We live in a society with a government of the people; laws and their corresponding regulations were, and are, created to address specific issues. They should be regularly reviewed, updated, and rescinded if they are no longer needed.
Government regulations provide the people with a voice and are necessary to guide the private sector. The public and private sector should be partners and work together. America is not, and should not become, a society driven solely by the private sector and the need to maximize profits and accumulate power.
Our history shows that raw capitalism and the pursuit of profits has no moral compass, and government laws and regulations are needed to protect a free society and prevent exploitation.
During the early history of our country, wealthy landowners and businesses saw no problem owning, beating, raping and exploiting other human beings to operate their plantations and accumulate wealth and power. They even professed to be Christian and organized religions supported the practice. Although revisionist politicians have tried to justify slavery by saying it provided enslaved people with valuable skills, the history of unchecked exploitation and dehumanization of people in pursuit of profits cannot be denied. It took a civil war and government action and laws to end this barbaric practice.
During the industrial revolution, rich and powerful men exploited children and the working class. The vulnerable were simply disposal labor units to maximize profits. The deaths of 146 garment workers, mostly young immigrant women, in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911, and other human tragedies demonstrated the need for worker safety regulations and the consequences of unregulated businesses.
I was born and raised in the Appalachian coal fields of western Pennsylvania where companies exploited coal miners and scarred the environment in the unchecked pursuit of profits. Many miners, including members of my family, were killed, injured or had their lives shortened in coal mines. Taxpayers are still paying to clean up the environmental scars created by unregulated companies that removed the coal, made their profits, and left. Regulations were needed to stop the exploitation and to improve mine safety.
As an engineer, I saw the environmental damage done by industries in the pursuit of profits. Love Canal and other Superfund sites across the country were created by companies that did not care about the environment. Laws and regulations were needed to reduce environmental impacts and support human health and safety. Regulatory requirements may create financial costs and burdens, but are necessary to prevent environmental damage and exploitation of communities.
The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in the Cincinnati area in 1977, resulted in the deaths of 165 people; it was one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history. It led to new fire safety regulations that increase costs to construct and operate buildings and businesses; however, they undoubtedly save lives.
Regulations and capitalism are essential parts of our society and must work together. Eliminating regulations to reduce burdens or lower costs should not be done without evaluation and public input. Those that say that things have changed and exploitation cannot happen today are ignorant of human behavior and history. The depth of civilization and decency in modern society is shallow. One only has to look at the wars raging around the world, gun violence in our country, and the anger in some of our political rhetoric to recognize the fragility of civil society.
Government and industry leaders, and all people, need to respect each other and work together to create and maintain a just and free society. Implementation and compliance with laws and regulations provide freedom for “We the People” to pursue dreams and live our lives without fear and exploitation.
Tony Klimek is a retired engineer who lives in West Chester.
Credit: RON RICE
Credit: RON RICE
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