The Wealth of Nations Essay - 1349 Words

In 1759 Adam Smith, then a thirty-six year old Professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow University, published his Theory of Moral Sentiments. This work attracted the attention of the guardians of the immensely wealthy Duke of Buccleuch towards retaining its author as a tutor to the youthful Duke whilst on a protracted, and hopefully educational, quot;Grand Tourquot; of continental Europe. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;While tutoring from 1763 Adam Smith found some of the time spent in the French provinces hard to fill and seems to have begun his masterpiece An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, as a way of taking up otherwise idle hours in the summer of 1764. Overall however he derived much personal†¦show more content†¦Accordingly, they imposed prohibitive or deterring duties on the importation of foreign manufacturers; they gave bounties to the corresponding home manufactures. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Smith found that the French Physiocrats delighted in attempting to prove that the whole Mercantilist structure of the French laws upon industry was utterly wrong; that the prohibitions ought not to be imposed on the import of foreign manufacturers; that bounties ought not to be given to native ones; that the exportation of corn ought to be free; that the whole country ought to be a fiscal unit; that there should be no duty between any province; and so on in other cases. Smith found much that he admired in the Physiocrats outlook but he did not share it completely. Amongst other things the Physiocrats saw land as the primary source of wealth (one seed sown might produce twenty at harvest!) rather than manufacturing. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;On the completion of his duties as tutor Smith then returned, after some further months spent in London, to Scotland where he stayed quietly with his mother at his native town of Kirkcaldy and occupied himself in study and writing. It was to be in 1776, that Adam Smith finally saw his quot;Wealth of Nationsquot; through the press. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Adam Smiths quot;Wealth of Nationsquot; is regarded as having been the first great work of Political Economy. It is in some ways an enhancement of his quot;Theory ofShow MoreRelatedWealth of Nations1626 Words   |  7 PagesMichelle Trejo Dr. King Human Nature and the Social Order II June 6, 2008 â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† Adam Smith, the author of â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†, was a Scottish moral philosopher during the Industrial Revolution who was inspired by his surroundings to write about the field of economics. Being a man of intellect on various types of philosophical views, Smith was able to portray his passionate feelings about political thought through his well-written works. While publishing his book, Smith becameRead More The Wealth of Nations Essay955 Words   |  4 PagesThe Wealth of Nations Adam Smith’s famous attempt to explain the nature and causes of the wealth of nations rests on several crucial assumptions about human nature which in turn rely on false universalism and questionable dichotomies. To begin with, Smith makes roughly three claims about human nature. Primarily, Smith assumes that self-interest is inherent in all human beings. As opposed to animals which rely on benevolence, in opposition to natural pity (Rousseau p. 53), the human â€Å"will beRead MoreWealth of Nations Summary2605 Words   |  11 PagesAN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE WEALTH OF NATIONS by Adam Smith (Chapters I-VIII Summary) Submitted to: Sir Lemuel P. Del Rosario Submitted by: Rian Karlo Z. Punzalan Section:2B-G2 CHAPTER I THE DIVISION OF LABOUR. When a work is broken down into much smaller work and distributed into individuals that specialize in that work, we can achieve maximum productivity. For example the work of making a computer program can be divided up into these assignments. 1. The main programmerRead MoreWealth Of Nations By Adam Smith1574 Words   |  7 PagesIn his book, Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith makes arguments to support free-trade. These arguments range from having to do with war, all the way to the structure of social classes. In order to assess the morality of these arguments, David Hume’s definition of morality and Kant’s definition of morality can be used. These definitions, ultimately, serve as context for Smith’s arguments, so that there is a clearer idea of whether they are moral or not. From this, modern readers of Smith’s book can betterRead MoreThe Importance Of Wealth And A Consumerist Nation1356 Words   |  6 PagesDerek Crosby Online British Literature 6 August 2015 Social Classholes: The Importance of Wealth Historically and in a Consumerist Nation One of the most important aspects of any novel is the theme. Furthermore, themes that express practicalities that people in the real world deal with regularly are that much more effecting. That’s why novels like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre are timeless; their themes are extremely important and will forever ring true in society. Most prevalentlyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Wealth Of Nations Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pagesmanagement as a whole. Management has evolved over the years and will continue to as people and procedures do as well. March 9, 1776 marked the date that Adam Smith wrote his widely known book â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†. The book s original name is â€Å"An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, however it is not recognized by the majority public as so. Smith originally wrote the novel to dismember the thought that mercantilism was a good idea. Only selling goods and gaining nothing fromRead MoreThe Wealth Of Nations By Adam Smith1384 Words   |  6 Pagesworld. Some books, such as the Bible, have influenced Christians. Common Sense by Thomas Paine encouraged Americans to join the fight against the British. Other books, however, do more than simply encourage; they introduce a new philosophy. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith is claimed to aid the philosophy of what would one day become modern economics. One author wrote two books that would change the course of history. These books would lay foundations to communism and influence leaders like LeninRead MoreThe Wealt h Of Nations By Adam Smith1659 Words   |  7 PagesAdam Smith, the author of â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†, was a Scottish moral philosopher during the Industrial Revolution who was inspired by his surroundings to write about the field of economics. Being a man of intellect on various types of philosophical views, Smith was able to portray his passionate feelings about political thought through his well-written works. While publishing his book, Smith became known as the â€Å"father of modern economics†. He was given this honorary title due to his strong determinationRead MoreThe Wealth Of Nations By Adam Smith1521 Words   |  7 PagesIn Adam Smith’s famous work, The Wealth of Nations, he references the idea of the â€Å"invisible hand† and its influence on the individual. An excerpt from Smith’s renown book reads, â€Å"[E]very individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neit her intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it . . . he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promoteRead MoreThe Wealth Of Nations By Adam Smith1774 Words   |  8 PagesAdam Smith’s masterpiece writing, The Wealth of Nations, attempts to create a different understanding of the economy from his age. The focus mainly remains on mercantilism the most prevalent economic system for Western Society at this time. Smith’s simple and in-depth explanations of even the most basic economic concepts allow for someone with little to no prior knowledge of economics to easily grasp his meaning, and coupling these explanations with real life examples provides even more teaching

Al Capone and Probation Essay - 1252 Words

Al Capone is the single greatest symbol of collapse of law and order in the United States during the Prohibition Era. The act of Prohibition brought power to Al Capone, which he used to expand his organized crime activities into a stranglehold over the city of Chicago. Liquor trade became very profitable during Prohibition, and the struggle for control over the bootleg empire erupted into a full-scale war between rival gangs in Chicago. Capone gradually came to symbolize all the criminal evils of prohibition; to many throughout the world, he became the symbol of a lawless nation#. Publicity grew around the actions of Capone, with accounts of his sordid activities published in newspapers along with his image of power, money, and†¦show more content†¦Using his authority, Capone was able to spread corruption throughout the system. He terrorized voters, invaded polling places and seized ballot boxes, he was able to handpick the candidates into city offices and became the undispu ted ruler of Chicago. Capone contributed freely to the campaign funds of his political friends, and he supplied men for election boards and delivered repeat voters. Officials in return, granted Capone almost complete immunity from the law (police force) which provided him with protection not only for liquor rackets, but for the spread of all other criminal activities.# nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Combining the power of his money and his reputation, Capone’s gang moved into high places of government, into legitimate businesses, labour unions, employer’s associations, industrial racketeering, the protection rackets, blackmail and extortion. Ensuring complete protection from the law, Capone also enhanced â€Å"older† forms for crime, such as vice, crooked gambling, robbery, larceny, kidnapping and killing for hire. Capone established control of public services and private corporations, he bought his way into the manipulation of stocks and owned copious amounts of real estate throughout Chicago. # nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Naturally, the demand for liquor drastically increased during Prohibition and Al Capone seized this opportunity. UsingShow MoreRelatedAl Capone Essay1485 Words   |  6 PagesSCARFACE Capone Born in New York City, in 1899, by parents Gabriel and Teresa Capone, Alphonse Capone was blessed with a historical blend of ruthless gangster in his blood. Al Capones parents immigrated to the United States in 1893, from Naples, Italy. Al Capone came from a huge family. He was the fourth oldest of nine children. At birth, Capones parents never would have believed that their son, Alphonse Capone, would grow up to be a murderous thug without remorse. As a child, Al Capone wasRead MoreWas Prohibition Successful in the 1920s?551 Words   |  2 Pagesthe 1920s, when the mafia raised a considerable amount of money by selling alcohol underground. They even became more wealthy and powerful then the local government and took control of city affairs. Probably the most famous, and infamous mafia was Al Capone, who was a Italian descent grew up in New York City, and later started to smuggling illegal alcohols into Chicago city in the 1920s. He also participated in elections and controlled government officials by using patronage. In the late 1920s he hadRead MoreMarijuana: Cause and Effect1064 Words   |  5 Pagesillegal is it causes people to resolve their disputes themselves instead of through law enforcement (Nick). This means that street gangs would have significantly less power than what they have now. A good analogy is how much power prohibition gave to Al Capone and other mob related persons. Americans who want marijuana legal d on’t like giving street thugs power and money. Marijuana legalization makes us all safer, especially the kids. This is because of one simple fact, drug dealers don’t ask to see IDRead MoreCriminal Law : A Profound Impact On All Americans2096 Words   |  9 Pagesfrom 1980 to 2008 has quadrupled from roughly 500,000 to 2.3 million people. Studies show that â€Å"Today, the US is 5% of the world population and has 25% of world prisoners. Combining the number of people in prison and jail with those under parole or probation supervision, 1 in every 31 adults, or 3.2 percent of the population is under some form of correctional control† (â€Å"Criminal Justice Sheet†). According to the FBI’s Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime report there has been a 1.8 percent drop in violentRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Violence1249 Words   |  5 Pagesmarkets. There isn’t a solution to stop gun crime completely because it is impossible. Weapons are necessary for self-defense. Guns manufacture decades ago are still in households across the world. In certain circumstances, thorough tactics for probation meaning greater communication with police officers, and increased surveillance in neighborhoods prone to violence have reduced crime. Community programs formed together with law enforcement also work better. An example of a court case that entailsRead MoreEssay on Plea Bargaining Assignment4461 Words   |  18 Pagesyears.   1931: Al Capone brags about his light sentence for pleading guilty to tax evasion and Prohibition violations. The judge then declares that he isnt bound by the bargain, and Capone does seven and a half years in Alcatraz.   1969: To avoid execution, James Earl Ray pleads guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. and gets 99 years.   1973: Spiro Agnew resigns the vice presidency and pleads no contest to the charge of failing to report income; he gets three years probation and a $10,000Read MoreRace And Crime Of The Criminal Justice System6937 Words   |  28 Pageshalf of the Latinos or Hispanics surveyed said that they have had some type of court interaction. When referring to court interaction this ranges from serving on a jury, attending court on a criminal matter, being arrested, being on parole or probation, serving jail or prison time, or being a sworn witness in court. â€Å"More than two-in-ten (21%) Hispanics say they or an immediate family member served on a jury in the previous five years. Hispanics over age 55 (30%) are more likely to say they orRead MoreThe Devil’s Harvest Essay2832 Words   |  12 PagesAmerican citizens occupy prison space for marijuana offenses. Law enforcement repeatedly wastes valuable time and resources trying to catch and prosecute non-violent marijuana offenders. Over tens of thousands of people are punished with fines, probation, property seizures, civil santions, employment termination, and revoked drivers licenses annually. Despite these criminal and civil sanctions, cannabis continues to be readily available, and widely used (website, â€Å"Marijuana: The Facts†). MarijuanaRead MoreLaw Enforcement in the 21st Century15936 Words   |  64 Pagesboundaries. Most police chiefs are appointed at the discretion of the mayor or city manager and lack contracts protecting them from unjustified termination. As a result, the average tenure of most police chiefs is only three to six years (Swanson et al. 2001). Although for the most part similar in nature to municipal police departments, township police departments can vary greatly with regard to law enforcement powers and authority. Well-developed townships often operate with responsibilities close

Bioethics and gene patents Free Essays

Among the most controversial issues in biotechnology over the last ten years has been the patenting of human DNA sequences as well as human genes. The medical, pharmaceutical along with economic interests at stake are huge, making investments in biotechnology firms involved in gene patenting highly volatile. Gene patenting is a relatively broad term and refers to the patenting of individual processes that involves the isolation of DNA or other associated material and also to any chemical substance that is related to DNA. We will write a custom essay sample on Bioethics and gene patents or any similar topic only for you Order Now The idea of gene patents has played a key role in the rapid growth of the biotech industry over the last two decades. The earliest of the gene patents were obtained back in 1978. One of the biggest issues involving biotechnology and the law is the patenting of human genes. Because of advances in technology, it is relatively routine a procedure to isolate genes and determine their genetic sequence (Birren Rommens 1999). With the recent completion of the Human Genome Project, we now know the entire genetic sequence of the human genome. All that remains is for science to determine which portions of the sequenced genome correspond to actual genes (Eisen Laderman 2007). For these reasons, the United States Patent and Trademark Office witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of patent applications for human genes. The number of applications more than doubled in the last ten years, from approximately 16,000 applications in 1990 to 33,000 applications in 2000, and in the last twenty years, â€Å"the [PTO] has granted patents on about 1,000 human genes or gene fragments† (Willing 2000). USPTO has issued a large number of patents for gene fragments. Full sequence as well as function is in many cases not known for the gene fragments being issued patents on. Many questions have arisen over when, from the discovery to development into viable products, the exclusive right to genes may be claimed. This is important as a patent lasts for 20 years. Congress exercised its powers under the Constitution to pass the Patent Act. Under the Patent Act, a patent gives one the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the patented invention in the United States â€Å"beginning on the date on which the patent issues and ending 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed. â€Å" The 300- to 500-base gene fragments which are better known as expressed sequence tags (ESTs), make up about 10 to 30% of the mean cDNA, while the genomic genes typically happen to be 10 to 20 times bigger than the cDNA. A cDNA molecule is made in the laboratory and is a version of the gene which only contains the information-rich (exon) regions; these molecules offer a way to researchers to fast-forward through the genome get to more biologically significant areas. The initial chromosomal locations as well as biological functions of the while genes identified by ESTs happen to be unknown in the majority of cases. The patenting of genes has been a controversial area to say the least. The argument is that patenting such discoveries is not justifiable because the effort to find a certain EST is meager when compared with the work of isolating and characterizing a gene and gene product, finding out what it does, and developing a commercial product. They feel that allowing holders of such â€Å"gatekeeper† patents to exercise undue control over the commercial fruits of genome research would be unfair. Similarly, allowing multiple patents on different parts of the same genome sequence –say on a gene fragment, the gene, and the protein– adds undue costs to the researcher who wants to examine the sequence. Not only does the researcher have to pay each patent holder via licensing for the opportunity to study the sequence, he also has to pay his own staff to research the different patents and determine which are applicable to the area of the genome he wants to study. Some physicians believe that if a lot of genes receive patents, the genetic testing of patients could end up being prohibitively costly. Even though the technological knowledge is there to develop such tests, a lot of work remains to produce them. And if the license fee that is associated with the use of each test is charged via multiple companies and entities, each owning multiple genes, then this technology may never be exploited effectively in order to help patients. On the other hand, if protection is not offered to the industry, then R D expenses may not be recouped, therefore reducing incentive for investment in the industry. The implications of gene patenting on R D have been the subject of considerable debate. Advocates say that gene patents like normal patents encourage the disclosure as well as dissemination of ideas by opening critical uses of gene sequences to the publicly domain. Patents also offer more incentives to investors who may otherwise be reluctant to invest in ideas that may simply be copied by competitors if not allowed patent protection. Many argue that genes are not â€Å"inventions,† but rather they are â€Å"discoveries† which do not require an inventive effort. Because the discovery of genes does not require an inventive effort, the PTO should not issue patents for genes (Hettinger 1995). In the same regard, because genes are â€Å"discoveries† and not new â€Å"compositions,† genes should not be patented because they are not â€Å"novel,† as required by section 102. For example, human genes have existed as long as the existence of humanity; therefore, an inventor can never discover a gene and claim that it is â€Å"novel† (Hettinger 1995). Finally, carrying patent law to its extreme, some argue that anyone containing patented genes within his or her body could be considered an infringer, because he or she is â€Å"using† a patented gene merely by being alive. Some argue that because of recent advances in the isolation, purification, and sequencing of genes, (Birren Rommens 1999) it may take only a few days to determine the sequence of a particular gene. Therefore, the relative ease of determining the sequence of a particular gene should preclude patenting of the gene because obtaining the sequence is obvious. There is a difference between patents on compositions and patents on processes. Patents on compositions are considered broader than patents on processes because patents on compositions can cover all processes that use the composition. In order to limit the number of patents for genes, some argue that the PTO should limit patents on genes to processes that utilize the genes, and not the composition of the genes themselves, ESTs a case in point (Auth 1997). In the US patent system, an inventor’s reward for an invention is the receipt of a patent, which permits the inventor to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the invention. The inventor can use this â€Å"right to exclude† to commercialize the invention or to license the invention and receive royalties. The â€Å"reward† of a patent thereby encourages invention and discovery, and the PTO takes the opinion that â€Å"the incentive to make discoveries and inventions is generally spurred †¦ by patents. † Some may argue that research and discovery satisfies an intellectual curiosity, and as such, hardly qualifies as labor. Therefore, intellectual endeavors, such as research and discovery, do not require rewards. Nevertheless, Congress designed our patent system with the underlying premise that reward is required, and it is difficult to envision why the law should distinguish the discovery of genes from other discoveries in this regard. Another argument is that the patenting of genes discourages others from performing research and discovery (Hoffert 1998). Under our patent system, after a researcher discovers and patents a gene, the researcher, as an inventor, may exclude others from using the gene (Sturges 1997). When a second researcher studies a particular disease and the patented gene’s role in that disease, it may be difficult to design an experiment that does not require the gene. In order to use the gene, the second researcher must seek a license from the patentee, undoubtedly requiring a fee in the form of a royalty. Some argue that this is a waste of valuable resources that could be used for research, rather than royalties, and therefore all human genes should be in the public domain (Bruce 2000). This is a compelling argument because it is difficult for a molecular biologist studying a particular gene or protein to conceive of experiments that do not require use of the gene itself. In this regard, perhaps it is better to view this perceived problem not as creating a disincentive to invent, but rather as impeding scientific progress. However, this argument is not unique to the patenting of genes. In fact, one could argue that a patent on any invention might similarly impede scientific progress. Ethical arguments is the most difficult to marshal and address. As such, this author will briefly address only the two most common arguments against the patenting of genes. One of the most common ethical arguments is that the government should not issue patents on human genes because genes belong to all humankind, and therefore no single group should have the exclusive property right to exclude others from their use (Doll 2001). However, gene patents are not owned in the same sense as property is owned. A patent is intangible property (Haseltine 2000), and therefore, granting a patent on a human gene does not deprive humankind of â€Å"property† in the traditional or tangible sense. A gene patent only deprives other researchers, often attempting to realize a financial gain, from its use. The second most common argument against the patenting of human genes is that researchers derive a human gene from a human being, which violates our society’s 150-year prohibition on humans having property rights in another human being. However, should a human gene qualify as a human being or a living entity? The U. S. Supreme Court has offered a potential framework for analyzing whether a gene should qualify as a living entity. In Roe v. Wade, the Court held that the State did not have a â€Å"compelling† interest in proscribing abortion where a fetus was not viable (Nature 2003). While we cannot equate a woman’s right to seek an abortion with an inventor’s right to patent a biological product, the viability test may have applicability in determining whether a human gene qualifies as a living entity. The viability test established by Roe v. Wade was whether the fetus could have a meaningful life outside the mother’s womb. Human genes fail this test for viability because human genes are inanimate compositions of matter. Even with all the recent scientific advances, creation of a human being in vitro from the entire human genome is scientific fantasy (Mappes DeGrazia 2001). However, even if human genes are not viable, some may argue that patents should not be issued for genes for the same reason that it is illegal to market other human products such as organs (Justine Harris 2002). Clearly, society believes that some human products should not be for sale, although, society somewhat relaxes this policy by allowing one to â€Å"donate† certain bodily fluids, such as plasma, for money. The underlying concern for this ban on the sale of organs may be to protect those that are impoverished from sacrificing vital organs for financial gain, but this policy is not particularly applicable to the patenting of human genes. First, one can argue that patenting of genes is distinguishable in that there is not a market for genes similar to the market for human organs. Second, one may be able to isolate, amplify, and sequence a gene from a single cell (Overwalle 2007). Thus, a patentee that patents his or her own genes is not deprived of a vital organ in the same way as an organ donor. Undoubtedly, there are additional ethical arguments against the patenting of genes. Ultimately, however, society determines what is ethical, and consequently whether the patenting of genes meets our ethical standard. The impact on the economy if gene patenting was banned is still a measure of debate. Most advocates in the biotech lobby are of the view that it may discourage investment in genetic research. Even so it is important to realize that the expense of identifying the function of a particular gene is only a small fraction of the total cost of turning it into something viable such as a drug. There is also an argument which says that the pharmaceutical industry would perform better if scientists and companies could work freely with any genes and rather focus their energies on patenting drugs. Since 1953, when Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helical structure of DNA in chromosomes, scientists have known that the sequence of compounds called nucleotides along the DNA strands was the key to their information content. These gene sequences encoded instructions on manufacturing and controlling protein products that build, manage and organize everything in the cell. Biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with high stakes in patenting genetically engineered products and their sequences have registered multiple patents over the last two decades to exploit that discovery for commercial use to make new products. List of References â€Å"Battle Over Gene Patents: The Legal, Economic, and Social Implications of Licensing the Core of Life Could Alter the Current Patent System. † (1996). Business Week -New York, NY. 3484: 56-59. â€Å"Gene Patents and the Public Good. † Nature. 423. 6937 (2003). Auth, D. R. (1997). â€Å"Are ESTs Patentable? † Nature Biotechnology. 15. 9 911-912 Birren, B. , Rommens, J. M. (1999). Resource – BOOK AND JOURNAl REVIEWS – Genome Analysis: A Laboratory Manual (Vol 1) Analyzing DNA; (Vol 2) Detecting Genes. Trends in Genetics. 15, 41. Bruce D. (2000). Ethical concerns about patenting in relation to living organisms. Human Reproduction and Genetic Ethics. 6, 10-4. Doll, JJ. (2001). â€Å"Talking Gene Patents. â€Å"Scientific American. 285. 2 Eisen, A. , Laderman, G. (2007). Science, religion, and society an encyclopedia of history, culture, and controversy. Armonk, N. Y. , M. E. Sharpe. Haseltine, W. A. (2000). The Case for Gene Patents. Technology Review -Manchester NH: 103, 59. Hettinger N. (1995). Patenting life: biotechnology, intellectual property, and environmental ethics. Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review. Boston College. Law School. 22, 267-305. Hoffert, S. P. (1998), PTO Issues Biotech Patent Guidelines, The Scientist, July 6. Justine B. Harris J. (2002). A Companion to Genethics. Blackwell companions to philosophy, 21. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2002. Mappes, T. A. DeGrazia D. (2001). Biomedical Ethics. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Overwalle, G. V. (2007). Gene patents and public health. Brussel, Bruylant. Sturges, M. L. (1997). Who Should Hold Property Rights to the Human Genome? An Application of the Common Heritage of Humankind. American University International Law Review. 13, 219-261. Willing, R. (2000). Gene Patent Gets Tougher, USA Today, Nov. 15, at 14A. How to cite Bioethics and gene patents, Papers