i tell students, remember laws do not always accomplish what you want to accomplish.
we had laws to ban alcohol, but it did not stop people from drinking alcohol.
we had laws about marijuana, but it did not stop people from smoking weed.
we have laws to prohibit gambling, but it does not stop people from gambling.
afghanistan (under the taliban) had laws to forbid TVs. but most people still owned/watched TV
you can have a law forbidding murder, but chicago will still have how many murders this year?
you can pass laws to forbid prostitution, but there will still be prostitution.
you can try to pass laws to make everyone "more equal", it does not mean everyone will be better off, or more equal
and i could go on...
Very profound!
One question that one might ask is "Does a law makes things better or worse for most people?"
Another one "Does a law take away freedoms from some people?"
"Does a law protect some people?"
"Do the majority of people support the law?"
a few thoughts...
when we tried to outlaw alcohol, there probably were more problems, and few benefits from that policy. but when it is legal and regulated, you can go to the wine store, buy that bottle of wine, and know it probably is actual real wine, (not contaminated with methanol, or rubbing alcohol). remember those stories you read about wedding parties in places like india or the phillipines, when dozens will die or get sick from illegal/black market brew? (a corporation that sells a legal product is usually very mindful of the liability issues with contaminated products).
i think there is far less harm to society in nevada, where prostitution is legal and regulated, than in phoenix, where it is illegal (with STDs, pimps, and organized crime involved).
another thought...
most the time,.. people find a way Around a law.
if you outlaw machine guns. then folks buy a semi-automatic and a bump stock.
if you outlaw all guns (as in mexico), then criminals (gangs) all have guns anyway. and there is still gun violence.
in america polygamy is illegal, but there are still probably 40,000 families that practice polygamy. (maybe we should legalize it so there is less abuse/fraud ).