Just as hard as it to imagine a moral philosopher like Adam Smith would envision a drug pusher to be good for society, it is hard to imagine Capitalism without a democratic system of informed and enlightened citizens voting to curb the corrupting nature of seeking profits as the only moral guideline to make the world a better place. Putting Cocaine in Coca-Cola was eventually followed by legislation that forbade this practice forcing a legitimate company (only seeking to allow the "invisible hand" to guide its way) to replace Cocaine with an extra additive of Caffeine to make its product hopefully just as addictive and successful. Caffeine too was controversial because it was added to the product and not natural to the product's original ingredients of extracts from coca leaves and the cola nut. Legislation was argued for by some of the citizenry that products adding Caffeine like a drug should not be allowed unlike beverages like tea and coffee in which Caffeine was naturally occurring in the ingredients. Caffeine, while having less harmful effects on the body had quite a checkered history of its own being given to slaves, factory and dock workers to invigorate them to work harder. Unfortunately the effects of Caffeine were thought to have emboldened slaves to rebel and driven workers to sins of the flesh and other unsavory behaviors. Coca-Cola carefully managed this public relations problem and now we are free to "buy the world a Coke and keep it company." Freedom from regulation has both good and bad aspects. The "invisible hand" left to it's own devices apparently doesn't move to slap down abuses as quickly as a democracy of the informed public would like.
*When I saw the first and second public performance of the "Love" show in Las Vegas, as the audience filtered into the rather awe inspiring otherworldly theatre built especially for the show, the orchestral music from Yellow Submarine played in the background. This must have been the original vision for the entrance to the theatre but later this was replaced by early and more recognizable Beatles' songs.This change was probably made to appeal to a more general audience and to help solidify the production's 60's music appeal which is more universally enjoyed.
