Exploitation of Brazilians

Browsing the Spokesman-Review this week I found a science matters section discussing “growing motor fuels on sugar plantations”, specifically discussing the origins in Brazil.  By producing motor fuel, Brazil is allowing multi-national corporations to come into their country and help to export the commodity.  However, by doing so, Brazil is making its self susceptible to vast change and is allowing Brazilian citizens to be exploited as sugar cane harvesters.  Harvesting sugar cane can be very dangerous, and Brazilians are willing to do so for minimal wages in order to survive.  Many harvesters loose limbs due to dangerous harvesting equipment and many accidents.  “Brazil is the world’s most efficient producer of fuel ethanol from sugar cane – and No. 2 in total output.  It uses nearly half of its vast sugar cane to make ethanol.”  The decision to use sugar cane for ethanol production was influenced by foreign companies and the Brazilian companies.  Without this influence, Brazilians would be using their land for normal agricultural production, instead of destroying it to produce more sugar cane.  In the Cerrado region, beginning just south of the Amazon, “55 percent of the land is used for agriculture” and there is “severe deforestation as forests are cleared for farming.”  The “San Paulo State produces more than half of Brazil’s sugar cane and about 90 percent of its ethanol.”  There is no doubt that this production is benefiting the San Paulo region, however, this is disproportionate with the rest of the country.  The San Paulo region has too much capital and too many technological advances for the rest of the country to keep up with which will eventually harm Brazil as a whole.  This potential harm is being ignored since the demand for ethanol continues to increase, especially in the United States.  As the world and the United States continue to change and develop, Brazil will continue to produce ethanol from sugar cane but will eventually fall apart as they are left to find a different technology to compete in the ever changing world.

“Growing motor fuel on sugar plantations.” The Spokesman-Review 11 Feb. 2008: B3.