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In the Hunger Games Series, the Capitol citizens can be compared to many american citizens today. Most of us know that many of our products we use everyday are made in other countries. Like China, Taiwan, Indonesia, etc. What many people are unaware of is the treatment of the workers who create these products for us that we do not even need.

Most of our products like toys, clothes, electronics, are all made in sweatshops in other countries. In these sweatshops, workers spend hours every day to earn a poverty wage that barely supports their families. There are not many safety precautions, and workers very often become sick from it. Here are some of examples:


Revealed: Inside the Chinese suicide sweatshop where workers toil in 34-hour shifts to make your iPod
Secrets, Lies, and Sweatshops
2010 Sweatshop Hall of Shame

Remind you of anything?

In the Hunger Games, the Districts all work in poverty to create things for the Capitol citizens. Things the Capitol Citizens don't even need. And the citizens of the Capitol are ignorant of the treatment of those living in the Districts. All they worry about is their hair, their clothes, the latest TV Drama, and just gossip about one another.

In Conclusion, the Hunger Games setting has a striking resemblance to our own modern times. I'm very curious as to if Suzanne Collins did this on purpose or not.

--NOTES--
I did not mention Europe or anywhere else because I really don't know if companies there use sweatshops or not. I know America depends heavily on factories in other countries because I live here. I've never been to Europe though, and don't really know much about their history considering I'm just starting high school.

----END NOTES----

So yeah.
=P

It is very true that we in the first world of decadence far too often turn a blind eye to the suffering in the third world, including that, such as in Chinese sweatshops, which helps make the decadence possible.

But turning a blind eye to suffering is NOT the same thing as creating suffering for your own entertainment.

I never thought of that. Despite Mihoi's post, I do believe inspiration comes from more than such a limited source. You could be right, or it could be just a great coincidence.