What Isn T For Sale Sandel

In Michael J. Sandel’s article “What Isn’t for Sale?” he introduces his argument that markets have taken over our lives. Which is a problem because now markets have no limits. There is no boundary between markets and morals. Markets can put anything for sale, and we (the consumers) have no choice but to buy it. Once he establishes his point of view on markets, he begins to talk about the precedents of markets and market values. Markets were god, and capitalism was successful. The Cold War ended, and there was no competition. This was a good thing, but then he restates his argument by saying that now people are putting a price on everything. In the 1980s, political leaders believed that markets were good for the economy. More of the businesses …show more content…
The biggest problem was that people would not discuss and debate about this problem. No one talked about where markets should and should not be.
Sandel then gives examples on how private businesses have rapidly outnumbered public ones. Market societies have made the lines unclear by giving the right on putting a price on things such as reproduction, the right to pollute, and elections. Sandel gives examples of how market societies promote and give the right to buy and sell whatever they like. Market allocations of social goods were not heard of decades ago. Presently the uses of markets are treated in a careless manner. Consumers are letting markets do whatever they want.
Why should we care about this problem is the important question Sandel asks in his article. He answers this question by giving two reasons. One is inequality, and the other corruption. He first states how inequality creates a gap between the rich and the poor. Inequality of salary would make the rich more powerful, while the poor struggle. Then he goes into his second reason, which is corruption. Markets corrupt the good things in life by putting a price on them. His examples are, by making reading a chore, and paying students to do