A Modern Theorist answers by saying that our shirt is providing opportunities for people like Jasmine whereas a World Systems Theorist answers that our shirt is taking advantage of a desperate population like Jasmine. Personally, I found the World Systems Theory to better explain the case of Jasmine by proposing that our shirt is taking advantage of the desperation of low-income countries such as Bangladesh.

The World Systems Theory is a model that explains global inequality in terms of the historical exploitation of poor societies by rich ones. Colonialism is the process by which some nations enrich themselves through political and economic control of other nations. Formal colonialism ended mostly in the 20th century, although a new form of exploitation, neo-colonialism, emerged. Neo-colonialism is a new form of economic exploitation that involves multinational corporations rather than foreign governments. In the YouTube documentary, The Corporation, by Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abott and Joel Rakan, a corporation has been likened to a family unit or a sports team where all the members work towards achieving a common goal which in most cases is improving its bottom-line.

Corporations were made into legal persons in law, and thus they could essentially borrow money, sue or be sued. At this point, they began wielding their immense power in the form of multinational corporations. Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor of Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT), says that corporations were made members of society, yet they were persons lacking morality. Their responsibilities were to shareholders rather than the community in which the corporation existed . They can exploit people from low-income countries in the name of bottom-line and rationalize it as saving on labor costs.

In the video, we see how Bangladesh, a developing nation, continues to support the wealthier countries. We see the realities of the capitalistic world economy where Doris earns four times as much as Jasmine mainly due to their differences in locations. We also see how the dependence theory comes into play. The garment industry constitutes the largest share of exports in Bangladesh. The fact that developing countries lack industrial production is shown by Bangladesh reliance on the United States to obtain cotton. The United States is more industrialized than these countries and can export the highest quality cotton to Bangladesh and Colombia. Bangladeshi and Colombian farmers cannot compete with American cotton since cotton farming in these countries does not benefit from advanced technology in America.

We see that free markets and corporations (Jockey International Inc.) have contributed to ensuring that Bangladesh remains a developing nation by exploiting the Bangladeshi. Jasmine and other workers are paid peanuts, and yet the t-shirts go on to be sold for huge profits in the United States. In the documentary, Charles Kernaghan, Director of National Labor Committee shows garments that are sold for $14.99, yet the workers are paid $0.03 to make the garment. As per the World Systems Theory, the role of rich nations is to ensure equal distribution of wealth since it is the only way of achieving economic security for all.

The Modernization Theorists see free markets as beneficial for a community that is getting industrialized and advancing technologically as free markets reward the most enterprising and entrepreneurial members of the society. Multinational corporations help in the dissemination of advanced technologies which will help countries like Bangladesh and Colombia to develop and as per Modernization Theorists. The role of rich nations is to accelerate the industrialization and technological advancement of low-income nations and also help them limit their populations by giving them comprehensive health and education.