Free Trade and Drugs

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the relationship between varying forms of free and unrestricted trade between nations. It looks at the international trade of illicit substances set in both a modern and historical context. The paper covers historical incidences, focusing on the opium wars. It also discusses the economic effect that trade in illicit substances has on the globalized economy and examines the relationship between decreasing restrictions of trade and the explosion of worldwide narcotic use. The paper uses MLA style endnotes but does not append a bibliography.

From the Paper:

"The issue of free trade is one which has existed since the advent of trade itself. The advent of agriculture and a gradual move from hunting and gathering laid the basis for civilization and society as we know it today. The end of a nomadic lifestyle marked the end of being forced to fight the forces of nature for survival on a daily basis. As villages sprung up throughout Europe, the Mid-East, and Asia the foundation for technological innovation was laid. By living in towns, rather than family groups interpersonal communication increased, and subsequently innovation began to play a more prevalent role in the path of society. As villages grew into towns, hierarchies of government began to arise. The advent of formal government gave rise to the birth of the kingdom, and subsequently the nation. These kingdoms soon adapted to producing whatever was most logical for them, based upon the abilities of the populace and the resources of the earth at their disposal. It made sense than for communities to trade with other communities their respective specialized goods. These are the foundations of modern trade, inter-community barter of food, service, and basic goods. From these humble beginnings the world's first large empires; the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Assyrians, Chinese all began to trade in some way or another; internally, with outlying colonies, or in some cases internationally with other kingdoms."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Mercantilism" Wikipedia. 8 December 2006. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercantilism].
• "Mercantilism" Laura LaHaye. The Concise Enciclopedia of Economics. Online. Accessed 10 December 2006. [http://www.econlib.org/LIBRARY/Enc/Mercantilism.html].
• "The Wealth of Nations" Wikipedia. 3 December 2006. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wealth_of_Nations] .
• "Opium Wars" Wikipedia. 11 December 2006. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars].
• "World's Drug Traffickers Are Thriving On Globalization, Privatization" Agence France-Presse. 20 April 2000. Accessed Online 10 December 2006. [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/042000-02.htm].

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MLA Citation: