Illegal Organ Trade Chain

Illegal Organ Trade Chain

As you have learned from this week’s readings, a cause-effect chain argues that one thing leads to another (e.g., “Increasing levels of acidity in sea water are harming the oceans’ coral reefs.”). A causal cause and effect chain links causal claims together as links in a chain. Remember your argument is only as strong as the weakest link in your chain.

Summarize the causal cause and effect chain used by the writer in the article from The New York Times. Was the argument persuasive? Why or why not?

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• What has caused the growth of the illegal sale of human organs in some countries a concept unthinkable 100 years ago?,
• What has caused the growth of selling human organs on the black market?,
• What are the causes you have identified and will write about in your draft?,
• What are the effects you have identified and will write about in your draft?

Summary of the Causal Cause‐and‐Effect Chain

Since I couldn’t access the full NYT article via the link (internal error), I’m relying on summaries and student responses that reference “Black market for body parts spreads among the poor in Europe” (NYT, 2012). Using that, here is how the causal chain generally works:

1. Primary Causes:

   • Economic hardship and poverty in some countries. People struggle financially. Studocu+3CliffsNotes+3Course Hero+3

   • Lack of sufficient legal organ donors combined with strict criteria for donation (medical, regulatory, eligibility) which exclude many would-be donors. Studocu+2CliffsNotes+2

   • High demand for organs for transplants (medical need), especially where chronic diseases or organ failure are common and legal donation systems can’t meet demand. Studocu+2Studocu+2

2. Intermediate Links / Enablers:

   • Weak regulatory or legal enforcement in certain places; corruption or insufficient oversight. nhrc.nic.in+3Studocu+3Studocu+3

   • Brokers or middlemen who organize the illegal trade; people who facilitate the pairing of sellers and buyers in secret or via illicit channels. BBC+2CliffsNotes+2

3. Effects:

   • Poor or desperate individuals selling their organs as a survival strategy; financial distress pushes people to take risky decisions. CliffsNotes+2Course Hero+2

   • Health risks to donors (medical complications, unsafe surgeries, post-operative problems) and sometimes to recipients. Studocu+1

   • Ethical and social consequences: exploitation of vulnerable populations, inequality (rich exploiting poor), moral outrage, undermining of trust in medical systems. Studocu+2CliffsNotes+2

4. Overall Chain Flow (simplified):
   Economic hardship + insufficient legal donation supply → High demand for organs not met legally → Brokers/middlemen + lax enforcement → People in need sell organs → Negative health, ethical & social consequences, continued cycle.

Illegal Organ Trade Chain

Was the Argument Persuasive? Why or Why Not

What makes it persuasive:

• Multiple cause-and-effect links rather than a single oversimplified cause. The article appears to consider both economic, regulatory, medical, and social factors. This makes the chain more robust. Studocu+2Studocu+2

• Real examples / anecdotes (e.g., families in economic distress, stories of people donating under pressure) help ground abstract causes in human reality. CliffsNotes+1

• Appeal to moral and social concern: The ethical dimension—exploitation, the desperation of sellers—makes the reader care, which strengthens persuasion. SweetStudy+1

Weaknesses / what weakens the chain:

• Potential missing data or gaps: Some links depend on assumptions (for example, that increasing poverty always leads to organ selling) without strong empirical data in all contexts. If one link is weak, the whole chain suffers.

• Generalization vs. specificity: Conditions vary greatly between countries. What works or holds true in Eastern Europe may not in Asia or Africa. If the argument treats all poor countries similarly, that reduces strength.

• Possible alternative explanations not fully addressed: cultural, religious, or legal nuances; maybe some donors are coerced, or maybe legal systems have different barriers; or maybe demand is inflated by black-market dynamics beyond medical need. If those aren’t addressed, the chain might have weak spots.

Overall, yes, the argument seems reasonably persuasive, provided the reader accepts that the available evidence does support many of the links. But its persuasive power depends on how well each causal link is supported in specific contexts.

Causes I Would Use in My Draft

Here are the causes I would definitely write about:

• Severe economic inequality & poverty

• Inadequate legal organ donation systems (insufficient supply, strict eligibility)

• Weak law enforcement & regulatory oversight

• Role of brokers / intermediaries who bridge needs of buyers and sellers in clandestine ways

Effects I Would Use in My Draft

Here are effects I would explore:

• Physical/medical harm to organ sellers (health complications, lack of after care)

• Psychological and social consequences for donors (regret, family issues, sense of exploitation)

• Erosion of trust in medical and legal institutions

• Ethical and moral deterioration: commodification of human body parts; increasing inequality