While the oldest kid studies to become something, his parents and younger siblings are working hard in terrible conditions to pay for his education. Once he gets a job, he'll take them out of hell and take care of them. This describes a million families in the poorest countries.
What do you think is among the worst things that could happen to them?
Banning child labour.
Think about it. While the ignorant but well-meaning masses applaud the ban, what do you think actually happens to these families?
They get stuck. They never get to leave hell. Why?
Well, once the younger siblings are out of work, the family can no longer afford to send the oldest kid to college. He'll never become the doctor, the lawyer, the engineer with a salary that would take them out of poverty. Not gonna happen now.
Instead he'll work day and night at a job that probably just makes the ends meet, and not even that most of the time. His parents will work themselves to death. His younger brothers will become beggars and his sisters will become prostitutes. What, did you think they'd go to school instead? They most certainly will not. Not now.
Please take a moment and consider that this is not speculation, but researched fact. Please take a look, for example, at the paper «Perverse Consequences of Well Intentioned Regulation: Evidence from India's Child Labor Ban». Here: http://www.nber.org/papers/w19602
This is just one horror story, just one example of what happens when people do good without doubting. When we're certain that we're doing good, we become blind to all the harm we're doing. Isn't that what being evil means?
My philosophy, which I try my best to practice, is to do good only when I'm full of doubts. That forces me to keep an eye on things. To know. To catch shit hitting the fan. To take responsibility.
Whenever something appears to be so obviously good, be careful. Don't do it.