Verdingkinder CHILD LABOR Switzerland Chocolate High quality watches

Verdingkinder CHILD LABOR

�Switzerland Chocolate High quality watches Prosperity ? ? � 1789 New labor law banning the employment of children younger than 14 years of age. �Late 18 th century – early 1970 s (1974). �Official ending date is 1981 �Exploitation of child labor �Child slavery

�Contract children (Verdingkinder) �Children from Broken homes, single-parent families or unwed mothers Families who owed to the state or who were poor Children who had imprisoned parent(s), delinquents Orphans, illegitimate children �Auctioned to those seeking free labor. Winning bidder being the one demanding the least annual compensation. �Farm work, domestic work �Physical, mental, sexual abuse

�State �Church �Both sanctioned this system of forced labor. �Welfare policy Social disciplinary mentality Teach the poor children to work so that they won’t become poor adults and be a burden on the society!

�Why barefeet? �Responsibilities of foster parents… �What did the society think? 5% of all Swiss children forced into farm labor from the 19 th to mid 20 th century. Community vs the children (foster family funded by commune funds, lowest-bid system) Social isolation, suicides �Apology/compensation? Forced sterilization – official apology by the Parliament in 2013, yet no compensation. Truth and Reconciliation commission needed. Slavery never mentioned!