What Should Not Be For Sale?
Summary
Mary Childs interviews Stanford philosopher Deborah Satz about her book, *Why Some Things Should Not Be for Sale*. They discuss the moral limits of markets, arguing that commodifying items like votes, kidneys, or childcare can distort social values and harm democracy. Satz explains how market mechanisms can undermine civic equality and suggests that non-market protections are essential for a healthy society.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Deborah Satz and her book on market limits
Examples of things that should not be for sale
How markets shape character and democracy
The Haifa daycare fine experiment and motivation
Marketization, prosperity, and the post-communist era
Why child labor markets are problematic
The ethics of buying and selling kidneys
Philosophy vs. empirical questions in policy
The moral limits of a market for votes
School choice, segregation, and social integration
Titanic lifeboats and seatbelt safety regulations
Building a better democratic society
Personal reflection on valuing time
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