Before I post my own thoughts in several posts, I'd like to add one more important link, not necessarily important for explaining the current economic troubles, but generally important nonetheless.

I'm only 22 years old, part of what I've heard called "generation sloth" here.


Now in addition to those troubles with moral coaching from on high forbidding children to work, consider this.

I really think these kind of laws and attitudes are part of what is eroding the good characters of youth and eroding the moral foundations of our society.
And when domestic moral self-righteousness becomes popular enough to prevent children from eating in societies where they would have been working, there is a problem to discuss.

There is nothing inherently evil and terrible about children working, and we should consider how these laws and beliefs can actually harm children.