THOUGHTS of THE TIMES

Are unpaid internships unjust?

Is it unjust to not pay interns when they voluntarily chose to do the work and were well aware of the conditions by signing the contract to not be paid? Or should any work receive financial compensation because human labor simply deserves it?

The founder of the most classic version of utilitarianism, Jeremy Bentham was a fervent believer of the “greatest happiness principle.” He argued that since there can be no consensus on what moral codes are and what principles “right” and “wrong” are based on, the right thing to do is to maximize happiness. He disliked ambiguous terms such as “natural rights,” describing them as “nonsense upon stilts.”

One critical flaw of his utilitarianism, however, is that measuring utility is very tricky to do and are, at many times, predisposed to contain subjectivity. Intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations, for instance, have to take into account the geographical makeup of U.N. staff because the 193 member states want to increase their influence in the U.N. by maximizing the presence of their own citizens. In such cross border circumstances, how do we gauge the scale of utility?

Another version of utilitarianism derives from John Stuart Mill, who argued in “On Liberty” that “people should be free to do whatever they want, provided they do no harm to others.” In order to ensure the compatibility of respect for individual rights and utility maximization, he adds utility brought about in the long run and distinguishes higher and lower pleasures.

On the one hand, the society would benefit in the long run from paid internships because the aggregate pain felt by employers would be outweighed by the aggregate pleasure felt by interns as well as their families and friends. Additionally, overall respect for human labor will ultimately lead to increased respect for human rights and humans in general, making the society a happier place for everyone.

Let us approach the issue from another consequentialist moral reasoning: libertarianism. Libertarians oppose governmental interference with people’s choices and argue that the government’s function should be minimal and geared toward maintaining a laissez-faire market based on fair competition. Robert Nozick, a staunch defender of libertarianism, explains that justice in acquisition (gaining wealth through means that legitimately belonged to you in the first place) and justice in transfer (free exchange of resources or means) are the only things that matter to uphold justice.

Thus, at first glance, many libertarians would welcome the idea of unpaid internships as long as the contract was consensual. Further analysis, however, may lead to some libertarians renouncing the internship itself, as in reality, the internship has become a necessary requirement when looking for jobs — the principle of self-possession as well as justice in acquisition are essentially breached. Whether interns should be paid is a pointless discussion because the concept of internships clashes with promoting a free market that gives everyone a fair chance at success in the first place.

Ku Yae-rin is a student at Kyung Hee University majoring in international relations. Write to realyepuda@hotmail.com.