the question why

[Bridget]

Do we need punctuation here?

"this begs the question why is it that we're virtually the only country in the world who"

[Rusty]

Do we need puntuaction here?

"this begs the question why is it that we're virtually the only country in the world who"
This begs the question, "Why is it that we're virtually the only country in the world who...?"
This begs the question why it is that we're virtually the only country in the world who...

[OddThomas]

For what it's worth, Rusty, begging the question is a fallacy of argument, while raising the question is an element of discourse.

[Rusty]

For what it's worth, Rusty, begging the question is a fallacy of argument, while raising the question is an element of discourse.
Begs the question is often misused. Do you think it is misused here?

[Bridget]

This begs the question, "Why is it that we're virtually the only country in the world who...?"

I haven't found any examples with quotes.


Is it misused here and is the punctuation fine?

1. "Culture as content seems to point, on the other hand, to different answers for different kinds of educational programme, and even begs the question as to whether it makes sense in some subject domains."

The idea of higher education. Barnett, R. Milton Keynes: Open Univ Press, 1990.

.....

2. "A standard response, yet one that begs the question , just how do they manage to mine such a rich vein of talent?"

Wisden Cricket Monthly. Surrey: Wisden Cricket Magazines, 1992

....

3. "While the merits and demerits of this argument have been explored extensively, one major objection to it is that it begs the question of who identifies and defines the "need" for an expansion in public intervention, and how a perceived need results in specific policies that produce an expanded state sector."

Power in capitalist society. Furlong, P; Cox, A; Page, E. London: Wheatsheaf, 1986

[OddThomas]

The sentence appears not to challenge someone's invalid argument. Rather, it seems to be a simple example of untidy diction.

[MrPedantic]

I would agree; in the original example and the latest three, "beg the question" seems to be used with the sense "cause the question to be asked".

(I am also not quite sure why it should be particularly surprising when a rich vein is successfully mined.)

MrP

[Rusty]

I haven't found any examples with quotes.

Is it misused here and is the punctuation fine?

I found examples with and without quotes. I'd say it is a matter of choice. I did have a second thought about the comma. I'd change it to a colon.
As to the misuse, we would need to know the foregoing discussion, i.e. what "this" refers to and what meaning the author intended when he used the phrase "begs the question."

[Bridget]

Thanks, Rusty.