On Feministing I found a link to an interesting and highly readable article discussing the economics of prostitution. The author (mathematics professor John Allen Paulos) suggests that prostitutes are relatively well-paid to compensate from the economic loss of marriage prospects (because marriage economically benefits women).
I think this model is very limited, because what prostitutes lose is not simply, or primarily, the opportunity to marry, but the opportunity to be respectable. I think this is an important distinction, because in some cultures, only married women are respectable, but in cultures where it is respectable to be single, respectability; reputation, is still an economic advantage.
I got to musing about the value of a good reputation. Of disreputable people, it is said “If he was bleeding in the street I’d step over him” and other such pleasantries. And more or less, that’s true. If you are respectable and need medical care, you can count on getting it. If you are disreputable, you’d better be able to pay a premium. If you are respectable and fall on hard times, family, friends, and colleagues will help you through. If you are considered “of low moral character,” you’re SOL.
Prostitutes are isolated from their communities, and take advantage of fewer things that a community offers.
The conclusion I can agree with:
[L]egalizing [prostitution], regulating it (strictly enforcing laws against pimping, child prostitution, public nuisance and so forth) and improving the economic prospects for women seem to me a greatly preferable approach to it than moralistic denunciation.
“Moralistic denunciation,” you see, is the crux of it. When you are denounced you are not helped. When you are denounced, opportunities are denied you. You and I can easily imagine that if a neighborhood house burned down, some church group would have a bake sale or a carnival to raise money for the family. But if that house belonged to a prostitute?
Moral denunciation gives us permission not to care, and so moral denunciation keeps the “immoral” trapped exactly where they are.
What about the Madonna-Whore complex — you’d have to alter society’s sense of what sex is. Instead of “hot and dirty” sex and whoredom would be “hot and respectable”…and maybe even sacred.
Compare lucrative unethical politics today with “A Pledge for My Candidates.” (http://www.neopagan.net/blog/).
Imagine if you could turn even a fifth of all politicians in office today suddenly honest, communicative, and ethical. What would the rest doooo to them? Would they try to shut them out, play nasty games, and morally denounce them while trying to smell like a rose?
Compare lucrative “unethical” whores’ salaries to what many women make for much of their work.
Imagine if you could turn a fifth of all women suddenly honest, communicative, and ethical? What would the rest doooo to them? Would they try to shut them out, play nasty games, and morally denounce them while trying to smell like a rose?
Would the majority, led by the alpha-power-hungry but less honest, treat the honest and compassionate much as they would “the whores” … “taking sides?” You betchya! Taking sides!
–> Increased polarization of issues and people is corruption’s companion and red flag. Moralistic denunciation rises.
In comparison, the ***distribution of economics/power*** (another heavy hitting issue) gets smarter if people are more honest and ethical. Cooperation rises. Compassion increases. Caring about the connected whole of a town, society, or nation increases. Emotional intelligence and intellectual comprehension rises. Works and benefits of imagination are welcomed rather than increasingly the aim of banning attempts. Sounds like a darn renaissance, doesn’t it? It could greatly boost an economy.
What society is saying when they run corrupt systems and power and control plays while on the “moralistic denunciation” carpet ride is that they like to grab the first marshmallow – they’re emotionally and otherwise handicapped in a way that is insidiously pervasive.
Your comments today inspired me to add to the “Marshmallow … Common Grounds” essay on my xanga site.
I’ve referred to the particular mathematician you mentioned before (on my second Aug. 30th, 2005 blog entry, under “Humor Relief: French Fries, Salt, and Sagan …..”
Paulos is stimulating, yes.
I realy wish that the bloody media would give their theorizing about prostitution a rest for once and actualy tried to listen to the women for a change.
As a former street person myself and spiritual counseler to some women in the sex trade I don’t hear much about how well these women are paid.What I do hear are stories of rape and abuse and about how these women are treated like they were less than nothing.
Furthermore like the politicians who also pontificate about prostitution,The media only offers solutions to the problem that result in the women(and men too)being forced even further underground leaving them even more vulnerable to abuse,especialy the very young.
But then again if the politicians and media stars really wanted to do something about prostitution they could start by no longer being the best and at times the sickest of the customers.
I don’t hear much about how well these women are paid.What I do hear are stories of rape and abuse and about how these women are treated like they were less than nothing.
I think you’re missing the point. Desperate people take the job they can get that provides food on the table. Prostitution pays more per hour than, say, working at McD’s. Why does someone do a desperate, dangerous job? They need the money.
This isn’t an article sneering at prostitutes for being well-paid, it’s an article looking at social conditions through an economic lens. The author is a mathematician, not a politician or a media person. The conclusion, which calls for “improving the economic prospects for women” sounds like exactly what you’re asking for.
You have to wonder, though, how much legalized prostitution would help your average street hooker…. sure, it would benefit “escorts” and callgirls, but think about this – the legal daily number lottery hasn’t put the street corner numbers runners out of business, and the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York is still in business even though you can take a subsidised tour bus to Atlantic City to gamble and get a free dinner out of it at the same time. It’s my gut feel that the crack whores are still going to be out looking for, and finding, johns no matter how many reputable houses of ill repute there are……
Ken, I never thought of that. Interesting.