Dr. Moynihan's Iatrogenic Government Social Policy and Drug Research: Article Analysis
Topic: Response and Social Policy paper on “Iatrogenic Government”
The response to drug use in America and in some countries around the world seems to have an interesting history. As the author Daniel Patrick Moynihan describes the unintended consequences society faces when government does not deal effectively with issues of drugs in society. He provided several references that shows the historical and present connections to government interrelations and how many of these decisions have some form of negative impact and at times causes social breakdown. His historical reference to drug uses, medicinal properties as well as technology role in our present age does paint a vivid picture of how government decisions can affect us. Since the article was a bit difficult to follow in the beginning and kept discussing historical and current events, I had to focus on the relevance of what was happening then, now and probably what will happen in the future if our government does not address the pros and cons of dangerous drugs, technology and how not addressing these issues can lead to societal breakdown. The author, Daniel Patrick Moynihan first highlighted the problem with drugs to us in the article as he was on his way to Camp David (military facility) with George P. Shultz, a government official. He was excited about his findings and wanted to discuss the parallels he was drawing about the potential drug epidemic if America did not handle the crisis appropriately. In 1969, the government focus was not on drug use but the focus was on addressing poverty and America’s welfare system. The president at that time had just sent a major legislative program to congress since he wanted to reform the welfare program. In the program, “the welfare system was to be replaced by a guaranteed income” (pg. 353). As I analyze what history has taught us, I realized the iatrogenic factor here was many Americans who were placed on welfare for a long time became dependent on the money
The response to drug use in America and in some countries around the world seems to have an interesting history. As the author Daniel Patrick Moynihan describes the unintended consequences society faces when government does not deal effectively with issues of drugs in society. He provided several references that shows the historical and present connections to government interrelations and how many of these decisions have some form of negative impact and at times causes social breakdown. His historical reference to drug uses, medicinal properties as well as technology role in our present age does paint a vivid picture of how government decisions can affect us. Since the article was a bit difficult to follow in the beginning and kept discussing historical and current events, I had to focus on the relevance of what was happening then, now and probably what will happen in the future if our government does not address the pros and cons of dangerous drugs, technology and how not addressing these issues can lead to societal breakdown. The author, Daniel Patrick Moynihan first highlighted the problem with drugs to us in the article as he was on his way to Camp David (military facility) with George P. Shultz, a government official. He was excited about his findings and wanted to discuss the parallels he was drawing about the potential drug epidemic if America did not handle the crisis appropriately. In 1969, the government focus was not on drug use but the focus was on addressing poverty and America’s welfare system. The president at that time had just sent a major legislative program to congress since he wanted to reform the welfare program. In the program, “the welfare system was to be replaced by a guaranteed income” (pg. 353). As I analyze what history has taught us, I realized the iatrogenic factor here was many Americans who were placed on welfare for a long time became dependent on the money