Meltdown: not just a metaphor: Vested interests cause both financial & nuclear industries

[PA Democrat]

to compulsively underestimate risk

by Joseph Stiglitz


The consequences of the Japanese earthquake – especially the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant – resonate grimly for observers of the American financial crash that precipitated the Great Recession. Both events provide stark lessons about risks, and about how badly markets and societies can manage them.

Of course, in one sense, there is no comparison between the tragedy of the earthquake – which has left more than 25,000 people dead or missing – and the financial crisis, to which no such acute physical suffering can be attributed. But when it comes to the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima, there is a common theme in the two events.

Experts in both the nuclear and finance industries assured us that new technology had all but eliminated the risk of catastrophe. Events proved them wrong: not only did the risks exist, but their consequences were so enormous that they easily erased all the supposed benefits of the systems that industry leaders promoted.

Before the Great Recession, America's economic gurus – from the head of the Federal Reserve to the titans of finance – boasted that we had learned to master risk. "Innovative" financial instruments such as derivatives and credit default swaps enabled the distribution of risk throughout the economy. We now know that they deluded not only the rest of society, but even themselves.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/apr/06/japan-nuclearpower

[Duer 157099]

1. "...and the financial crisis, to which no such acute physical suffering can be attributed"

While I agree with the overall message, I am so sick of this meme, that the financial crisis *didn't* cause untold numbers of suicides, at least. "it's just money, nobody got hurt" yeah fucking right

[PA Democrat]

5. Many people gloss over the suffering caused by wealthy interests.

How many people lost their homes, their jobs, their health, their security, if not their lives because of the arrogant and reckless behavior of people in positions of power?

[davidthegnome]

2. Oops.

I suppose that governments and citizens should have been more cautious in regards to where they invested so much wealth and importance. There were a lot of (unheeded) warnings about potential disasters. Like... a 9.0? Big tsunami? Come on, that's like some science fiction stuff, it could never happen. It really couldn't. Oh wait..

[blue neen]

3. I don't believe risk can ever be "managed".

There are just too many variables in life that cannot be controlled...like an earthquake and tsunami, for instance!

Good article!

[xchrom]

4. exactly. nt