Adam Smith v. Karl Marx Essay - 2236 Words

Adam Smith v. Karl Marx Being reared in the typical capitalist community in the United States, it is much easier for me to relate to the thoughts of Adam Smith. This is not to say that I do not agree with some of the precepts of pure Communism, but like the old adage says, Communism looks good on paper, but in practice, it is completely ineffective. Historically, this form of government does not tend to succeed because of many factors. Some of these include basic economic differences, individualism, and technology and how it advances or serves as a detriment to the state. My stance is clear: I believe that Adam Smith has the more credible stance. Beginning with the economic side of the discussion Smith takes a Western approach in†¦show more content†¦In the Constitution under which we live as Capitalist says that each citizen has the right to personal property, Communism goes against everything that the American society is based on, which in my opinion is wrong and unjust. †¦Differences of age and sex have no longer any distinctive social validity for the working class. All are instruments of labor, more or less expensive to use, according to their age and sex (Marx 31). From this quote he takes away the freedom of expression that we live under in the United States. Marx makes everyone out to be the same with no one having special abilities or personalities. In my opinion Marx and Communism are wrong by saying that everyone is the same and no one is any different than the next. Being a Christian I believe that everyone is different and special, the lack of diversity in the population makes it difficult for progress to advance and to stay ahead of the competition. In Adams idea of society each person can do whatever they want to advance themselves and each person can pursue happiness in whatever fashion they believe to be the best. Technology creates new and better ways to do things which allow society to grow and become more advanced. In the Communist Manifesto Marx says , that when the bourgeoisie upgrade their technology they in turn create less jobs.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Capitalism: Karl Marx vs Adam Smith1048 Words   |  5 PagesMarx v. Smith on Capitalism Capitalism, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is â€Å"the means in which production are privately owned and production is guided and income is disputed largely through the operation of markets†. Capitalism saw the emergence after the feudal system of Western Europe can do a halt. Many economists, even today, dispute the simple beginnings of capitalism. Some theories range from religious reasons, such as the rise of Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, to the enclosureRead MoreDivision of Labor1397 Words   |  6 Pages(Borgatta Montgomery and Rhonda 2000). Some of these classical sociological thinkers expressed their own ideas of division of labor, such as Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and Emile Durkheim. The ideas of these three great thinkers had some similarities, but also differed in many ways. Adam Smith felt division of labor was necessary and vital for economic prosperity, while Karl Marx felt it was the worst thing that had occurred in the world. Both of these thi nkers made strong arguments for their ideas, and expressRead MoreCold War: Capatalism v. Communism873 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Capitalism v. Communism† During the Cold War, Europe was split between communist countries and non-communist countries. The strife was caused by the differences in the underlying values in capitalism and communism. During this time, the United States and the Soviet Union also had opposing ideologies. Despite the differing ideologies of capitalism and communism, both have affected the political, cultural, and economic development of Third World countries. Capitalism is â€Å"a way of organizing anRead MoreKeynesian Economics : The New Deal2733 Words   |  11 Pageseconomics but this paper will focus on three of the most influential: Adam Smith, Karl Marx and John Keynes. Adam Smith, born in 1723 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland was an economist who also studied political philosophy and ethics. Sometimes referred to as the father of â€Å"modern economics†, Smith’s work in economics is still influencing the most respected economists in the world today. Growing up in a world dominated by mercantilism, Adam Smith set out to challenge the fundamentals of mercantilism and prove toRead MoreMarxist Approach to History and Politics2584 Words   |  11 PagesTheory of Value, Class Antagonisms and the Means of Production are all terms which are central to the revolutionary ideals of Karl Marx and are still widely used and referred to in contemporary political thought.   However, when considering how one can assess the Marxist paradigm on history and politics, there must be an understanding of the circumstances in which Karl Marx, one of the greatest political thinkers of the 19th century, was faced with. As many great political thinkers before and afte rRead MoreA Comparison of the Economic Theories of Adam Smith and Karl Marx2203 Words   |  9 Pages There is perhaps not a more famous ongoing dialectic argument in the field of political economy than the one between Adam Smith and Karl Marx in regards to capitalism. The two thinkers, although coming to radically different conclusions about the outcomes of the capitalist system for all parties involved, agree on a surprising number of ideas such as labor being the source of commodities’ value, as well as the fact that the division of labor increases productivity. However, their different conceptionsRead MoreBus 309 Week 5 Chapters 4 and 5 Quiz1958 Words   |  8 Pagesoutsourced, most economists believe †¢ Question 10 5 out of 5 points Which of the following accurately reflects the concept of Marxism? †¢ Question 11 5 out of 5 points For employees who are paid handsomely for their efforts, Marx said their work would ultimately prove to be †¢ Question 12 5 out of 5 points One of the key features of capitalism is †¢ Question 13 5 out of 5 points Rather than strong work ethic, a common attitude is: Read MoreKarl Marxs Influence on Sociology and Political Thought Essays2587 Words   |  11 PagesThere can be no doubt over the wide-ranging influence of Karl Marx’s theories on sociology and political thought. His concept of communism overcoming the socioeconomic pitfalls of capitalism has not been a theory that has seen the light of day in the way that he may have hypothesised. There have been many throughout history that have misrepresented Marx’s writing, which begs the question, if pure communism in the original Marxist sense is at all possible given that humanity appears to have an innateRead MoreLeadership Hinges On The Metaphor Of The Bus, And Driver1040 Words   |  5 Pagesequilibrium when there is a dynamic working balance among its interdependent parts (Davis Newstrom, 1985). Each subsystem will adjust to any change in the other subsystems and will continue to do so until an equilibrium is retained. 2. Evidence: Karl Marx, the father of Social Conflict Theory, believed within every society there are conflicts; conflict is the driving force of social change.(Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, Pfaff, Virk, 2012) 3. Conflict does not necessary mean violence, rather tension,Read MoreThe Classical/Modernist Approach Was Appropriate to the Time in Which It Was Developed but It Is No Longer Suitable to the Needs of Contemporary Organisations and Change2435 Words   |  10 Pagesfrom a sense of knowledge. Therefore, managers should only have this control (Burnes, Cooper and West, 2003). Key academics who underpin the classical approach and who have developed the theory into a management control system are F.W Taylor, Adam Smith, Karl Marx and Henri Fayol. An understanding of their key ideas and influences are described below. F.W. Taylor, an academic in the classical approach school of thought was an influential figure in the scientific management approach (Parker and Ritson

Mexicans, Chicanos, Mexican Americans - 2395 Words

Mexicans, Chicanos, Mexican-Americans, Indigenous, and more are just a few of the terms used to refer to people of Mexican descent. Many Hispanics attempt to enter the United States in search of a better life and to have an enjoyable way of life. However, living in constant fear of being deported and consistently being judged simply because of one’s color, or the inability to communicate in English; that does not sound like the American dream. Typically, people have real reasons to emigrate to the United States, and it is in great part due to necessity. Most people have families they leave behind because they need money in order to survive and have food on the table every day, they see the United States as the solution to their problem. On another note, the 1960’s movements emerged during the Civil Rights era, in order to earn justice and rights for Mexican-Americans in the United States. After years of being ignored, Mexicans decided to take a stand through the help of activists, hoping to attain victories for the Chicano community. Overall, after constant oppression, Chicanos fought back all the harsh treatment through the Chicano Movement arguing for a broad section of issues; however, nowadays many racial problems continue to exist, such as SB 1070 and HB 2281, which were polemical bills classified as racial attacks; they were directly aimed towards Mexicans. The Chicano Movement arose during the Civil Rights era; it was a cultural and political movement, in order toShow MoreRelatedChicano Studies : Mexican American Families2154 Words   |  9 PagesDennise Nungaray Nungaray 1 December. 14,2016 Chicano studies Mexican American families The Hispanic population has grown significantly over years. This ethnicity has been a culture that has dominated the U.S. Nearly, 16 percent of Mexican Americans make up the U.S. population. The Hispanic culture has had an influence in life itself. This varies from expanding its religion, foods and customs. However, Mexican American has influenced other cultures but still remains at the bottom of theRead More The Chicano Movement: Struggles, Goals, and Accomplishments Essay examples1537 Words   |  7 PagesIn American history, civil rights movements have played a major role for many ethnics in the United States and have shape American society to what it is today. The impact of civil rights movements is tremendous and to an extent, they accomplish the objectives that the groups of people set out to achieve. The Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement, more commonly known as the Chicano Movement or El Movimiento, was one of the many movements in the United States that set out to obta in equality for Mexican-AmericansRead MoreThe Chicano Movement Of The United States987 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the late sixties and early seventies, a Mexican - American movement was taking place in the United States, The Chicano movement. This movement takes place because of the Mexican American society s suppression in the country. Indeed, during the years, 1966 to 1981 was a period where the Mexican American society was looking for equality and justice from the Government of the United States. In fact, they will start to organize their own communities, where the Government will accept their newRead More The Ethnicity of Mexians in the United States Essay1738 Words   |  7 PagesFor centuries, Mexican Americans have dealt with an enormous amount of hardships that date back to their early Aztec roots. The source of many problems in Mexican American history can be traced in the pre-colonial period, before the United States of America was even conceived. Major problems of this era in history not only affected the Aztecs, but also the following generations of Aztec and Mexican descent, and continue to have an impact on their descendents in contemporary American society. BeginningRead MoreEssay The Chicano View on Mexican Immigration1048 Words   |  5 Pages During the 1970’s, Mexican Americans were involved in a large social movement called the Chicano movement. Corresponding with the great development of the black civil rights movement, Mexican Americans began to take part in a series of different social protests in which they demanded equal rights for themselves. Composed mainly of Mexican American students and youth, these activists focused on maintaining a pride for their culture as well as their ethnicity to fuel their political campaign.Read MoreThe Chicano Subculture Essay635 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Im not Mexican. I am not American. I am not American in USA and Mexican in Mexico. I am Chicano everywhere. I do not have to assimilate anything. I have my own history†, stated the writer and novelist Carlos Fuentes. The Chicano subculture is the mixture of the Mexican and the American cultures. This subculture has its own hi story and unique characterizations that make it stand out. According to the Merriam Webster dictonary the word subculture is defined as â€Å"a group that has beliefs and behaviorsRead MoreChicano Movement Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesgo back to the end of the Mexican War when thousands of Mexicans became American citizens overnight. The sign of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo not only transfer land to the United States but also the people that live there before it became territory of the United States. These people began to suffer from discrimination in their owl land. Their sons and daughters did not have better luck because even thought they were born in the United States therefore they are American citizens also continue toRead MoreEssay Book Review1045 Words   |  5 PagesThe book, Honor and the American Dream: Culture and Identity in a Chicano Community, and the film, Salt of the Earth, both relay to their audience, the pursuit of happiness within the Chicano community i n which they live. These works aim to show how Mexican-American immigrants fight to keep both their honor and value systems alive in the United States of America, a country which is foreign to their traditions. The Mexican-Americans encountered in these works fight for their culture of honor inRead MoreEssay about The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo1484 Words   |  6 PagesTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1948 would have lasting negative effects on Mexican Americans. The Treaty was signed after America had won the Mexican American war. America gained possession of the southwest states that had been part of Mexico for the price of around eighteen million dollars. In Article IX of the Treaty, it states that the Mexicans shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property, and secured in the free exerciseRead MoreThe Cultural Practices That Chicanos / Chicanas1131 Words   |  5 PagesThe cultural practices that Chicanos/Chicanas partake in such as being pachucos and pachucas, being actively involved in feminism, creating music and using stereotypes in film reflect their struggle to attain freedom and empowerment against Anglo society and within themselves. The various elements that make up Chicano culture have helped them resist Anglo culture and develop subcultures within the Chicano community. In addition, it h as also allowed them to free themselves from the idea of becoming

Leadership and Ohio State University free essay sample

Behavior approaches and identification of leader relationships and group processes were researched and tested in the Michigan Leadership Studies of the 1950s and 1960s. The Michigan Leadership Studies which began in the 1950s and indicated that leaders could be classified as either employee centered or job centered. The Michigan Leadership Studies identified three critical characteristics of effective leaders: task-oriented behavior, relationship-oriented behavior, and participative leadership. A coherent statement or set of ideas that explains observed facts or phenomena, or which sets out the laws and principles of something known or observed; a hypothesis confirmed by observation, experiment. taxonomies The science or the technique used to make a classification. A different perspective to trait theory for leadership is to consider what leaders actually do as opposed to their underlying characteristics. By the late 1940s researchers became less concerned with identifying individual traits of leadership and started to be more interested in leadership behaviours. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership and Ohio State University or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A number of models and theories have been developed to explore this. One approach focusing on the behavior of the leader is the style approach. This approach focuses on what leaders do and how they act (Northouse, 2007, p. 69). This approach indicates that leadership is composed of two general kinds of behaviors: task-oriented behaviour and relationship-oriented behaviours (McCaffery, 2004, p. 64). Task-oriented behaviours facilitate goal accomplishment and help group members to achieve their objectives. Relationships-oriented behaviours help subordinates feel comfortable with themselves, with each other, and with the situation in which they find themselves. The central purpose of the style approach is to explain how leaders combine these two kinds of behaviors to influence subordinates in their efforts to reach a goal (Northouse, 2007, p. 69). Many studies have been conducted to investigate the style approach: for example, The Ohio State University Study, The University of Michigan Study and Blake and Moutons Leadership Grid. Adair (1983), Likert (1967) and Mintzberg (1973) have advocated this approach. A series of studies on leadership were done in Michigan University, starting in the 1950s. Under the general direction of Rensis Likert, the focus of the Michigan studies was to determine the principles and methods of leadership that led to productivity and job satisfaction. Two types of leadership behaviours were identified: employee orientation (stress the human-relations aspect, employees are viewed as human beings with personal needs) production orientation (stress on the technical and production aspects of the job, employees viewed as the means of getting the work done). Leaders with an employee orientation showed genuine concern for interpersonal relations. Those with a production orientation focused on the task or technical aspects of the job. The conclusion of the Michigan studies was that an employee orientation and general instead of close supervision yielded better results. Likert eventually developed four systems of management based on these studies; he advocated System 4 (the participative-group system, which was the most participatory set of leader behaviors) as resulting in the most positive outcomes (Encyclopedia of Management, 2009). Some of the first studies were conducted at Ohio State University in the late 1940s, based on the findings of Stogdills (1948) work. A series of studies at the University indicated that two clusters of behaviours had an important role in successful leadership. Those dimensions are: Initiating Structure (organizing work, organizing and defining relationships or roles, establishing well-defined patterns of organisation, channels of communication, and ways of getting jobs done. ) Consideration (building friendship, mutual trust, respect and camaraderie) (Northouse, 2007, p. 70-71). Initiating structure behaviours were essentially task behaviours and consideration behaviours were relationship behaviours. The Ohio State University studies viewed these two behaviours as distinct and independent. Many studies have been done to determine which style of leadership is most effective in a particular context. However, the results have indicated that it depends on the context. Some research has shown that being high on both behaviours is the best form of leadership (Northouse, 2007, p. 71). Leadership research was conducted at Ohio State and the University of Michigan at about the same time during the mid-1940s to mid-1950s. These studies were not based on prior autocratic and democratic leadership styles, but rather sought to determine the behavior of effective leaders. LO 2. Describe similarities and differences between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University leadership models. The University of Michigan and Ohio State University leadership models are similar because they are both based on the same two distinct leadership behaviors, although the models use different names for the two behaviors. The models are different because the University of Michigan model identifies two leadership styles based on either job- or employee-centered behavior. The Ohio State University model states that a leader uses high or low structure and consideration, resulting in four leadership style combinations of these two behaviors. A. University of Michigan: Job-Centered and Employee-Centered Behavior The University of Michigan Leadership Model identifies two leadership styles: job-centered and employee centered. 1. Job-Centered Leadership Style The job-centered style has scales measuring two job-oriented behaviors of goal emphasis and work facilitation. Job-centered behavior refers to the extent to which the leader takes charge to get the job done. 2. Employee-Centered Leadership Style The employee-centered style has scales measuring two employee-oriented behaviors of supportive leadership and interaction facilitation. Employee-centered behavior refers to the extent to which the leader focuses on meeting the human needs of employees while developing relationships. B. Ohio State University: Initiating Structure and Consideration Behavior In the attempt to measure leadership styles, researchers at Ohio State University developed an instrument known as the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ). Respondents to the questionnaire perceived their leader’s behavior toward them on two distinct dimensions or leadership types, which they eventually called initiating structure and consideration. ? Initiating structure behavior. The initiating structure leadership style is essentially the same as the job-centered leadership style; it focuses on getting the task done. Consideration behavior. The consideration leadership style is essentially the same as the employee-centered leadership style; it focuses on meeting people’s needs and developing relationships. Because a leader can be high or low on initiating structure and/or consideration, four leadership styles are developed. The Ohio State University Leadership Model identifies four leadership styles: low structure and high consideration, high structure and high consideration, low structure and low consideration, and high structure and low consideration. C. Difference Between Leadership Models—and Their Contributions The Ohio State and University of Michigan leadership models are different in that the University of Michigan places the two leadership behaviors at opposite ends of the same continuum, making it one-dimensional. The Ohio State University model considers the two behaviors independent of one another, making it two-dimensional; thus this model has four leadership styles. Research efforts to determine the one best leadership style have been weak and inconsistent for most criteria of leadership effectiveness. In other words, there is no one best leadership style in all situations; this is the first contribution, because it has helped lead researchers to the next paradigm—that of contingency leadership theory. Thus, the contribution of the behavioral leadership paradigm was to identify two generic dimensions of leadership behavior that continue to have importance in accounting for leader effectiveness today. Although there is no one best leadership style in all situations, there has been a consistent finding that employees are more satisfied with a leader who is high in consideration. Prior to the two university leadership studies, many organizations had focused on getting the job done with little, if any, concern for meeting employee needs. So, along with other behavioral theory research, there was a shift to place more emphasis on the human side of the organization to increase productivity; this is a second contribution. Another important research finding was that most leadership functions can be carried out by someone besides the designated leader of a group. Thus, due to behavioral leadership research, more organizations began training managers to use participative leadership styles. In fact, Rensis Likert proposed three types of leadership behavior: job-centered behavior, employee-centered behavior, and participative leadership. Thus, as a third contribution of these leadership models, Likert can be credited as being the first to identify the participative leadership style that is commonly used today.

Legal Marijuana an Example by

Legal Marijuana by Expert Jayjay1 | 07 Dec 2016 An often arising social question that has come up throughout the 20th century and continues to crop up today is the issue of legalizing marijuana. While the general approach to dealing with this issue is to consider the harmful effects of the drug, including harmful social effects, there are many reasons that approach is inappropriate. What follows will briefly discuss the know effects of marijuana and consider why that knowledge has absolutely no bearing on the issue. Although this question really has no bearing at all on the issue of legalizing marijuana, it is generally the focus of those who oppose marijuana use and thus, will be the focus of this essay. Need essay sample on "Legal Marijuana" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The question is, "How dangerous is marijuana to users?" In general, this essay will address four issues: 1) Why is marijuana use a legal issue while tobacco and alcohol use are not; 2) Is marijuana a harmful drug; 3) If now, why the concern over marijuana use; and 4) What are the drug effects of marijuana? This analysis will demonstrate that a research-based argument against marijuana use is groundless and has no bearing on the issue. Although marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the US, this topic is probably best addressed to legislators. Clearly, that effort is fruitless since it is already well known that marijuana is less harmful (in fact, not harmful) than tobacco and alcohol, both of which are legal. We shall conclude by pointing out that the matter of legal marijuana is merely a social issue that cannot be resolved rationally. Even though marijuana has been associated with some health hazards, it is not a harmful drug! Arguments to the contrary have been filled with contradictions, not so much because the drug doesn't have some undesirable health consequences, but because those consequences are often exaggerated. The active ingredient in marijuana is THC, tetrahydrocannabinol. THC acts at receptors in the brain involved with coordination, memory, thought and perception. The drug is thought to affect neural centers connected with motivation and stress and might also affect ovulation and decrease sperm production. It can affect blood pressure and therefore might pose a problem to inpiduals with blood pressure concerns, and it might trigger anxiety and depression, and irony since the drug is often used to avoid depressed states and often causes elation. Other undesirable effects have been noted throughout this report, but a rational review of the generaly effects of marijuana clearly demonstrate that alcohol and tobacco cause far more family, social and health problems than marijuana, and yet alcohol and tobacco are legal and there is no effort to alter the situation. Why, then, is so much effort addressed to keeping marijuana illegal. In the 1980s, the federal government briefly resorted to spraying marijuana plants with paraquat in an effort to stop people from smoking it. This government action should have been viewed as a crime and the government officials who suggested it and put it in place should have been put in jail and perhaps even executed if anyone died from the action. Over the many thousand year history of known marijuana use, that had never been one single death attributed to the drug until it was sprayed with paraquat. Today, that remains the case. While there are no known deaths associated with marijuana use throughout history, many automobile accidents are connected with inpiduals driving under the influence of the drug. This is not unexpected since marijuana alters perception. Paraquat is a safe herbicide when used properly, but toxic doses are fatal even with 'aggressive' medical intervention. Statistics regarding how many people have died from automobile and other accidents that have occurred while drivers were under the influence of the drug have not been kept. A number of confusing statements regarding marijuana come out over time. For example, U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated that marijuana has three to five times more tar and carbon monoxide than tobacco and in Britain, the British Lung Foundation reported that the drug has more cancer causing agents than tobacco. The irony is, despite this claim, there are no reported cases of cancer arising from marijuana use. During the 1960s, the US government sprayed marijuana fields in South America with paraquat in and effort to deter marijuana use by Americans. A similar program was pursued in the late 1970s and again in 1988. On July 14, 1988, the Washington Post reported, "The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to resume limited spraying of paraquat and other marijuana-killing herbicades...as part of a stepped-up federal effort to eradicate the nation's...cannabis crop." While the effort was to eradicate the available crop at the time, this would only be a temporary solution, if any at all, to an ongoing situation and it certainly would not be a beneficial act. No matter how paraquat or marijuana is viewed, the paraquat approach constituted creating a solution worse than the perceived problem! This seems irrational and emotional. Review of public policy throughout the country shows an irrational approach to creating legistion regarding the legalization of the drug. For example, the previously noted claim that marijuana has more cancer causing agents than tobacco (Zenit, 2003) while no cases of cancer have ever been associated with marijuana use. Is the research flawed or is the danger merely overstated, or perhaps both? While the government warned the public that sprayed marijuana was unsafe, the act still constituted exposing smokers to a dangerous drug without adequate cause. Over the past few thousand years, there are no known deaths attributed to marijuana, so spraying the drug with paraquat rendered it a health hazard, a risk far greater than anything posed by marijuana itself. Today, new fears about a link between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders are giving rise to fears about marijuana use. (Radecki, 2003) Some studies have found a link between marijuana use and schizophrenia. While these studies may be accurate, their message is still a cry in the dark. Certainly, there is a connection between some psychiatric conditions and marijuana use. The drug is known to cause some minor paranoia, but many drug studies related to marijuana use are flawed, and the cry about a connection between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders appears to be overblown. It seems that we will never stop exaggerating the dangers of a drug that, to date, does not seem to have harmed anyone! Not only are researchers claiming a link between marijuana use and psychiatric conditions, but some claim that the medical value of marijuana is exaggerated. (Voth, 2003) One must wonder is this is yet another red herring or is that substance to the claim. Clearly, the medical value of marijuana has been established, so what is the basis for this new claim. Will the drug ever be judged for its true value and as impartially as researchers try to approach other drug and non-drug studies? Fears about the drug seem to have moved the British to reverse some marijuana laws, but again, we must wonder are the fears exaggerated? With such a widespread use of the drug, where are all schizophrenic inpiduals who have been affected by marijuana? Where are all the other inpiduals who have suffered the ill-effects some few (so far) researchers are claiming to be associated with the drugs? Are these fears just another cry in the dark or are they valid. The using public must wonder, but so far, few even know, and the common public use has not given many to have cause for concern about. Marijuana became illegal as a result of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 when Harry Anslinger with the help of William Randolph Hearst brought the issue before Congress after two years of secret planning. It was a time that had seen failed attempts to make alcohol illegal during prohibition in the 1920s. The effort against alcohol failed and no efforts have been made to revive those efforts. Why, then, are we still trying to prohit the use of marijuana and exaggerating its dangers? Clearly, virtually any drug has some undesirable effects, but the continued efforts to distort the dangers of marijuana use do not serve anyone well. It seems clear that despite research findings that marijuana is a 'dangerous drug' and clear evidence that actually does have some undesirable effects, the actual 'dangers' of marijuana are exaggerated. Even table salt and refined sugar pose dangers and, indeed, both claim more lives each year than marijuana has ever claimed. Therefore, exaggerating the dangers of marijuana use serves no purpose outside of fear tactics. Perhaps this is the message that our legislators should address and focus on rather than continuing to make criminals out of inpiduals who realize that claims of marijuana dangers are exaggerated and who, therefore, are going to continue to use the drug anyway. References: Alarm Bells: Addiction to cannabis on the rise in the UK The Observer (London) Monday, Jun 14, 2004, Page 7. Edwards, C. E., 2006. Historical Perspective on marijuana-use Public Policy, accessed 04-14-2008. Isikoff, Michael, 1988. Paraquat Spraying to Resume At Suspected Marijuana Fields; Opponents Threaten to Block DEA Plan in Court. Washington Post, July 14, 1988. Radecki, Thomas E. Website site page: Marijuana, listing of research Voth, Eric A., 2003. A Peak Into Pandoras Box: The Medical Excuse Marijuana Controversy. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 22, 27-46. We misled public over downgrading cannabis - Clarke. The London Times by Rosemary Bennett, Deputy Political Editor, January 05, 2006. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,17129-1970798,00.html