When you go to Walmart and see a cute top, you may assume, before looking at the price tag, that it will most likely cost $30 to purchase; but the price tag says $10. How can a top that probably took a good amount of time, and probably several people to make be only $10? The answer is actually quite simple: textile factories. These factories exist all over the world, but are primarily found in countries such as China and Bangladesh. In these countries, people work extremely long hours, in terrible conditions and for very low wages. When places such as Walmart outsource their manufacturing jobs to other countries, they can then sell those products made overseas to the consumer for a much lower price. This is why that shirt which could have been $30 was able to be sold for $10.
When observing these practices around the world, we can see a clear social structure. In this structure, the multinational companies, such as Walmart, are on top. They are the main players in this industry. They control what gets made and where it gets made. They also control the prices that they are willing to sell their products for. Next on the social ladder is the consumer. The consumer also plays a key role in the price controls. We as consumers demand a certain price and will usually shop at the stores who will guarantee us those low prices. This is why Walmart is such a high competitor in this industry. Lastly, there are the producers. These are the people on the assembly lines who work every day to produce these products. They have no real say in the matter at hand. Instead, they simply do what they are told in order to survive. All of these people have a social interaction one way or another. It may not be direct, but it most certainly is indirect. The people who work directly with one another interact on a day to day basis, no matter what their social status. However, the producers interact with the suppliers simply because they are making the products for them.