Socialist Opposition to Genetic Engineering

Socialist Opposition to Genetic Engineering

A debate is ragging over the advancements being made in genetic engineering. Scientist discovered that genes are the map of every aspect of a living organism, this has furthermore led to the prospect of altering this coding. By modifying one’s genes parents will one day be able to pick the color of their unborn child’s eyes and farmers will have the ability to develop plants that will produce bigger and healthier harvest. With the growing anticipation that some feel towards genetically modified crops others question it effects on the surrounding environments. Often pesticides are more heavily relied on for genetically modified crops and some cases have found pollination decreased in areas dominated by GM plants. Since there are so many aspects of genetic modification that have yet to be explored, much more research is required before distributing GM seeds internationally, but from the information already available the sides have begun to divide.

Published in Socialism Today, the monthly journal of the Socialist Party, “Manipulating life: genetically engineered crops” is an article written by Bill Hopwood. The piece is created for an audience of Socialist party members to express their opposition against the dominance of government, big business, and support of efforts to meet the needs of society as a whole. From the Socialist Party USA web site it is stated that: “We support agricultural worker cooperatives, and oppose large corporate factory farms that lower food quality, cause profound damage to the environment, push farmers off the land, cruelly treat animals, and wreck small town culture.” All Socialist efforts are focused around the ideals that workers and consumers are the ultimate controller over production. To convey the Socialist position on genetically engineered crops, evidential fallacy is heavily used along with the support of ethos appeals, pathos and logos. The article’s main objective is stated by Mr. Hopwood proposing that big business will gain too much power from genetic engineering: “The growing international opposition to genetically engineered crops raises the important issue – who runs society and to what end?”

The introduction to the article and the following six paragraphs are not composed of opinions or viewpoints. The general facts and methods of genetic engineering are described, and the companies behind the research are introduced. Loaded words are used in this part of the article but are not very common.