Should we pay children to get good grades? Should we allow corporations to pay for the right to pollute the atmosphere? Is it ethical to pay people to test risky new drugs? What about selling citizenship to immigrants who are willing to pay? In What Money Can’t Buy, Michael J. Sandel invites you to join one of the most important ethical debates of our time. Describing our seismic shift from having a market economy to being a market society, Sandel examines the effects of market values on traditionally sacrosanct, nonmarket arenas, including medicine, education, sports, and family life. Sparking provocative questions in an age of widening gaps between rich and poor, this timely book provides rich territory for discussion, providing a comprehensive tour of our market-driven world.

Whether you explore the book with your friends, your colleagues, or other concerned groups, this guide is designed to foster inspiring dialogues. We hope the following topics will enrich your experience as you probe the book’s ultimate question: What is the moral limit of markets?