Middle Class Erosion: Offshoring and International Outsourcing

 Offshoring and Outsourcing has its benefits and negatives; however, it’s causing America’s class division and erosion of the middle class to gradually increase. International outsourcing and offshoring may sound like a great idea in theory. Companies are able to get more bang for their buck; it’s similar to a thrifty shopper. But the difference between a thrifty shopper is that their getting good quality products for less money, which isn’t hurting anyone in the long run. Offshoring and international outsourcing has an immediate satisfaction for the company, but a horrible outcome in terms of America’s people and economy. The middle class of America is slowly eroding away because  a California study shows that “14 million white-collar jobs are vulnerable to being outsourced offshore”(Roberts). The big companies, unfortunately, are selfish at heart; only wanting to gain more and more money and expand their company. People are continuously are getting displaced in another sector of their company because of the offshoring of that sector. It would cost the company a lot less; however, it will increase their capital. The employee will end up with less money in the end, but that’s okay with the company.

            Not only is offshoring and outsourcing causing major hiccups in the decline of well paying jobs, but it’s causing many students to study things other than the “technical and scientific disciplines” (Roberts). The students know that if they go into this field looking for a job, their job could possibly be offshored. This is because the “the goods-producing sector”(Maclay) of many companies are usually offshored. If this continues, then there wouldn’t be anyone that can fight this issue with these “technical and scientific” skills. The future wouldn’t consist of people of who are getting modest life in the middle class. You’ll either be struggling to make ends meet in a job that pays a very low wage, or you’ll be an employer that is making the decision to offshore and to outsource internationally.   

            Offshoring and international outsourcing have very few benefits, and those benefits only address the company. These benefits have nothing to do with American employees. America should be rising with our companies, not deteriorating because of them. America is supposed to represent the freedom, choice, and a better way of living. But that can’t be true if we our middle class, the comfortable class, is falling apart. We’ll be like all the other countries that we’re often trying to differentiate ourselves from.  

Works Cited

Maclay, Kathleen. "Report: Offshoring and Outsourcing a Mixed Bag for American Jobs,             Wages." UC Berkeley NewsCenter. N.p., 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.

 

Roberts, Paul, Dr. "Global Research." Global Research. N.p., 09 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.