Exploitation of the Poor (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

Christian and Muslim responses to unfair pay

Exploitation of the poor

• Exploitation is misusing power or money to get people to do things for little or no reward

• Exploitation takes many forms, particularly unfair pay, excessive interest on loans, and people trafficking

• Exploitation happens throughout the world and people in poverty often feel they have little option but to participate in unfair treatment

The situation of unfair pay

• Working people should be paid a fair wage for a day’s work

• However, some companies do not pay what is considered a fair wage in the country in which they are employing workers

• They do this because:

  • it is easy to exploit people who have little choice about finding alternative work

  • some countries have no system of minimum wages

• Companies can exploit this situation by paying tiny wages and offering terrible working conditions to make huge profits 

  • Factories where people are forced to work long hours for very little reward are called ‘sweatshops’

• In the UK there has been a National Minimum Wage since 1999 to stop exploitation

  • There is also a higher ‘living wage’ which is the minimum hourly wage considered sufficient to maintain a normal standard of living

Christian responses to fair pay

• Christians would support fair pay

• God created all humans in his own image

• Everyone matters and everyone is equal to God

• Justice and equality are important

• Christianity has a long history of campaigning for fair trade, ensuring people are paid fair wages for their work

Muslim responses to fair pay

• Muslims would support fair pay

• Islam teaches that everyone was created by Allah

• Everyone is equal before Allah

• Justice and equality are important

• Workers and employers are seen as a brotherhood and have responsibilities to one another

  • Workers should work hard and be honest

  • Employers should provide good working conditions and fair pay

• Money should always be earned by honourable methods

• The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) made a statement in 1990:

Christian and Muslim responses to excessive interest on loans

The situation of excessive interest on loans

• A loan is a sum of money that is borrowed and then repaid over a period of time

• Some companies exploit people who are short of money by lending sums which then have to be repaid at an excessive rate of interest, making it very difficult for people to repay their debts

• People who lend money at very high interest rates are called ‘loan sharks’

Christian responses to excessive interest on loans

• The Old Testament teaches that it is forbidden to charge interest

• Christianity today does not oppose the charging of interest on loans, but it does oppose excessive interest rates

  • These exploit the poor, who are vulnerable and in need of support, not exploitation

• Money is a gift from God and should be earned honestly and used wisely and responsibly to help others

Muslim responses to excessive interest on loans

• Lending money and charging interest (called riba) is forbidden in Islam

  • It is known as usury

  • It goes against Shari’ah law and exploits the poor, causing poverty

• Muslims who have money are encouraged to share it for the good of others, not to exploit them

• The Qur’an teaches people to be patient with others who are struggling to repay loans

• There are Islamic banks that lend money without charging interest

Christian and Muslim responses to people trafficking

The situation of people trafficking

• People trafficking, or human trafficking, is when people are illegally transported from one country to another

• This can happen for several reasons, including refugees and migrants, forced labour, sexual exploitation or organ exploitation

• Because people do not arrive in their target country by legal methods, they cannot get permission to settle and find work

  • This makes it easy for traffickers to exploit them

• People trafficking is a hugely profitable industry, run by criminals to exploit vulnerable people who may be seeking opportunities and a better standard of life in other countries

• It is often referred to as ‘modern-day slavery’

Christian responses to people trafficking

• Christianity condemns people trafficking in all circumstances

• Human life is created by God and all life is sacred

• It goes against the principle of agape

• Everyone matters and everyone is equal to God

• Justice and equality are important, and no one should be exploited in this way

• Victims of people trafficking should be offered help and support - Christian organisations such as the Salvation Army do this

Muslim responses to people trafficking

• Islam condemns people trafficking in all circumstances

• Everyone is equal before Allah

• Justice and equality are important and people trafficking exploits vulnerable people 

• It goes against all Islamic principles

• The Qur’an teaches that to ‘liberate those in bondage’ (Qur’an 2:177) is a worthy act