Return to the Free Liberal Homepage

« Double Talk? | Main | Rhode Island Legalizes Medical Marijuana »

Who's Afraid of Frankenstein?

On their blog, Gary Becker and Richard Posner counter the wrong-headed arguments against allowing cash payments for human organs. From an economic perspective, only allowing charitable giving of organs before or after death acts a price control, reducing the well-being of many market participants.

There is a concern that such a market will cause some individuals to “rob” others of their organs – the victim waking up in the bathtub of ice scenario. Or even murder them and cut them up to be sold to the highest bidder. One fear of genetic engineering is that we might have body part farms, where people are “grown” to be “harvested.” All of these are possible though, with the prohibition in place.

With free exchange of organs, it is less likely these practices will occur, as the availability of legal organs will be greater, so the incentive to engage in truly criminal activity will be less. Getting rid of this prohibition is the best way to improve the lives of many people.

There was a brilliant Law and Order rerun the other day which put flesh and blood onto such “cold” free-market arguments. It depicted a desperate father trying to save his dying son, by illegally buying a kidney on the black market. The father and the doctor are arrested for their willingness to break the law to do good, while the cops seem to recognize that they are enforcing a law that is only hurting people.

This is the sort of thing we should remember when talking about public policy. Every bad law does not just offend our abstract sense of truth, and of right and wrong, but it has real consequences. The prohibition of a human organs market does not just cause a certain number of people to die needlessly. It also punishes those who try to do what is right despite the law. We need to recognize that these “criminals” are not blood-thirsty predators, but people who are just everyday folks, who want to save their loved ones.

-- Kevin D. Rollins

Posted by Kevin D. Rollins on January 3, 2006 01:28 PM |

Free-for-all (frfr-ôl) -- n. A disorderly fight, argument, or competition in which everyone present participates.

from Dictionary.com



Advertisement
Free For All -- The Free Liberal Blog