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The Cyclical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2001 The yC clical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship. Yvonne L. Wolf East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Liberal Studies Commons Recommended Citation Wolf, Yvonne L., "The yC clical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship." (2001). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 127. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/127 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Cyclical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship A thesis presented to the faculty of the Master of Liberal Studies Program East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Liberal Studies by Yvonne L. Wolf May 2001 Dr. Martha Copp, Chair Dr. Robert Leger Dr. John Whitehead Keywords: Moral Entrepreneurship, Rhetoric, Drug Wars, Discrimination, Racial Prejudice ABSTRACT The Cyclical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship by Yvonne L. Wolf The primary focus of this study was to determine how “moral entrepreneurs” were able to convince the American public to support their anti-drug crusades. The methodology section consisted of information gathered from primary and secondary sources, and described why these sources were used. Harry Anslinger and Richard Nixon were used as models to demonstrate how a cycle of moral entrepreneurship existed throughout the twentieth century. By testing for a cycle of moral entrepreneurship through content analysis of various sources, including descriptive statistics, the same pattern was identified as dominating Reagan’s and Bush’s anti-drug rhetoric. Lastly, possible limitations of the study and any implications that the study may have for the reader were discussed. ii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ............................................................. ii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................ vi LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................... vii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................... 1 Statement and Significance of the Problem .............................. 2 Definitions ...................................................... 3 Thesis Organization ................................................ 3 2. METHODOLOGY ................................................... 5 Data Sources and Procedures ....................................... 5 Data Collection Strategies for Harry Anslinger’s Era ....................... 6 Data Collection Strategies for Richard Nixon’s Era ........................ 6 Data Collection Strategies for Ronald Reagan’s and George Bush’s Era. ........ 7 3. THE EARLY YEARS WITH HARRY ANSLINGER ........................ 9 Creating the Drug Problem .......................................... 9 Identifying a Menace and Engineering a Crisis ............................ 10 Cultivating Support ................................................ 13 Contradictory Evidence ............................................ 16 Contributions From Anslinger’s Anti-Drug Crusade ........................ 17 iii 4. THE NIXON ERA ................................................... 19 Rockefeller’s Legwork ............................................. 19 Creating the Drug Problem .......................................... 20 Identifying a Menace and Engineering a Crisis ............................ 22 The rock and roll menace ........................................ 24 Cultivating Support ................................................ 27 Contradictory Evidence to Nixon’s Rhetoric ............................. 31 Contributions From Nixon’s Anti-Drug Crusade .......................... 31 5. THE REAGAN AND BUSH ADMINISTRATION: ARE THEY PART OF THE CYCLICAL PROCESS ........................................... 33 Creating the Drug Problem .......................................... 33 Identifying a Menace and Engineering a Crisis ............................ 35 Cultivating Support ................................................ 36 Contradictory Evidence to Reagan’s and Bush’s Claims ..................... 42 Contributions From Ronald Reagan’s and George Bush’s Anti-Drug Crusade .... 49 6. DISCUSSION ...................................................... 50 Moral Entrepreneurs’ Succeed? ...................................... 51 Limitations of the Study ............................................. 52 Implications of the Study ............................................ 53 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................ 55 APPENDICES ........................................................... 59 Appendix A: Incidence of illegal drug use, 1972 ............................. 59 Appendix B: The Gallup public opinion poll: Drugs & drug use identified as the most important problem facing the United States ............... 60 Appendix C: Articles referencing all illicit drugs, 1980-1992 ................... 61 iv Chapter Page Appendix D: Articles referencing specific drugs, 1980-1992 .................... 62 Appendix E: Thirty-day prevalence of use of various drugs for twelfth graders ....... 63 Appendix F: Prevalence of daily drug use of various drugs for twelfth graders ....... 64 Appendix G: Persons aged 12 and over reporting any illicit drug use, 1979-1992 .... 65 VITA ........................................................... 66 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. INCIDENCE OF ILLEGAL DRUG USE, 1972 ............................ 59 2. THE GALLUP PUBLIC OPINION POLL: DRUGS & DRUG USE IDENTIFIED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM FACING THE UNITED STATES ... 60 3. ARTICLES REFERENCING ALL ILLICIT DRUGS, 1980-1992 ............... 61 4. ARTICLES REFERENCING SPECIFIC DRUGS, 1980-1992 ................. 62 5. THIRTY PREVALENCE OF USE OF VARIOUS DRUGS FOR TWELFTH GRADERS ....................................................... 63 6. PREVALENCE OF DAILY USE OF VARIOUS DRUGS FOR TWELFTH GRADERS ....................................................... 64 7. PERSONS AGED 12 AND OVER REPORTING ANY ILLICIT DRUG USE, 1979-1992 ....................................................... 65 vi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE Page 1. INCIDENCE OF ILLEGAL DRUG USE, 1972 ............................ 26 2. DRUGS & DRUG USE IDENTIFIED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM FACING THE U. S. ...................................... 38 3. ARTICLES REFERENCING ALL ILLICIT DRUGS, 1980-1992 ............... 39 4. ARTICLES REFERENCING SPECIFIC DRUGS, 1980-1992 ................. 41 5. THIRTY-DAY PREVALENCE OF USE OF VARIOUS DRUGS FOR TWELFTH GRADERS ............................................. 45 6. PREVALENCE OF DAILY DRUG USE OF VARIOUS DRUGS FOR TWELFTH GRADERS .............................................. 46 7. PERSONS AGED 12 AND OVER REPORTING ANY ILLICIT DRUG USE, 1979-1992 ....................................................... 48 vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Throughout history, the United States has produced many outstanding orators who have established and maintained a powerful influence over an entire nation through their rhetoric on a popular topic – social problems. “Rhetoric as such is not rooted in any past condition of human society. It is rooted in an essential function of language itself. the use of language as a symbolic means of inducing cooperation in beings that by nature respond to symbols” (Burke, 1962, p. 567). These orators essentially function as “moral entrepreneurs” (Becker, 1963, p. 147), who help develop and enforce rules regarding particular social problems usually based upon their moral beliefs. A common characteristic shared by moral entrepreneurs is that they have the ability to convince an audience that a problem exists, that it is troublesome and widespread, and that it must be changed (Loseke, 1999). They usually play upon people’s subjective values, such as the moral beliefs that they hold. Focusing on subjective values usually succeed when rhetoric includes a controversy between right and wrong. Consequently, if a social problem is considered bad and widespread enough, the probability of influencing change in social beliefs and legislation is more likely. According to social constructionist theory, although moral entrepreneurs may have good intentions and believe what they are doing is for the good of society, there are times when their recommended changes will not have a positive impact upon the public. Therefore, the moral entrepreneur may be more concerned with how the audience can be convinced of their argument as opposed to the outcome of the crusade (Loseke, 1999). Throughout the twentieth century, moral entrepreneurs have convinced members of society that they are in the midst of a social cataclysm involving drugs as a social problem. To further their crusade, moral entrepreneurs’ rhetoric contained several prohibitionist themes: First, drugs are usually associated with a disliked group in society; second, for society to survive, drugs must be eliminated and outlawed; third, drugs are believed to be responsible for the corruption of youth; and fourth, anyone who questions the above assumptions is attacked and considered an enemy to society and the government (White, 1979). 1 With each successful moral crusade the outcome is the
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