Lacking Moral and Political Will

I know several people have previously discussed why various government policies seem to conflict with the economic principles we have covered in the course. Political capital is normally a finite resource and cannot be used at will. Furthermore, I would like to point out that often times moral codes are what we use to substitute for a competitive market.

Today, how there is not a competitive market for organ transplants and various medical materials. Certainly we can all agree that the reason that is opposed by professional groups and government is based on a code of morals that we have allowed to override market forces. I do not argue that this is absolutely a bad thing, only that it is not as efficient as it could be. We has a nation have to answer our own questions about what we value more in this specific case: the moral code that tells us that selling organs shouldn't be allowed, or the economic forces that would allow us a more efficient allocation of resources. Again, I am not saying that one of these is a better choice, only that the two choices exist.

The most important thing to remember is that economics is only one way of organizing the world. If my experience as a history major has taught me anything, it is that looking at the world through different means is the only true way to arrive at the truth. Some might say that economics argues money is the key to happiness. Obviously, this is not true but in many cases, the markets will provide the most efficient allocation of goods. The good news is that we have the understanding of when the market may not be as efficient and those are the situations where we need the political will to make changes.


Finally, if this was something that we as a nation wanted to change, would the political will really exist to change it? I argue that it does not. Your average American does not understand the ramifications of a free market for organs, but they do understand the moral code that certainly prevents us from selling them. This is a view that is based more on emotions than logic, which for most people is the strong influence on their lives. However, those of us who are more educated can understand why allowing emotions to control every one of our decisions might not be the most ideal situation. Understanding these types of complicated economic issues is what makes taking this course as a non-major valuable.