Global Political and Social Awareness - The Boeing Disaster

I see Boeing as the prime victim of unhinged capitalism. With over three hundred casualties due to faulty software programming and mischievous and dubious help from the federal agency FAA, it is of serious concern for everybody who is directly and indirectly connected to the devastation.

The core of the controversy is centered on the now fabled 737 MAX series. The 737 model is the most popular and flown narrow-body commercial aircraft in aviation history. Its design dates back to the mid-1960s and first flown in 1967. Since then, the massively successful aircraft hasn't undergone any significant changes to its fuselage and overall design. To address the need for more fuel efficient aircraft, Boeing introduced two new engines to the design and a new software program for its electronics.

As you might know, significant changes cost a lot of money for any company. A corporation wants to roll out its products to the open market as quickly as possible so they can sell. The more they sell, the more money they make. With strict competition, it's vital for the company to remain ahead of the game. To remain competitive, companies have to invest a lot of money and time into their signature products to appeal to old and new customers otherwise they will risk falling behind and lose money. On the other hand, the time to improve and work on their products can be seen as a major risk. This is why many companies tend to cut corners just to stay ahead of their competitors. This means ignoring safety, standard operating procedures, regulations and rules set by supervisory government agencies. In Boeing's case, this means reusing the same overall design of its classic 737 model. The time it can take to redesign, build and test a whole new model and keeping a score of technicians, aeronautics engineers and designers on pay on new mammoth projects such as the 737 is astonishing. The most troubling fact from the Boeing disaster was the willing participation of the FAA to cover up and allow tremendous fallacies and indignities to occur. They're responsible to ensure that every company within its jurisdiction adheres to guidelines. These regulations are in place for a reason - to make sure that airplanes and their parts operate smoothly and safely. Incidents in the past reinforces the need to have these rules implemented. We're supposed to learn from past mistakes, right? In this case, apparently not. This is not only dangerous but also negligent and irresponsible. It is sad that an accident has to occur to prevent another one from happening. Everything must be done to ensure to safety of all passengers and customers. They are putting their lives in the company’s hands only for it to be taken away from them. In this case, it would cost companies like Boeing tons of money to ensure that all safety protocols and regulations are being followed. They have failed to do this for the sake of profits and dividend.

I believe the main problem of this crisis is deregulation. This policy is heavily favored by conservative politicians because they believe that a small government is the best form of leadership for a country. They don't like to envision a large government stretching its hands into every sector. Less control equates to more freedom and decision-making. In their own words: every company and entity should have the opportunity to govern itself.

There is a problem with this way of thinking. With no intervention and oversight, companies will be allowed to do anything they want to get something done. They will cut corners, ignore rules and do whatever it takes to bring out their products without checking them tenaciously. That's what a company is supposed to do. The lives of people depend on it. As you know, Boeing and the FAA failed to do this which costed the lives of over three hundred people. This is inexcusable. This is how radical capitalism rears its ugly head.

My solution is more control. Massive multibillion dollar companies shouldn’t be allowed to exercise their power to their fullest extent. I find such companies don’t have the safety of their clients or even employees at heart and want to maximize profits to become more powerful. They tend to support governments that want to see deregulation and lower taxes. Instead of being ethical and responsible, these companies are only interested in seeing their accounts deep in the green.

There are consequences to be noted here. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg resigned after it has been known that he played a role in the scandal. In actuality, he must be held accountable for what he allowed to happen. In my opinion, he should face jail time for negligence causing death. He did it so he could reward himself with bonuses and luxuries. Hopefully, his successor, Dave Calhoun, can find a solution to end the mess that Mr. Muilenburg helped to perpetuate.