Vices Then and Now

Vice exerts a perennial interest, —regardless of how and by whom it is defined. In Canada the Good: A Short History of Vice since 1500, an admirably condensed social history of Canadian vices over the past five centuries, York University historian Marcel Martel shows exactly how during this time the definition of vice in Canada has shifted from a discourse centred on sin to one that, when still applied, is viewed primarily in medical terms.

That the labelling of particular actions as vices is the product of social and historical contingencies seems self-evident. What is less obvious is the interplay of factors that contribute to this labelling and the accompanying efforts at regulation. For example, what determines how the notion of vice is applied in particular contexts? Which positional interests have the greatest say in its definition? And why do some vices attract special interest in their regulation? These questions continually reappear throughout...