6/16/2007

Another Review of Freedomnomics

Xrlq is nice enough to post a long review of Freedomnomics here. Here is one critique that Xrlq has of the book:

On the one hand, common sense would appear to support Levitt and Dubner’s basic theory that unwanted kids are more likely to be raised badly, and therefore, more likely to turn to crime, than wanted ones. Lott does not appear to dispute the general connection between unwanted children and crime, but reaches the opposite conclusion with regard to abortion on the more tenuous theory that abortion causes more unwanted children by lowering the incentives for unprotected sex.


I don't argue that the liberalization of abortion increases the number of wanted kids. What I argue is that it increased the number of single parent families, with all the well known problems in raising children there compared to a two parent family. It is an empirical question whether the reduction in the number of "unwanted" children as a result of more abortions is offset by liberalizing abortion rules increasing the number of single parent families. The book lays out why there is an increase in out-of-wedlock births and single parent families.

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1 Comments:

Blogger Dad29 said...

I suggest that the "liceity" of abortion is more a problem than its utilization.

(Liceity is in quotes for the obvious reason--it's approved by Courts, but that approval is directly counter to moral codes of all major world societies...)

Thus, it now seems permissible to eliminate inconvenient life, which is a lesson absorbed by some, if not articulated as an excuse for their own violent/murderous actions.

6/18/2007 8:40 AM  

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