Long Term Thinking

In the world of economics, having perspective beyond the present is difficult. No longer do we have factories hoarding ample supplies of equipment, making one item at a time, but since the creation of the assembly line and advancement of transportation technologies, it is possible to have items shipped around the world overnight. The creation of just-in-time production has left the world operating on a 24-hour clock. This same immediacy has crept into almost every area of business.

Such is the case with the controversy surrounding the Dodd-Frank legislation. An article recently released in the New York Times claimed that the actions of NGOs and the US congress to instate regulations requiring business to monitor the origins of their minerals is essentially creating a boycott of minerals deriving from the Congo. (The article can be read here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/opinion/how-congress-devastated-congo.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss)

The article continues on to say that the Dodd-Frank Act is doing nothing but hurting individual miners and improving the lives of corrupt warlords. Ignoring the fact that the Dodd-Frank Act has not been enforced as of yet, what is the alternative? To do nothing? To ignore the 5 million+ that have died thus far and accept the status quo as less damaging? Undermining 15 years of violent conflict will take time, it will take time for the Congolese government to create a stable mining sector. As well, many corporations are interested in investing in the Congolese mining sector under these new regulations (http://congosiasa.blogspot.com/2011/08/thoughts-about-conflict-minerals.html). The key, along with providing alternative sources of work, is to look at the big picture. North America was once teeming with sweatshops, but through the actions of individuals and unions, minimum wage, child labour law and equal (in theory) pay for women were created. Change is possible...and an economically thriving economy is better for business (and the people of the Congo) in the long run, then a war ridden economy.

Enough Project's response to article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sasha-lezhnev/what-conflict-minerals-le_b_922566.html
More info on conflict minerals:
http://www.globalwitness.org/campaigns/conflict/conflict-minerals