Ricardo Smiles

In this article, Thomas Frank argues against surrogacy. One of his arguments is, “If surrogacy ever becomes a widely practiced market transaction, it will probably make pregnancy into just another dirty task for the working class, with wages driven down and wealthy couples hiring the work out because it's such a hassle to be pregnant”. To me, this sounds like an argument for surrogacy rather than an argument against it. I do not see anything wrong in two consenting adults implanting the cells of their biological offspring into another consenting adult, have those cells developed into a baby and pay off the services of the bearer in pecuniary terms.

Anyone with a reasonable grasp of reality will accept that Adam Smith’s division of labor is the single most important reason for human civilization. If we had never discovered the concept of voluntary exchange, we would still be hunting down our daily food and stitching up our rugged cloths. We wouldn’t have eradicated small pox, discovered search engines, watched Kung fu Panda or played Half life 2. Evidently, the fruits of division of labor are not entirely materialistic. Health and leisure, gained out of division of labor, have given many people more time than ever before to educate themselves, express their creativity, love their family and ponder the purpose of life. So, when a woman wriggles out of pregnancy hassles by hiring a surrogate, her time, energy and attention are freed up for better use. This often opens up a whole lot of avenues in her life. She can now afford to be a better partner in a relationship, a more resourceful employee at work or a more participating individual in the society. The surrogate hired to bear the fetus is also better off. She gains voluntary employment and, by virtue of her employment, is likely to be a more resourceful member of her family.

Now, this post is not an advocacy of surrogacy. I am just suggesting that if someone wants to stay away from the hassles of pregnancy and opts for the services of a surrogate, it is no business of ours to cast moral judgments on her.