Case Study_ Bhopal Plant Disaster.pdfVIP专享VIP免费原创优质

ThiscasewascreatedbytheInternationalDimensionsofEthicsEducationinScienceandEngineering(IDEESE)ProjectattheUniversityofMassachusettsAmherstwithsupportfromtheNationalScienceFoundationundergrantnumber0734887.Anyopinions,findings,conclusionsorrecommendationsexpressedinthismaterialarethoseoftheauthor(s)anddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheNationalScienceFoundation.MoreinformationabouttheIDEESEandcopiesofitsmodulescanbefoundathttp://www.umass.edu/sts/ethics.Thiscaseshouldbecitedas:M.J.Peterson.2008.“BhopalPlantDisaster.”InternationalDimensionsofEthicsEducationinScienceandEngineering.Availablewww.umass.edu/sts/ethics.©2008IDEESEProjectInternationalDimensionsofEthicsEducationinScienceandEngineeringCaseStudySeriesBhopalPlantDisaster–SituationSummaryM.J.PetersonRevisedMarch20,2009Duringthenightof2-3December1984,aleakofsome40tonsofmethylisocyanate(MIC)gasmixedwithunknownothergassesfromachemicalplantownedandoperatedbyUnionCarbide(India)Limited,apartly-ownedsubsidiaryoftheUS-basedUnionCarbideCorporation,causedoneofthehighest-casualtyindustrialaccidentsofthe20thcentury.Atleast2000peoplediedimmediatelyandanother200,000to300,000sufferedrespiratoryandotherinjuriesofvaryingseverity.Propertydamageconsistedmainlyofcontaminationtonearbyareasbyvariouschemicalresidues.Thedefoliationoftreesimmediatelyafterwardisclearlyattributabletothegasleak;contaminationinthenearbysettlementsmayhavemultiplesources,thecontaminationoftheplantsiteresultedfrommanyyearsofgeneralproductionactivity.India’sEconomicAmbitionsWhenIndiaattainedindependencefromGreatBritainin1947,itsnewpoliticalleaderswantedtomakethecountrywealthierbyencouragingdevelopmentofmodernindustry.Ithadstrongsupportfromthecitizens,whogenerallyagreedthatIndia’scurrentlackofindustrializationandeconomicdevelopmentweretheresultofthesecolonial-erapolicies.Thus,thenewgovernmentcouldexpectwidespreadsupportforanypolicythatappearedtosetthecountryonthepathtoindustrialization.ThenewpoliticalelitebroughttothistaskasetofbeliefsabouteconomicpolicythatsoughtamiddlewaybetweentheheavyrelianceonprivateenterprisethathadcharacterizedBritishindustrializationinthe18thand19thcenturiesandtherelianceoncentralplanningofthewholeeconomycharacteristicoftheSovietUnion’sindustrializationeffortsince1917.ThecombinationofwelfarestateandmixedeconomydevelopedbyIndianleaderswasverysimilartoWesternEuropeanideasoftheperiod.Indianpoliticalleaders,liketheirWesternEuropeancounterparts,believedthatprivateenterprisesweretoofocusedonprofitabilityofthefirmtoundertaketheeconomicreorganizationneededforassuringbroad-basedprosperityand,inprimarilyagriculturalcountrieslikeIndia,thetransformationsneededtointroduce1CaseSummarymodernindustry.Bothbelievedthatonlyamixedeconomy,inwhichstate-ownedenterprisesoperatedthemajorsectorsoftheeconomyandprivateenterpriseguidedbyconsiderablegovernmentregulationtoprotectworkersandthegeneralpublic,wouldsuccessfullymeettheeconomicchallengesfacingthecountry.InIndia,steelmaking,railways,shipping,aviation,andelectricalpowergenerationwerethemostprominentindustriesdominatedbystate-ownedfirms;thenascentIndianchemicalindustrywasamixofstate-ownedandprivatefirms.InitsResolutiononIndustrialPolicyin1948,theIndiangovernmentexpressedastrongpreferenceforIndianenterprise,butindicatedwillingnesstoallowsomecollaborationwithforeignfirms:…whileitshouldberecognizedthatparticip...