Executives frame lethal disasters as acts of God to deflect blame

Evidence

Blankenship referred to federal lawmakers who called for tighter regulation of the mining industry as “crazies” and “greeniacs” (Cooper, 2009). He proclaimed global warming a “hoax” (Goodell, 2010) and set profits above miners’ safety and environmental costs. With natural gas replacing coal in power plants, Blankenship’s commanding control over the political system declined. Federal prosecutors indicted Blankenship for conspiracy to violate mine safety standards and conspiracy to impede federal mine safety officials (Segal, 2015). He pleaded not guilty, claiming that the mine disaster was an act of God and blamed the federal administration as a contributor to the explosion by changing ventilation systems (Goodell, 2010). — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1822

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Could extend the sacrifice article: the CEO’s ‘act of God’ defense reframes preventable deaths as fate, an inversion of ritual sacrifice’s logic — institutional scapegoating rather than honored victims.