If you follow this website, you know that, on occasion, I like to remind our Libertarian friends that there was a time in America’s not too distant past when we had children working, and often dying, in coal mines. It’s an ugly little part of our nation’s not so distant history, and, when confronted by people who adamantly believe that we should limit the ability of our government to oversee the activities of our voracious CEO class, I like to remind them that we’ve seen what unfettered Capitalism gives us, and it isn’t the pretty. And, with that in mind, I’m always on the lookout for instances in which American popular culture takes up the cause and, whether overtly, or in some less immediately perceivable way, brings our attention back to child labor. Well, in looking over the marketing materials created in support of the next installment of The Hunger Games series, I came across the following propaganda poster and wanted to share it with you… I think it’s brilliant.

At least she has a respirator, right?

Speaking of the danger that our most vulnerable face at the hands of industry, I also happened across something else today that I thought you might find of interest. It comes from the newspaper Beijing Today.

When last year’s earthquake shook apart Sichuan schools, the tobacco companies were there to fund new buildings for primary education. But the China National Tobacco Corporation may have entered like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. One school built with its tobacco money is now branded the “Sichuan Tobacco Project Hope Primary School” and its walls adorned with pro-nicotine messages like “Work hard for society; Tobacco can help you become an achiever!” Experts worry the constant exposure to pro-tobacco propaganda may influence the children to become future smoking addicts. Some question the legality of such sponsorship…

To be fair, this doesn’t just happen in China. Here in the United States, an estimated 80% of public schools have contracts with either Coke or Pepsi. “Starting in the early ’90s,” Mother Jones reported in 2012, “cash-strapped public schools began selling exclusive ‘pouring rights’ to one or another Big Soda company, which would then supply all the beverages sold in on-site snack bars, stores, and soda machines as well as at sports events. Along with sugary drinks, of course, the companies also stuffed the schools with plant of advertisements.” And, as you might expect, the results have been disastrous for American kids… But shareholders are happy, which I suppose is all that really matters.