Social Exclusion and Social Capital Theories: Urban Areas

Social Exclusion and Social Capital Theories: Urban Areas Introduction The idea of social exclusion, the forces within society which have contributed to it, and results of social exclusion are all issues that have been described in the following terms by Musterd, S and Ostendorf, W ((1998) p1): ‘The excluded lose the opportunities, the means and finally the ability to participate in society, which is expressed by a lack of labour market participation, low school participation, a weak position in the housing market, limited political participation and restricted socio-cultural integration†¦[1]’. Levitas, R (1998) has a slightly different view of social exclusion and her views have been described in the following way: ‘The MUD moral underclass discourse is rooted in neo-conservatism. Levitas describes this discourse as equating social exclusion with the development of an ‘underclass’†¦.[2]’ Therefore, while there are those who question the very existence of social exclusion problems: ‘†¦..the term does not necessarily imply either a positive or a negative state. It is simply a way of describing the established patterns of human relations in any given society†¦.[3]’, what the arguments of Levitas (1998) and Musterd, S and Ostendorf, W (1998) show is that social theorists have mapped an increasing trend within society which has entrenched wide gaps between social groups in terms of wealth and social status, and this trend has been noticed particularly in regard to urban areas and in terms of low income families. Social exclu sion has led to an explosion at both extreme ends of the socio-economic scale, with increases in households that have a low income, seen to expand proportionally with increases in the amount of households with high income and skills that are highly sought after. Those at the bottom of the scale are frequently referred to as ‘excluded’ and those at the top are those who benefit from social inclusion. The broad policy of redistributive justice has been seen as a way to redress this socio-economic imbalance. Redistributive justice refers to a process whereby the political process encourages the distribution of property and wealth, by introducing schemes such as taxation, which can channel wealth from the wealthy to the poor in society. This concept has been associated with Marxism, Socialism and Pluralism. Therefore, whether one accepts the discourse of an underclass propelling social exclusion, or whether one simply holds the view that social exclusion is mainly caused because of socio-economic reasons, it is plain to be seen that the UK government has recognised social exclusion as a problem which needs to be addressed in terms of policy. The effectiveness and coherence of these policies is of course, open to interpretation and criticism and two government policies will be examined in this essay to highlight the problem of social exclusion and to critique the government’s response to it. Two specific policies have been chosen by the writer with which to use as a focal point in the further discussion of the topic of social exclusion. The first policy is a policy called ‘Programme for Partnership’ which is aimed at narrowing the gaps that social exclusion imposes with regard to those living in urban areas of Scotland. The second scheme within the social capital and social exclusion area is the ‘Tackling Exclusion from Education’ scheme which proposes to see social exclusion as a problem which starts at an early age and which aims at improving the problems of social exclusion through the improvement of the education system in the UK. Urban and the City Few people doubt that the problems of social exclusion emanate in a substantial way from city life and problems associated with deprived urban areas. This scenario can be seen to produce an ‘underclass’ that live in these areas. As Martin (2004) has demonstrated underclasses, whatever their construction are a product of post industrialisation. Martin argues: ‘There are various interpretations of the term underclass. Indeed, Bovenkerk (1984) and Mann (1992 in Mann 1999: 150) argue that Murrays account of the underclass sounds remarkably like Marx and Engels accounts of the lumpenproletariat, and the term itself has been attributed to the work of the Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal. According to Gans (1995: 2) the underclass is a redefinition of an economic term originally introduced by Myrdal in 1963 to describe the workers being forced out of a new economy, now often called postindustrial..[4]’ Therefore the first chosen policy which will be discussed in regards to the urban and the city topic is one which is aimed at dissipating the problems of an urban underclass. The scheme has only recently been announced by government and it relates to urban regeneration in Scotland. The scheme itself has been entitled ‘Programme for Partnership’ and it involves formulating ideas which will influence the long term lifestyles and opportunities of those living in deprived urban areas. This programme has held at its core the idea of ‘regeneration partnerships’ which encourages a level of cohesion between agencies charged with the responsibility of dealing with the problems of social exclusion in urban Scotland. For example, through directing resources to target inequality in the healthcare system, the ‘Programme for Partnership’ is intending to indirectly deal with the problems within the educational system such as low attainment which can be linked with poor health. This scheme therefore has been aimed at reducing inter-related problems linked with city life which combine to produce what has been described as: ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the horrible reality of being cut out of our credit-based, plastic card economy†¦[5]’. Other initiatives which have have been borne from this ‘Programme for Partnership’ initiative have been aimed at tackling the problems associated with homelessness, which is another sign of social exclusion. What the Partnership initiative has recognised is that homelessness is not a singular problem which randomly befalls those it affects. Homelessness, a problem endemic in urban areas can often be associated with poverty, low educational attainment, drugs, poor healthcare (particularly for the mentally ill) and family problems including abuse. Therefore, the government has formulated a new Code of Practice which encourages urban social service actors to develop strategies to deal with poverty which incorporate a holistic approach to dealing with the social problems that cause social problems, and not just isolated problems. The Cabinet Office’s social exclusion unit and the Scottish Office work closely to supervise and to help implement the ‘Programme for Partnership’ scheme. The Scottish Executive has recently been quoted as saying: ‘Part of the social justice strategy is the†¦.development of person-centred services (and) involves the breaking down of the old vertical hierarchies, such as the historical division between the UK Benefits Agency and Employment Service, which have recently been merged†¦[6]’. Yet, rhetoric does not solve the problem of social exclusion, and this scheme may be of little use if its effectiveness cannot be measured and attuned to the fluid distribution of the problems of social exclusion in urban areas. There is a fundamental problem which arises when one attempts to tackle a broad problem with an inter-agency approach and this problem involves measuring the success and/or failure of the policy, and targeting appropriate solutions within this grey area. The resulting subterfuge may be of benefit to a government seeking reelection, but how far it has gone to reduce continuing problems associated with social exclusion in urban areas is difficult to see through the rising crime rates, the continuing problems of anti-social behaviour and rising poverty, problems which those in urban areas are particularly susceptible to. Social Capital and Social Exclusion As we have seen earlier from the explanation of social exclusion provided by Musterd, S and Ostendorf, W (1998), the problem of social exclusion mainly affects those at the lower end of the socio-economic scale. The government has recognised that this problem in many ways reflects the way that poor children are treated in the education system. Statistics have suggested that there are links between a person’s educational and social development and this is particularly true of those who enter the educational system from a deprived background. Commentators such as Archer (2003) have pointed to a core problem relating to social exclusion and the educational system: ‘†¦.educational inequalities not only persist, but in some cases have increased†¦[7]’. Therefore the New Labour government have recently launched the ‘Tackling Exclusion from Education’ scheme, which is a scheme again aimed at local authorities and which encourages them to develop sch emes aimed at improving literacy in young people and teenagers. This scheme therefore aims to facilitate the progression of young people within the education system and one of its objectives is to tackle problems associated with emotional and behavioral difficulties in young people, problems which contribute to the problems that have been described above in an urban context. Truancy is also a big issue in this regard and the ‘Tackling Exclusion from Education’ scheme encourages local authorities to introduce pilot schemes within schools to look at alternatives to excluding children, and to improve attendance records. In this way the problem of failure in the educational system can be seen as a root cause of those problems described in the above urban and city section, as problems in school often persist into later life, and these problems can often be seen within cities. Linked with this Education initiative are schemes aimed at improving confidence among young people, and these schemes include out of hours activities which are funded by the National Lottery. As Majors (2001) has argued, ‘England is experiencing an education revolution. Few would deny that in the four years since the Labour government came to power they have made major advances in education and social inclusion.†¦[8]’. Yet, again, this scheme suffers from the same inadequacies as the later scheme. The difficulty again lies with separating rhetoric from success. While it is true that the problem of social exclusion can be tackled in the ways described above, it is not clear whether these schemes are actually effective, in light of the poor comparison Britain makes with other Western European educational systems. An intrinsic problem which has dogged other areas of political life is recognised as ‘political spin’. This New Labour propensity to cloud probl ems with ‘spin’ has permeated the social sector as much as it has the political sector. This leads to a problem of measurement and of recognition and the increasing inconsistency that can be seen from looking at what the government says it is achieving and reconciling this with poor educational attainment, truancy and other problems which afflict poor, young people in British state schools. Conclusion This essay has looked at the idea of social exclusion both in urban areas and in terms of social capital. In many ways social exclusion, begs questions about the definition of freedom; questions about redistributive justice which Marx and Engels have asked many years ago. Therefore, few could argue that the problems of social exclusion emanate in large part from industrialisation and this has been a theme of the essay. While Bashford and Strange (2003) have argued that: ‘†¦new political imaginings of freedom†¦ (and)†¦the invention of liberty as an inalienable right†¦[9]’ have improved the situations of many, the problem of social exclusion persists, as it argued by Rosenfeld and Tardieu (2002): ‘The very poor are shut out; the social institution is shut in. Both live with a sense of defeat and mutual misunderstanding To the extent that there are overtures from either side, these seem doomed to failure and make no sense to the other side. Nothin g is going on; there are no surprises, no exchanges, no meeting points. There is no story to tell†¦.[10]’. Therefore government policy which aims to target these problems must address social exclusion, not just in terms of description, but in terms of effectual strategy which measures success and failure in a fair and unbiased way. Bibliography Books and Articles Archer, L. et al. (2003) Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. Bashford, A. and Strange, C. (2003) Isolation: Places and Practices of Exclusion. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. Bollens, S. (2002) Urban Planning and Intergroup Conflict: Confronting a Fractured Public Interest. Journal Title: Journal of the American Planning Association. Volume: 68. Issue: 1. Page Number: 22+. Johnson, M. (2001) It May Not Grab the Headlines, but Tackling Financial Exclusion Is Social Democracy in Action. Magazine Title: New Statesman. Volume: 130. Issue: 4530. Publication Date: March 26, 2001. Majors, R. (2001) Educating Our Black Children: New Directions and Radical Approaches. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 2001. Martin, S. (2004) Reconceptualising Social Exclusion: A Critical Response to the Neoliberal Welfare Reform Agenda and the Underclass Thesis. Journal Title: Australian Journal of Social Issues. Volume: 39. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2004. Page Number: 79+. Musterd, S. and Ostendorf, W. (1998) Urban Segregation and the Welfare State: Inequality and Exclusion in Western Cities. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 1998. Riddell, S. and Tett, L (2001) Education, Social Justice, and Inter-Agency Working: Joined Up or Fractured Policy. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2001. Rosenfeld, J. and Tardieu, B. (2002) Artisans of Democracy: How Ordinary People, Families in Extreme Poverty, and Social Institutions Become Allies to Overcome Social Exclusion. Journal Title: Social Theory and Practice. Volume: 28. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 2002. Internet Sources The Scottish Stationary Office (Undated) Social Exclusion in Scotland: A Consultation Paper. Available at:  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents1/socexcl.htm >>. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. (1994) Social Integration: Approaches and Issues. Available at:  http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:cbPDnQ4TsgkJ:www.unrisd.org/unrisd/website/document.nsf/ab82a6805797760f80256b4f005da1ab/510920da18b35a6880256b65004c6a7b/%24FILE/bp1.pdf+social+integrationhl=enct=clnkcd=17 >>. Anonymous (2002) Social Inclusion/Exclusion. Available at:  http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:aRXxsOaWPLkJ:www.rwbsocialplanners.com.au/SOCIAL%2520INCLUSION.pdf+moral+underclass+discoursehl=enct=clnk>>. Footnotes [1] p1. Musterd, S. and Ostendorf, W. (1998) Urban Segregation and the Welfare State: Inequality and Exclusion in Western Cities. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 1998. [2] Anonymous (2002) Social Inclusion/Exclusion. Available at: www.rwbsocialplanners.com.au/SOCIAL%20INCLUSION.pdf+moral+underclass+discoursehl=enct=clnk>>. [3] United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. (1994) Social Integration: Approaches and Issues. Available at: http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:cbPDnQ4TsgkJ:www.unrisd.org/unrisd/website/document.nsf/ab82a6805797760f80256b4f005da1ab/510920da18b35a6880256b65004c6a7b/%24FILE/bp1.pdf+social+integrationhl=enct=clnkcd=17 >>. [4]p1. Martin, S. (2004) Reconceptualising Social Exclusion: A Critical Response to the Neoliberal Welfare Reform Agenda and the Underclass Thesis. Journal Title: Australian Journal of Social Issues. Volume: 39. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2004. Page Number: 79+. [5]Johnson, M. (2001) It May Not Grab the Headlines, but Tackling Financial Exclusion Is Social Democracy in Action. Magazine Title: New Statesman. Volume: 130. Issue: 4530. Publication Date: March 26, 2001. [6]p3. Riddell, S. and Tett, L (2001) Education, Social Justice, and Inter-Agency Working: Joined Up or Fractured Policy. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2001. [7] p2. Archer, L. et al. (2003) Higher Education and Social Class: Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. [8] Majors, R. (2001) Educating Our Black Children: New Directions and Radical Approaches. Publisher: RoutledgeFalmer. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 2001. Page Number: 1. [9] Bashford, A. and Strange, C. (2003) Isolation: Places and Practices of Exclusion. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2003. Page Number: 3. [10] Rosenfeld, J. and Tardieu, B. (2002) Artisans of Democracy: How Ordinary People, Families in Extreme Poverty, and Social Institutions Become Allies to Overcome Social Exclusion. Journal Title: Social Theory and Practice. Volume: 28. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 2002. Page Number: 519+.

Existentialistic Ideas in Anita Desai’s Novels

EXISTENTIALIST FOCUS ON PROTAGONIST SITA – ANITA DESAI'S -WHERE SHALL WE GO THIS SUMMER ? The protagonist herself has an existential entity. Desai, has presented an intense identity crisis of the central character Sita, a sensitive woman in her late forties. Existentialism’ is a difficult term to define and an odd movement as many feel, but it not totally impossible to define. ‘Existentialists’, tend to take freedom of the will, the human power to do or not do, as absolutely obvious. Only now and then, there are arguments for free will. Sita was one such character depiction of Anita Desai.However, in general the existentialists recognize that human knowledge is limited and fallible. The protagonist expects miracles to happen on her island. One can be deeply committed to truth and investigation and simply fail to find adequate truth, or get it wrong. The world in which we live is full of spiritual stress and strain. Sita terribly wants to escape from her day to day life and its mundane extensions. Modern man has become materialistic, so self centered and so ego- centric that,he cannot afford to help without suffering the inner problem – a conviction of segregation and purposelessness prevails in his day to day life.Sita is tired of the monotony of the life in Bombay. She wants to run away, from the daily duties that torture her. She slowly feels, like going far away and leaving the place would help her get rid of her mental turmoil. So, ultimately Sita’s option was her father’s magical island ‘Manori’. The existential problem is so critical and enveloping that it threatens every sphere of her life. We see Sita, the landlord of the mansion in the magical island Manori, arriving there after a long gap of twenty years. The air seems to be pathetic, as nothing seems to be perfect when she arrives, with her two children, in search of peace and harmony.Desai employs the sea, as a contrivance of progress that is focused in this novel. Sita, the central character, seems to be bored with life in Mumbai and expects to have a drastic change in life at ‘Manori’. The people in the island await ferventlyto see the daughter of their beloved saint who was phenomenal in human relation and a living legend for all of them, but Sita returns as a chaotic mother, without her husband to accompany and with no special traits ofher great father. The sea plays a major role in the lives of both Raman and Sita, because this is the place where their life had begun.Desai makes use of the term a ‘zombie’ – an expression to portray the frustration with the rich life in the city. Sita is seen to suffer, from culpability this transforms her intact personality. Moses finds her not, the least like her father. The metropolis had taught her to smoke – a habit that even men in the island feel unrespectable. Sita had intentions of keeping the baby unborn, but not to abort it. Ever y action she performed at home in Mumbai appeared as sheer madness. The boys acting the scene, Menaka and her magazine, the ayah’s gossip all seemed to terrorize Sita.The insecurity of the city life made Sita feel, that she had to return to her safe magical island Manori, which was paradise to her. The menial matters of food, sex and money were simple matters to the town folk who were engrossed in such mind-numbing venture. She had lived in a joint family set up and everyone was all the time talking about trivialities like food or at least the preparation of it. Thus Desai The arena she has given the readers to exploit is quite wide. The readers wonder at the author’s skillful portrayal of relationships.

Beauty May Only Be Skin Deep

While many postulate that beauty is not the most important thing in a person's life, reality sometimes dealt people with a hard blow. New parents are always anxious that their child would look good not only for their sake but mostly for the child's sake. Society may well deny that beauty is not a hindrance to success and popularity but even as people are growing up, the good-looking girls and boys get more attention and are forgiven their mischiefs with the proper contrite looks on angelic faces. Relatives and friends would always remark on how beautiful a child is.Even if grown ups know that beauty is just skin deep, it is deeply entrenched in society that it becomes automatic and a point of conversation. In the job market, applicants try their best to look good because it could only be their edge against many others. The Economist says in an article that if appearance is not important in a job, why would people take the trouble of dressing up? Particularly in jobs that involve deal ing with people, employers would require, without including it in the requirements, that the candidates should be pleasing to the eyes.For instance, a flight attendant need not finish college but she must have perfect skin and teeth. For no apparent reason other than having perfect skin is good to look at, airline companies would prefer a college drop-out with stunning good looks rather than a comparatively more intelligent person whose physical appearance is not as flawless. In interpersonal relationships, people tend to gravitate toward beautiful people because they are generally thought to be more fun to be with. People who possess natural beauty could turn out fun and outgoing if they are not blinded and spoilt by too much adoration in their formative years.Many gorgeous celebrities are often caught behaving disorderly in public because their adoring public make sometimes make them blind to their faults. References Women's Health/Gynecology. (2008, August 19). America's Beauty O bsession Poses Serious Consequences for Women and Girls, Report Reveals. Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www. medicalnewstoday. com/articles/118588. php The Economist. (2007, December 19). To Those That Have, Shall be Given. Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://results. myhpf. co. uk/framedresults. asp? Keyword=beauty+and+job+

Should Marijuana be Legalized - 576 Words

Introduction Have you ever heard of someone dying from Marijuana? You haven’t right. You have however heard of someone dying from Alcohol, whether it be from poisoning, drunk driving, etc. Marijuana has been used for 10,000 years and hasn’t had one recorded death EVER(Online Debate)! Alcohol has been used since 4000 B.C.E , and it kills 2.5 Million people every year worldwide (World Health Organization). That’s 10 Billion deaths ever since Alcohol has been used! Yet Marijuana is the drug that is illegal. Should Marijuana be illegal? NO. It has more benefits than the downfalls, but some people think that these downfalls are more important than benefits. Body Some of those benefits are getting the country out of debt, the medical benefits, and that its FAR less harmful than Alcohol. These are just a handful of reasons but benefits of these are so good that it’s almost enough to overpower the downfalls. Marijuana could get this country out of debt. â€Å" Regulating and taxing Marijuana will bring in much needed revenue that states coffers.† (US News) If the government were to legalize Marijuana in every state for medical, and recreational use, then tax it (like they do to cigarettes and alcohol) it could possibly bring in 578 Million dollars in sales revenue alone! Along with 67 million dollars in tax revenue! Which put together could bring in about 645 Million dollars IN THE FIRST YEAR! (Policymic) Now some people might say that â€Å"Marijuana makes people lazy and thenShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?849 Words   |  4 Pageswhether marijuana should be legalized. Around 23 states have legalized marijua na for medical and recreational use. In the state of Illinois, medicinal use of marijuana has been passed on April 17, 2013. Since January 2014, patients are able to obtain marijuana with a doctor s recommendation. The new debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for the general public as a recreational drug. Although some believe that marijuana is harmless, and that it has beneficial medicinal uses, marijuana shouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1715 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana in Society Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel â€Å"high† or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). Like mostRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1489 Words   |  6 Pagescannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, econo mic benefits, and criminal benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreationalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1245 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana is a highly debatable topic that is rapidly gaining attention in society today.   Legalizing marijuana can benefit the economy of this nation through the creation of jobs, increased tax revenue, and a decrease in taxpayer money spent on law enforcement.   Ã‚  Many people would outlaw alcohol, cigarettes, fast food, gambling, and tanning beds because of the harmful effects they have on members of a society, but this is the United States of America; the land of the free and we should give peopleRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of marijuana became a heated political subject in the last few years. Twenty-one states in America have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana can be purchased recreationally. Marijuana is the high THC level part of the cannabis plant, which gives users the â€Å"high† feeling. There is ample evidence that supports the argument that marijuana is beneficial. The government should legalize marijuana recreationally for three main reasonsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1350 Words   |  6 Pagespolitics in the past decade would have to be the legalization of marijuana. The sale and production of marijuana have been legalized for medicinal uses in over twenty states and has been legalized for recreational uses in seven states. Despite the ongoing support for marijuana, it has yet to be fully legalized in the federal level due to cultural bias against â€Å"pot† smoking and the focus over its negative effects. However, legalizing marijuana has been proven to decrease the rate of incrimination in AmericaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1231 Words   |  5 Pagesshows the positive benefits of marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law. In recent years, numerous states have defied federal law and legalized marijuana for both recreational and medicinal use. Arizona has legalized marijuana for medical use, but it still remains illegal to use recreationally. This is absurd, as the evidence gathered over the last few decades strongly supports the notion that it is safer than alcohol, a widely available substance. Marijuana being listed as a Schedule I drugRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1457 Words   |  6 PagesSHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED? Marijuana is a drug that has sparked much controversy over the past decade as to whether or not it should be legalized. People once thought of marijuana as a bad, mind-altering drug which changes a person’s personality which can lead to crime and violence through selling and buying it. In the past, the majority of citizens believed that marijuana is a harmful drug that should be kept off the market and out of the hands of the public. However, a recent study conductedRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1596 Words   |  7 Pages But what needs to be known before a user can safely and completely make the decision if trying Marijuana is a good idea? Many do not want the drug to be legalized because they claim that Cannabis is a â€Å"gateway drug†, meaning it will cause people to try harder drugs once their body builds up a resistance to Marijuana, because a stronger drug will be needed to reach a high state. This argument is often falsely related to the medical si de of the debate over legalization. It is claimed that this wouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?985 Words   |  4 PagesLegalize Marijuana Despite what people believe about marijuana, it hasn’t once proved to be the cause of any real issue. It makes you wonder what the reason as to why there is a war on drugs. Why is marijuana the main concern? Since the time that alcohol and tobacco became legal, people wonder why marijuana isn’t legal yet. The fact that marijuana is illegal is mainly caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. Once the government starts anything, they stick to it. At