Try re-reading GP. GP actually tries to compress the "worth" and societal laws governing economics along with what you refer to as the natural laws of economics. GP states that "They aren't worth what they think they are". This is nonsensical as it is society, and their collective decisions regarding the intrinsic value of an individual that governs the so called "worth" of the individual.
Additionally, GP states that "China has shown they are happy to provide manpower at a rate thats appropriate for the supply". This further serves my point as the emergence of world markets, and global economic systems have NOT kept pace with enforcing a standardized subset of worker/individual rights. Its not a fair game, and is contributing to much of the current economic issues being experienced across the globe.
Economics is NOT a naturally occurring phenomenon. The observations regarding economic function as opposed to the laws governing the execution of an economic model ARE different, but nonetheless related. Laws governing economic models are easily influenced. Worker rights, and the rights of individuals can be and often are in so called ""enlightened civilized" society considered and enforced on any economic model, forcing conformity among membership.
In fact, it is this very principle of influencing economic systems via enforcement of said rights that allows for a stronger, more robust economic model, with more persistent periods of growth[PDF].
Worshipers of so called "free market principles" without acknowledgment or consideration of a baseline subset of the rights for the individuals making up the society in which an economic model is employed is actually backward thinking. It is only when a consistent, managed economic model with a full consideration and equitable distribution of basic rights is employed that one can truly expect to witness sustained growth and prolonged prosperity.