Socioeconomic Factors in Child Labor in Nigeria

Economic conditions theory (Bonger, 1916) explains:

•  child labor beyonda culture of poverty theory. In a society in which there are “haves” and “have-nots,” the “have-nots” will try to get even with the “haves.” 
• The culture of poverty theory sees the behavior of the poor as a response to the established and internalized cultural patterns.
• Most of the children who become child laborers are from indigent families.
• The theory of situational constraints portrays the poor as being constrained by some social factors, social structure, low income, unemployment, and the like and that they respond to their situation using all means available instead of being subjugated by a culture of poverty.

• believes that the reasons advanced by parents who sell their children include the bad economy. Because of the economy, a child will be sold to meet the needs of the family or to pay the school fees of the other children in the family. 
• More often than not, however, the father spends the money on beer or takes another wife.

• says that government has to be blamed because if there were normal economic growth in the country, even people from the poor families would still be able to get by very well. 
• Nigeria, only the upper echelons of society that live well, and there is nothing like the middle class anymore. 
• government has failed to provide needed assistance, often in the form of subsidies, to parents desiring to educate their children.