Slavery exists today because it is profitable. Local elites benefit from free labor. International corporations benefit from cheap raw materials and consumers benefit from cheap products. The solution is to shine a light on the practice. When millions of people around the world demanded that companies stop doing business with South Africa because of apartheid, the economy came so close to collapse that the white government gave in. When millions of people boycotted countries that practiced commercial whaling, whaling was sharply curtailed. Do your homework and spread the word. Does Nestle's chocolate come from slave labor? What about Laura Scudder's peanut butter? The Gap's cotton? Find out and get organized!
