Why should the consumer need to worry about supply chains?
Close. I do care but I think that the Congo's government should care. It just seems like a difficult ask for each consumer to worry about every supply chain they touch. Seems maddening to try.
Perhaps I should care because these governments are corrupt and cannot, or don't want to, protect their people from exploitation? I suppose it doesn't need to be perfect to be worth doing.
This is an intentional component of this system that enables this sort of exploitation. Each individual feels (to some extent justifiably) that it is someone else's duty. Each is just doing what is best or necessary for them, not necessarily happy about it, but the mine foreman has a family to feed, you think congo's government should deal with it, the petty bureaucrat knows if they change it they'll lose their job or worse. Everyone acts as they believe they should or must and now here we are.
I also believe that corporation will do literally anything to make a profit - including slavery - and the only thing that stops them from doing so is because they stop being profitable. Knowing this allows the consumer to pressure the company to align with their values or loss their business.