Toyland (Blog Topic #3)

Take a look at your clothes, the items in your purse, or the items around your room. I'd bet money, a lot of money, that there's at least one thing around you this minute that reads, "made in Hong Kong", or "made in China" or even "made in Taiwan". It's true of so many things we own, so many things we, as Americans, purchase each and every day. Let's face it, our economy relies heavily on imported goods and services from Eastern Asia. The same is true of the toy industry. The cartogram, above left, shows net toy exports worldwide through surface area. Who's number one? You guessed it, Eastern Asia, with Hong Kong dominating the leader board. It is depicted in the map above as the large green mass that appears to be taking over Europe.

Hong Kong's net value of toy exports is 800 (in US$) compared to the number two exporter Malta, which follows with a value of only 91! This large offset, is most likely due to the fact that in Eastern Asia, labor is abundant, and best of all, cheap. It's for this same reason that many American companies are sending "back office jobs" overseas. Other companies send manufacturing jobs overseas, such as textile companies, who increase profits by hiring low-wage, efficient laborers. I say abundant, because Eastern Asia is highly populated and therefore has a large pool of workers from which companies can choose qualified laborers. (Chinese laborers assemble dolls above)

Interestingly enough, when evaluating a map of net toy imports we see a dramatic, yet expected change. (see right) Net toy imports are highest in Western Europe, North America, and the Asian Pacific. It's easy to see from this simple toy distribution map, that where there are toys, there also is wealth. High net toy imports are predominately found in the Northern Hemisphere, which is home to most of the More Developed Countries (MDCs). Less Developed Countries (LDCs) such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America barely make the map. Toys are not a necessity for life, and therefore are imported in larger numbers in countries that can afford to purchase luxury items; places like our own country, the United States.

This toy distribution, however insignificant in the grand scheme of things, has the capability to give us insight into the various cultures of the world. It helps to show the materialist focus of the western cultures of North America and Europe. The idea that what you have determines how happy you are is a central belief of many Westerners. This is quite contrary to the simple-living citizens of countries, such as those in Africa, where happiness is largely determined by human relationships, due in part to the lack of material wealth; another reason Africa appears so skinny on the cartogram.

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