Divergence,

Your position presupposes that raising the poor from poverty is not sustainable and that population growth is the biggest threat to third world sustainability. I disagree, but we have argued these points before, so there is not much point re-covering old ground.

I do respect, however, the coherence of your argument if your assumptions are correct. If development is not sustainable, then policies such as free trade that promote development should be discouraged. However, this is a far cry from the more common argument in favour of trade boycotts, which assume some undefined superior alternative path to development.

I would still argue, though, that banning child labour to deprive poor families of their children’s wages and so promote lower fertility is a pretty blunt, indirect and harsh instrument