In an ideal Neoliberal world “the invisible hand” is the ultimate decider of market value, however when large powerful countries like the US can freely subsidize certain aspects of their economy or aligned economies, it goes against this ideology. Out of all things to be critical of the United States for, I think that the cognitive dissonance around being a country that champions freedom and open trade while also being heavily involved in the matters of countries around the world is one of the most significant. While I agree that it is important to prioritize building an American workforce and industry, it often feels like US foreign policy is based off little more than what’s convenient at the moment.
In the latter chapters the book touches on societal changes in working standards and corporate control, and how historically society has eventually gotten large companies to reform aspects of their practices. This implies an optimism about the future in regard to the abusive business practices, however it must still be recognized that these reforms too don’t always remain as societal values change.
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