Capitalism and the Discourteous

The nature of capitalism, sometimes referred to as the "natural" economy, or the "law of the jungle", is such that pretty much anybody who intends to carry on in the world must take part in it. That is, even the socialist must accumulate capital in order to distribute it accordingly.

Dietmar Henning reminds us what it looks like when capitalism kills:

The Lopavent promotional firm of Rainer Schaller, owner of the McFit fitness chain, subordinated any concerns about the major event to the company's potential profit-takings. Numerous obligations were violated in order to minimise costs, for example, the requirement to "ensure security by equipping the entire area with a system of loudspeakers".

By the day of the Love Parade, however, no public address system had been erected. According to a statement given by a police officer, an employee of Lopavent justified this by claiming that the cable runs would have been too long. The firm promoting the event also engaged fewer stewards than had been agreed. The prosecutor investigated four of Lopavent's employees, initially under suspicion of negligent homicide and assault, but not Schaller himself ....

.... The report also declares that "a prior right of cellular radio communication for the police was neither requested nor activated", despite this being the usual practice at such big events. The cost of setting up such a priority communication circuit would have been high. The North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Ministry, headed by the native Duisburger Ralf Jäger (Social Democratic Party, SPD), had submitted several testimonies relieving the ministry and the police of responsibility. The prosecution's interim report describes how the decision not to apply for the appropriate mobile communication system was taken against the ministry's better judgement.

The public prosecutor attributes key responsibility to the city administration and its departmental authorities. Mayor Sauerland had vigorously engaged himself in the Love Parade project in Duisburg, appointing his head of public safety, Wolfgang Rabe (CDU), to push for its staging in the face of all objections.

The investigators accused Rabe of having "been aware of all the danger points" when authorisation for the event was sought. Nevertheless, he "pressed" for permission for the Love Parade to take place.

The city building authority department had repeatedly refused to grant permission for the Love Parade. The department head was subsequently transferred. When an administrative assistant criticised the narrow escape route, Rabe rebuked her by insisting the mayor wanted the event staged, and it would be better for her to "cooperate constructively". Rabe also brushed aside safety concerns voiced by the police and fire fighters.

A year after the Love Parade tragedy, Wikipedia asserts, "So far nobody has been held financially responsible for this tragic event and gathering of at least twice the capacity of people at the Duisburg grounds, and German authorities are no longer searching for those who took large profits."

Remember the balance sheet: Safety is a liability. And anyone who dies as a result of minimizing that liability is simply being discourteous and ungrateful.

You know, capitalism.