"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" was first published in 1974. Explain if it is it still relevant.

Le Guin's short story is relevant today because the economic reality of victimization has not changed.

The philosophical premise of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" is that the happiness of the town is dependent on the child's misery. Someone's happiness is possible because someone else is miserable, a reality that still exists.

The capitalist economic system Le Guin critiqued in her 1974 story has widened today.  With globalization, more economies are predicated upon...

Le Guin's short story is relevant today because the economic reality of victimization has not changed.

The philosophical premise of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" is that the happiness of the town is dependent on the child's misery. Someone's happiness is possible because someone else is miserable, a reality that still exists.

The capitalist economic system Le Guin critiqued in her 1974 story has widened today.  With globalization, more economies are predicated upon a paradigm where there are a wealthy few as many more struggle. For example, multinational companies outsource the production of their goods to other countries.  These businesses make large profits while the workers themselves receive little compensation.  In this case, the companies would represent the people of Omelas while the workers mirror the child who is locked away.  

Some people argue that if we were to abolish the capitalist system, unhappiness for all would result.  This mirrors how Le Guin argues that if the child was freed, everyone would suffer:

...if the child were brought up into the sunlight out of the vile place, if it were cleaned and comforted, that would be a good thing, indeed; but if it were done, in that day and hour all the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed. Those are the terms. To exchange all the goodness and grace of every life in Omelas for that single, small improvement.

The justification behind a victimizing structure is one way that Le Guin's story is relevant. It reflects how capitalism has not changed over the last forty years.