Word: illicitly
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...infatuations. Whether it is the smell of leather, the unwashed hair, or their cozy relationship with the dean of students, bad boys have always made my knees buckle under and my heart rate rise. Since sophomore year of high school when I fell for a tall senior who brought illicit substances to Saturday night dances, played the guitar (Dylan. Attempts at Dylan.), and seemed never to study, I’ve opted for the rebel over Mr. Right. There was a second musician: we discussed spirituality over Chinese take-out and watched reruns of “The Simpsons?...
Consider these disparate and disturbing facts from Illicit, a new book by Mois?s Na?m. There are 300 tons of unsecured nuclear material in the former Soviet Union, international terrorists itching to get their hands on it, and smugglers who may be able to help close the deal. Trafficking in women is facilitated by websites where merchants advertise and sell their wares with impunity. The global trade in stolen art has led to the disappearance of 43 Van Goghs, 174 Rembrandts and 551 Picassos. In Central Asia, children are believed to have been stolen from orphanages and killed for their organs...
...financiers, snakeheads, terrorists, corrupt officials and other fast-adapters now flourishing beyond the reach of authorities. They have even redefined geography: as governments' control over the flow of people, goods and information weakens, opportunists have turned places like Cambodia, Liberia and parts of Russia into "geopolitical black holes" where illicit networks can operate unchecked...
...erudition and scope, Illicit has one vexing flaw: its lack of substantial original research. Na?m is an armchair tour guide, relying mostly on well-worn news stories and official reports. For a book on the underground trade in sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, Illicit is disappointingly dry. The climax is not a memorable glimpse inside a smuggling ring, but a raft of policy suggestions such as better coordination among government agencies and improved international cooperation?hardly page-turning stuff. Still, Na?m succeeds in presenting a clear account of how illicit commerce works and what its consequences are. In doing...
...most efficient way possible? The answer, sadly, is no. Competition would drive down prices and, eventually, increase supply, if only drugs were legalized and operated in the free market system. Some of my friends would have thicker wallets once the market equilibrium price replaces the distorted black market. If illicit drugs were legal, then no dealer would ever have problems enforcing their property rights. Instead of suffering theft, a disincentive to industry and commerce if their ever was one, drug salesmen for the first time will be able to call the cops at 2 a.m. “Officer...