An academic, French Canadian I believe, was heard on The BBC Radio Four’s Today Programme discussing the potential benefits of child labour. Apparantly it can lead to education, amongst other things. If victims of Auschwitz could be described to have enjoyed the benefits of a bit of stale bread and water or their straw beds then I understand what he means.

This confusion of things is surely a dangerous game to play. Education is a benefit to the society providing it, not just the children receiving it. A bit of freedom from such things as, usually forced, paid work during childhood surely amounts to a benefit also. Perhaps someone out there has a “job” we can offer to this academics children. Something under the ground would be good, mining turds or grave digging perhaps. Then they will enjoy the double benefit of understanding their father’s work.