RE: Difference between "exploitation" and "abuse"

[Gość: Darek]

Hi Jon, I wonder if you can tell me the difference between the
words "exploitation" and "abuse" with a couple of sample sentences
please and dont know which prepositions should we use with each of
one.

Thx.

[jonathan.oakley]

Hi there, this is a good question...please see below and let me know
if this needs to be made clearer?

‘Abuse’ (transitive verb or noun) means to treat wrongfully or in
harmful way, examples being:

‘Why do we abuse the environment?’

‘Child abuse is horrific.’

‘You can stay with them but please don’t abuse their hospitality.’

There isn’t really a rule as to which prepositions you should use
with ‘abuse’.

‘Exploitation’ is a noun and means to treat unfairly or to
victimise, some examples are:

Factory exploitation of workers is widespread.

The commercial exploitation of the earth’s natural resources is
harming the environment.

Is colonialism the exploitation by a stronger country of a weaker
one?

[Gość: deos]

I thing the rule of the thumb is to use "exploitation" only if there
is a clear benefit or gain acheived by the one that exploits,
whilst "abuse" does not need to benefit the "abuser".

If you exploit something, it means that you cause harm but benefit
from it.
If you abuse something, you just cause harm but not necessarily
benefit from it.

I trust it helps.

[jonathan.oakley]

I can what you are saying...then again you could have a factory that
abuses workers' rights by (for example) paying below the minimum
wage thus benefiting the factory financially.

[jacinda]

"then again you could have a factory that
abuses workers' rights by (for example) paying below the minimum
wage thus benefiting the factory financially."

So, in other words, they're exploiting them.

[jonathan.oakley]

As with most things in English, word usage 'rules' tend to be
general...