Summary of "Addiction in Free Markets"

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SUMMARY ASSIGNMENT In “Addiction in Free Markets” by Bruce K. Alexander and Stefa Shaler the main idea focuses on the causes of addiction that free markets bring to society, and the effects of globalization in free markets societies on each individual. Bruce tells us that, “free markets societies universally dislocate their members, leading to mass addiction” by ignoring and not respecting all the limits of the rights that individuals have. Bruce mentions Adam Smith who was a Scottish economist that warned that government should prevent free markets from becoming formidable and powerful to stop the great dislocation this was causing in society. Bruce explains that people change their ideologies, families, occupations, and lifestyle to try to fit in a society that looks so appealing and adopt new ideas of the way they should be to belong in a group and fill that painful void of dislocation. People integrate new habits which may include drug use and other activities that do not include drug use and they adhere to this things with such a passion that then it becomes an addiction. Bruce demonstrate this when he talks about when England opted to become a free market system between the 16th and 19th century. This was achieved in part by removing all poor people from their farms and were thrown into urban slums with a “brutal export oriented manufacturing system” and those who did not accommodate to the new change suffered even greater dislocation. Bruce argues that addiction is not a “criminal” or a “medical” problem. In free market society addiction is basically a political and spiritual problem. He says that individuals should watch for a source or supply of psychosocial integration in society or the free markets will expose even more dislocation and addiction. Bruce explain his solution idea to prevent this and that is, that in society every member should be able
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