Daily Clarity
To a purist, the market is the most efficient mechanism for economic development. The morality of any such development takes a secondary role in the massive American military-industrial economy. The evangelicalism of fiscal conservatives also produces an ironic dualism in the uneasy marriage to social conservatives. The inevitable hair-shirt of Puritanism that exists just below the surface of the American psyche makes many free-market advocates suitably uneasy.
Many things can make money in the market, but not all are morally acceptable. The market for social conservatives therefore must be morally contained to salve their conscience, but only as minimally as to let them sleep at nights. For socially conservative proponents, demonstrable demand for some services should not be met such as abortion, stem cell research houses, pornography and the like, which is in essence a corruption of a free market ideal. As an aside, pornography was the originator and driver for such now commonplace things as video streaming and online credit card payments. Regardless, it is an uncomfortable melding of interest that is required to bind the Republican Party base together, the free hedonistic pursuit of economic gain and an uncomfortable acceptance of the moral turpitude that sometimes accompanies such an unbridled pursuit of wealth.
Environmental degradation is easily set aside as a consideration; the anti-science bias of the conservative crowd is just a need to justify their opposition to any reform that may inhibit the production of wealth. However, the issue becomes much more complex when it enters the realm of human conditions. There are often few options for the abject poor in overseas countries. We have covered, for example, the rampant trade in organ harvesting of the poor in Egypt. Poor people will sell whatever they have or can get to perhaps one day join the emerging global middle class.
Now, free market proponents and those who believe that global pursuit of economic development is inherently good for the human race must make peace the age old trade of prostitution. You can celebrate South Africa’s coming of age in staging the Soccer World Cup but it comes at a price you need to morally reconcile. South Africa’s World Cup and the crowds it will produce see prostitutes flocking to South Africa from neighboring nations to …ahem…service the demand that sporting events often produce. People crave wealth and security, and the in the developing world are none too picky about how them get them. That is the underbelly if the free market at work, though it is doubtful you will hear that moral dimension discussed in the 2010 midterms. The ‘drill, baby, drill’ mindset has much more complex ramifications than those who espouse the philosophy often understand.
Zimbabwe’s sex workers are deserting their country for greener pastures in South Africa as the World Cup 2010 draws nearer, causing human rights and church groups worldwide to call for measures to curb human trafficking and prostitution.
But the economic promise offered by the arrival of some 500,000 World Cup foreign fans is already attracting impoverished workers.
“If ever there was time to make money, this is the right time,” says Shuvai, a Zimbabwean commercial sex worker working at Maxime Hotel in Johannesburg.
The 22-year-old says she arrived in Johannesburg on March 27 with eight fellow prostitutes from Zimbabwe, north of the Limpopo River. She says that she came because of all the international visitors for the World Cup, June 11 – July 11.
The event is no stranger to the sex trade. The 2006 World Cup in Germany, where brothels and prostitution is legalized, brought on an additional influx of an estimated 40,000 sex workers – plus a lot of criticism from rights groups. South Africa's Central Drug Central Authority has also estimated that 40,000 sex workers will come to Johannesburg for the 2010 World Cup, though the agency gives no reasoning for this figure.
Prostitutes flock to South Africa ahead of World Cup 2010 – CSMonitor.com
No comments:
Post a Comment