Travel's of a T-shirt - TYLER PRIVLER

    In The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy, Rivoli uses something as simple as a cotton T-shirt to explain what globalization actually looks like in real life. In the first two sections, she traces how the shirt moves from cotton fields in the U.S. all the way to factory floors in China. By following that journey, she shows how economics, politics, and labor all play a role in global trade — things most of us, including me, don’t really think about when we buy something simple like a T-shirt.

    Part 1, “King Cotton,” focuses on how the United States has dominated the global cotton industry for over 200 years. Rivoli explains that American cotton farmers have stayed competitive largely because of technology and efficient farming methods. However, she also challenges the idea that this success is purely the result of a “free market.” Government policies and subsidies protect U.S. farmers and give them advantages that farmers in poorer countries don’t have. That part really stood out because it made me question how “free” global trade actually is.

    One of the more unsettling parts of Part 1 is Rivoli’s discussion of slavery and its connection to cotton. She explains how early cotton production in the U.S. depended heavily on enslaved labor. The massive growth of cotton in the 19th century was only possible because millions of enslaved people were forced to work under brutal conditions. The wealth generated from cotton helped build American industry, but enslaved people and their descendants were denied the benefits of that success. It’s uncomfortable to realize how deeply tied economic growth is to that history.

    Part 2, “Made in China,” shifts to manufacturing and labor conditions. Rivoli explains why textile production moved to China, mainly because of low labor costs and factory efficiency. She also discusses sweatshops and how, despite their harsh conditions, they sometimes provide opportunities for economic mobility, especially for young women. This part makes it clear that globalization has trade-offs instead of being entirely positive or negative. It made me realize that the cheap prices we like are tied to tough working conditions somewhere else.