Some Thoughts about the Tragedy of Rana Plaza: Who Was Responsible?

Abstract

The Rana Plaza Building, located in Bangladesh, collapsed in April 2013. As a result, over a thousand people lost their lives. This event immediately aroused strong criticism of the actions of large transnational corporations. They were accused of not having done all they could to improve working conditions in that country, even though their purchasing power enabled them to dictate the rules. This article explores the legitimacy of this accusation. To this end, we will explore the moral responsibility of the situation in many developing countries. This analysis will reveal that, beyond the aforementioned corporations, it is possible to talk about responsibilities in the case of many of us. Our dual role as citizens and consumers / investors gives us a power that entails a responsibility.