Final answer:
People on 6th street in Philadelphia might be selling drugs due to the potential for high financial gain in areas with limited economic opportunities and historical tolerance of vice activities in certain neighborhoods. This issue is complex, involving unspoken agreements between law enforcement and communities and systemic issues that prioritize criminalization over addressing poverty. Similar dynamics are observed in other cities and even internationally, affecting socio-economic structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of why people on 6th street in Philadelphia are selling drugs connects to broader socio-economic and historical issues. The illegal drug trade is often propelled by the potential for significant financial gain in areas where other economic opportunities may be scarce. This lure of revenue can be particularly appealing in urban neighborhoods that have a history of being overlooked by law enforcement or that may be targeted by city policies or vice-driven political machinations that tacitly tolerate certain illegal activities.
Examples of these dynamics include historical accounts of vice activities being a source of profit for urban political machines, and the phenomenon of people resorting to illegal economies in face of inadequate services or poverty, like what's observed in Los Angeles's Skid Row. Oftentimes, these areas have an unspoken understanding between law enforcement and the community, where vice activities such as drug selling are unofficially contained to certain neighborhoods. Cases from various cities across the US demonstrate a complex relationship between the community, the authorities, and the persistence of drug trade.
The issue is also compounded by systemic issues, such as policies that focus on criminalization over addressing underlying factors like poverty, as highlighted in the lyrics of a song expressing frustration over a 'war on drugs' rather than a war on poverty. Moreover, cities like Chillicothe, OH, have implemented policies such as stop-and-frisk that aim to curtail drug-related crimes but can have broader social implications. In international contexts, like Mexico, the drug economy has become intertwined with the local economy and governance, affecting the social fabric significantly.