I raised this question in the New York Times on February 25^th in reference to a book review. In view of the venomous reaction from those who promote trade in human organs, please note the respect with which I treat those I differ with and the fact that I raised issues, and not attacked persons.

I wrote:

Virginia Postrel, a renowned libertarian, draws on “Last Best Gifts,” by an economic sociologist, Kieran Healy (Jan. 28), to argue that the altruistic “ideology” of giving the gift of life stands in the way of developing a market in organs.

Actually, what we need is more, not fewer, evocations of our moral responsibilities. Currently most states essentially leave it to each individual — if and when she renews her driver’s license — to indicate whether she is willing for her organs to be harvested.

If, instead, whenever people fill out forms in doctors’ offices, clinics and hospitals, they were given a form that would remind them of the suffering of the many thousands who are dying for donations and would tell them how much we all hope they give that which they cannot take with them — many more organs would be available. Such a clear articulation of what the community considers good citizenship would be further enhanced if donors were listed on a Web page, a sort of honor roll.

In contrast, if the market steps in, we know from experience in other nations that the rich would purchase the organs and the poor would risk their health by selling theirs. One can be a market zealot and still argue for keeping the money-changers out of this temple.

The New York Times added the following note, on the basis of information I provided the paper

The writer directs the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies at George Washington University. His paper “Organ Donation: A Communtarian Approach” may be read at: http://dspace.wrlc.org/bitstream/1961/204/1/A302.pdf”
My note elicited the following response by Virginia Postrel from her blog.

Amitai Etzioni, whose public persona is unmatched in its combination of self-righteousness and self-promotion, writes to the NYTBR to take issue with my review of Kieran Healy’s Last Best Gifts: Altruism and the Market for Human Blood and Organs:

Virginia Postrel, a renowned libertarian, draws on “Last Best Gifts,” by an economic sociologist, Kieran Healy (Jan. 28), to argue that the altruistic “ideology” of giving the gift of life stands in the way of developing a market in organs.

Actually, what we need is more, not fewer, evocations of our moral responsibilities….

…if the market steps in, we know from experience in other nations that the rich would purchase the organs and the poor would risk their health by selling theirs. One can be a market zealot and still argue for keeping the money-changers out of this temple.

While I appreciate being referred to as “renowned” (if only), Etzioni’s letter beautifully illustrates Healy’s point: that the debate over organs (and blood, which I didn’t have room to discuss) unnecessarily and inaccurately posits a sharp split between market exchange and social and cultural commitments. Although Etzioni wants to box me in as a “market zealot,” that’s an absurdly–and deliberately–reductionist view of my thought on this issue and many others. The letter also demonstrates that Etzioni is not a particularly careful reader or at least isn’t interested in the hard empirical facts of the kidney crisis. Rising to the bait, I sent him the following email:

Dear Amitai,
Thanks for calling me renowned. We can only wish…

Alas, while your proposal might help the relatively short waiting list for hearts, it wouldn’t do much for the 60,000-plus Americans waiting for kidneys. The numbers simply don’t add up. Only living donors can make up the difference. I’ve contributed a kidney. How about you?
Virginia

That last line is pretty snarky, especially since I’m well aware that Etzioni is too old to be an organ donor. But, like many other people, he treats kidney donation as an inconceivable risk to one’s health and the idea of taking money for it as therefore inherently exploitative. Hence it’s worth pointing out that I’m not advocating paying people for something I wasn’t willing to do for free.

His response is telling, since it contradicts his anti-market propaganda in the Times.

dear viriginia
I wish my organs would be useable. I salute your donation which I am sure was made out of moral motives and not a transaction. I am not against a “market” as long as we first do as much as we can with donations, as we do with blood.
best amitai

So why, other than self-promotion, did he bother spilling ink in the Timees and defaming the idea of any incentives for organs? I suspect that the question answers itself.

Note that I saluted Ms. Postrel’s altruistic act of donating one of her kidneys. She of course did not sell hers but generously gave it freely to another person (who wrote to me). Thus Ms. Postrel provides a highly commendable example of the approach I believe we ought to try.

As to self promotion, unlike Ms. Postrel I did not mention a thing about myself and my contributions. I did promote an idea that I believe will save lives. Given the shortage of space in the NYT, I did provide a link so that those interested in details can find the relevant text.

I see nothing to apologize for. Sadly these days those who get most of the air time are those who are full of sound and furry, the like of O’Reilly on Fox. These are often people who cannot defend their positions and distract attention from the weakness in their approach, by cussing out those who respectfully beg to differ.

Most important, there is no reason for a libertarian to oppose moral appeals. They leave the choice to the individual, unlike government coercion. Indeed the more people do what must be done in response to appeals to their better angels, the less there is a need for government action when markets fail or in areas they have should no tread in the first place.

Note—in a very welcome contrast to Ms. Postrel personal attacks—see a very thoughtful response and set of ideas by Kieran Healy.

(Crosspost with Amitai Etzioni Notes)

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