Capitalism and the Chilean miners

[Hannah Bell]

The editorial pages of two of the most prominent newspapers of the US ruling establishment rushed to claim the recent rescue of the 33 miners in Chile as a triumph for free-market capitalism...

The obvious question is, if capitalism is responsible for rescuing the Chilean miners, what economic system was responsible for leaving them trapped deep underground and initially given up for dead in the first place?

Or for that matter, what was the system that drove 31 Chilean miners to their deaths last year and produced more than 12,000 recorded mine fatalities worldwide? To ask the question is to answer it: capitalism, a system based upon the ruthless drive to maximize profits by cutting safety costs and putting the lives of miners and other workers at risk...

While the Journal and the Post proclaim “free market capitalism” and “entrepreneurship” as the central elements in the rescue of the miners, both conveniently ignore that the (rescue) operation was directed and largely financed by Chile’s state-owned copper mining enterprise, Codelco, created when the country’s Socialist Party President Salvador Allende nationalized privately held companies in 1971. And the key advice given in keeping the miners alive and healthy during their long ordeal came from the US government space agency, NASA...

Even more important in the survival of the miners was the behavior of the miners themselves, which was characterized by a powerful solidarity and collectivism that stands in stark contrast and opposition to the dog-eat-dog individualism of the capitalist free market.

The equal distribution of starvation rations that kept them alive during the 17 days before the first drill reached them was not merely forced upon them. Since their rescue, they have pledged to continue this method, sharing anything that they gain from books, etc., equally.

There is no mystery as to the role played by capitalism in the Chilean mine disaster as far as the miners themselves are concerned.

“People say that we’re heroes, and no, no were not heroes, we’re victims,” one of the miners, Franklin Lobos told the Chilean daily El Mercurio. “We fought for our lives, nothing more, because we have families. We are victims of the businessmen who don’t invest in safety…victims of the businessmen who earn millions and don’t think about the suffering of poor people.”

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/oct2010/chil-o29.shtml

[stray cat]

1. Again?

[blindpig]

2. It might also be noted....

that the foreman who became the leader of the group was the son of a Communist murdered by the Pinochet regime, his stepfather was a Socialist who had also been persecuted. His method was democracy, every decision was voted upon.

Damn commies.

[crikkett]

3. K&R. Thanks for the perspective. n/t

[malaise]

4. Yes indeed

Rec

[jimlup]

5. That's got to be one of the most absurd claims I've heard in a while...

I'm not on expert on the rescue but wasn't the basic funding from the Chilean government? They may ultimate collect it from the mine company but does anyone believe the company would have funded a rescue like this without government help???

I can imagine the press release - rescue not technically feasible - meaning it would eat into next years profits...

:eyes:

[Gabi Hayes]

6. particularly like the quote at the end. thx for thread.

what, exactly, did capitalism do to 'rescue' them? did they foot the bill at the time? sounds like the miners certainly disagree with the 'heroism' of ownership

"make the economy scream" remember that?

sounds like the pugs are employing that tactic again, this time at home, rather than forty years ago

[Starry Messenger]

7. Devotees of capitalism sound like religious fundies to me.

"The miners were saved by Invisible Hand! Invisible Hand loves us!!1" Uh, well then Invisible Hand caused the situa--"No, heretic, you liE!!11"

I thought it was really grotesque that capitalists jumped on this situation to make some crude hay out of the episode with the trapped miners. And it is such obvious bullshit, who do they think reads this crap and believes it?