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** “Ben Powell has written a brilliant and thought-provoking book on sweatshops. He challenges a number of critical beliefs about them which, although springing from concern about the poor, lead to policies that will harm the poor. No policymakers, especially in aid and development agencies like USAID and UNDP, can afford to ignore this masterly book.”
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** —Jagdish Bhagwati, Columbia University, and author of In Defense of Globalization
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An intriguing book from Independent Institute and Cambridge University makes the real case for what are often called sweatshops. Provocative, eye-opening, and humane, Senior Fellow Benjamin Powell turns conventional wisdom on its head in this enlightening new contribution to economic theory.
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Out of Poverty dismantles the sentimental and wrong-headed myths perpetuated by both the left and the right. With uncommon clarity and rigor, Senior Fellow Benjamin Powell shows why sweatshops are not symbols of exploitation—they’re crucial stepping stones on the path to prosperity for the world’s poorest workers.

Drawing on economic theory and real-world evidence, he reveals how misguided activist campaigns can actually trap people in deeper poverty. The seemingly harsh reality of sweatshop jobs offers, as it turns out, most workers their best chance to build a better life.

Is it easy? No. Is it comfortable? No. But is it necessary?

Absolutely.

The truth is, a sweatshop job is much easier and more comfortable for most third-world workers’ than any other alternative they have.

In fact, America wouldn’t be the superpower it is today if it weren’t for—you guessed it—sweatshops.

Far from defending profits over people, this powerful book keeps workers’ welfare at its core, explaining how sustainable development—and ultimately, higher wages and safer working conditions—emerges from these humble beginnings.

This is a must-read for anyone who cares about real solutions to global poverty.
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