An Ethical Inquiry Into Legalization Of Prostitution

The debate about prostitution has thousands years of history and prostitution is also facing many serious allegations. China has made prostitution illegal for the last sixty years and with the development of science and technology, problems caused by prostitution are worse and worse. At the same time, that we don’t have ethical theories about prostitution makes people always have an irrational attitude to prostitution.Western debate on the legalization of prostitution is mainly divided into two sides, one of liberalism represented those in favor of the legalization of prostitution. Prostitution is seen as the main point of the economic behavior of commodity markets which we should treat sex as a commodity. Adult has the right to have a rational choice of their lives, as long as this choice would not hurt others. This view is diametrically opposed to the feminists. Their main point is that prostitution is a domination of patriarchal society which control and exploit women. It is detrimental to people’s sexual autonomy.The thesis is based on the debate in western philosophy and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of both sides. By contacting the Chinese social conditions, it is looking forward to establishing an objective and fair understanding to legalization of prostitution problem.