State Ownership of Railroads Keeps the Fatalities Down

Another success for France's state-controlled railroads.

Some may wonder, do we mean to rejoice in the death of innocents. No, of course not, but if anybody has been doing so over the years — or at least deriving schadenfreude-type satisfaction from the tragedies of others — it has been the French press. French journalists have always been giving a great amount of attention to the numerous accidents on British railroads as proof of the failure of the utterly inhumane private property system.

A few years ago, a French commentator pointed out that a ring of accidents on the Austrian network were given far less publicity in French news media. The explanation? Why, because Austria's railroads were state-owned, naturellement. (We won't even go into the fact that the never-to-be-delved-into finances behind the SNCF, in the words of one French libertarian, would make Enron — likewise, always to be sure of getting extensive copy in France — look like child's play.)

State-run railroad accidents, whether in France or elsewhere, are blandly reported — with the only emphasis on the humane tragedy, not (as opposed to capitalist-related accidents) on any profound lessons to be derived therefrom — only to be immediately forgotten.

Double standards, folks. Double standards.


Update: In a slightly-related article, Stéphane examines neighboring Switzerland's state-regualted health system.