Summary Of Michael J. Sandel 'What Money Can' T Buy?

In today’s modern markets, what is not for sale? As Michael J. Sandel points out in What Money Can’t Buy, almost everything is a commodity for sale, from prison cell upgrades, to the right to emit carbon into the atmosphere and even the right to shoot an endangered animal. The unique markets for these commodities came as a result of faith in markets and subsequent deregulation as the primary means of achieving public good. The current financial crisis, which began in 2008, has cast doubt on that faith. While some say that greed is the reason for the financial crisis, Sandel rightly believes that markets expanded into areas that they do not belong. So how does someone determine if markets have expanded into areas that they do not belong?

Both of these relate to putting a price on the good things in life (e.g. safe neighborhoods, good medical care, joy of reading, college acceptance based on merit) which should not be affordable only to those financial affluence. Sandel offers that there needs to be a debate about the moral limits of markets. If a market serves the public good, then it is appropriate; however, if a market unacceptably promotes inequality or corrupts a societal activity that should be equally shared, then the market is inappropriate. The decision of whether a market is appropriate or inappropriate should be based on public judgement and promoting healthier public

While I agree with Sandel that many of the examples presented in Incentives, especially those incorporating paying for grades, polluting and hunting defenseless animals, I disagree with his arguments against cash for sterilization. It is understandable that selling away the right to procreate may appear immoral but the reason that the women in the example are faced with the ability to sell away their right to procreate is immoral (e.g. drug addiction). While Sandel argues that there are other means available to help these women, such as addiction treatment, I do not think that there would be a cash for sterilization market if addiction treatment always worked. The cash for sterilization is not a perfect solution to this problem, but it does provide a short-term response to a growing issue in the United States. Further, it is arguable under the rights approach to ethics that the women are freely entering into the agreement and they should have the right to do so since it does not affect anyone but themselves. Instead of incentivizing for immoral behavior, the United States and other countries should enforce stricter fines for illegal activities or financially significant fees for legal