MIM Notes 229                   March 1, 2001

Massive earthquake in India illustrates deadly inefficiency, 
corruption of capitalism

On January 26, 2001 there was a massive earthquake in the western 
India state of Gujarat, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale.(1) To 
date more than 30,000 people have died, and more bodies are being 
pulled from the wreckage every day.(2) Two weeks after the quake, 
on February 8, there was a smaller earthquake (5.3 on the Richter 
scale) in the same region, with hours of aftershocks. At least 25 
people were injured in the second quake.(2) The economy of Gujarat 
(population 41 million) is made up of huge petroleum refineries, 
chemical and textile plants, and large pharmaceutical factories. 
It is also India's leading producer of tobacco and cotton.(1)

Shoddy construction, poor infrastructure, and policies of profits 
before people are mainly to blame for the thousands of deaths from 
this earthquake. Natural disasters like earthquakes and tornadoes 
are inevitable; the question is, how much harm do they do? Tens of 
thousands need not have died if proper preventive measures had 
been in place. But in the rush to capitalize on a recent economic 
"boom" in the area, contractors skimped on safety. "High-rise 
apartment houses and office buildings built hastily in recent 
years too often included cheap, substandard construction materials 
and in many cases were not inspected -- either because of official 
laxity or the payment of bribes. In some areas newer buildings 
were more heavily damaged than older structures."(6) Furthermore, 
there has been no effective and systematic government response to 
the disaster. The most effective relief efforts have come from 
local volunteer groups.(5)

Under socialism, where profit is not allowed to drive the economy, 
housing would be solidly constructed in the first place. If some 
managers were responsible for poor quality, negligence, or 
corruption which led to unnecessary deaths, the socialist state 
would immediately deal harshly with them as mass murderers. 
Compare that to the half-hearted inquiries in capitalist countries 
-- how can bourgeois governments crack down hard on those 
responsible for these deaths , when they are themselves implicated 
by their own corruption and negligence? Also, relief efforts and 
food distribution would not be hampered by worries about profits 
or prejudice under socialism.

In the case of the Indian earthquake that left at least one 
million people homeless, the feudal caste system remains. Though 
everybody equally needs food and water and shelter, the temporary 
shelters are largely segregated by caste, showing that even during 
a natural disaster oppression still exists. For example, one town 
has set up six distinct tent camps for the earthquake homeless 
separated by caste or religion.

Under socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat, the 
resources of the state can be used to combat divisive feudal left-
overs such as the caste system. This is one of the essential tasks 
of the transition period from capitalism and imperialism to 
communism -- when the oppression of groups by other groups will 
have been eradicated.

Notes:

1. Boston Globe, 27 Jan 01 p. A1; A10.

2. BBC News, 9 Feb 01 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/w. . 
.th_asia/newsid_1161000/1161871.stm 

3. Boston Globe, 29 Jan. 01, p. A1; A8. 

4. Assiated Press,  
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010207/wl/india_quake_castes_1.h
tml 

5. 26 Jan 01 www.Washington Post.com

6. Sacramento Bee, 6 Feb 01.