20. China Loves Drugs

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/01/chinas-growing-appetite-for-new-kinds-of-luxury-goods-illegal-drugs/266815/

           Charles Zhu, the author of the article "China's Growing Appetite for New Kinds of Luxury Goods: Illegal Drugs," is directing the article to a rather interesting observation. The author starts out by including a economic background of China; the country has been experiencing exponential growth with regards to manufactured goods. The country exports and imports hundreds of goods and the nation's economy has been booming. The author then explains that the country has not only been booming with cars, luxury goods, and handbags, but the nation has been experiencing a growth in illegal drug consumption. According to the author, 25 years ago, narcotics and drugs were unheard of, but interestingly, the nation has been experiencing such a growth in drug usage. The author tries to explain the causes of such a phenomenon: the nation has had more relaxed borders, an increase in wealth, and a more liberal concept of individual freedom.
           The author uses several rhetorical devices to increase and strengthen his point of view and purpose. The first of them is the title which at first seems to be addressing a formal fact but ends with an interesting and humorous statement. The fact that the author uses "luxury goods" to describe illegal drugs is very satirical. The author then proceeds to follow a fixed cause and effect pattern. The author states the reasons, the causes for increased drug usage in China and then explains some of the effects such as the change in the population in general, the government provisions, etc.