the grenfell tower atrocity

• The building's exterior cladding and insulation allowed the fire to spread rapidly up the outside of the tower block, endangering residents who were told to remain in their apartments.
• Popular Sovereignty: power resides in the people.
• Citizens participate in decision-making processes in/directly.
• Legitimacy derives from the consent and will of the governed.
• Policies aimed at promoting wellbeing & interests of people.
• Democratic governance is expected to serve common good; serves the needs of the majority, not the privileged few.
• Government is accountable to the people.
• Democracy involves active citizen participation in political processes.
• Democracy is not just a system of governance, but a philosophy that values individual rights, civic engagement, rule of law, equality, protection of liberties, respect for minorities, accountability & transparency.
• Democratic ethics implies principles that animate public life, as well as notions of institutional and corporate accountability.
• The normative element allows us to hold institutions and corporations accountable should they break these principles.
• The common good is that which is shared and beneficial for all or most members of a community, in contrast to the private good of individuals/groups.
• The idea that the government and its policies should aim to promote and uphold the shared values, needs and aspirations of its citizens is tied to the promotion of public welfare: providing essential public goods, such as education, healthcare, infrastructure and social safety nets to reduce inequalities and ensure a fair society.
• The common good in a democracy gives us the intellectual resources to think about what behavior is expected by institutions, individuals in power and the role of corporations within society.
• Grenfell Tower was a 24-storey residential tower block in North Kensington, West London, completed in 1974 as a council housing complex, consisting of around 129 flats & 227 bedrooms, housing up to 600 people.
• Relaxation of regulations intended to remove ‘red tape’ often makes it harder to hold institutions and persons accountable, thus negatively impacting democratic processes.
• Being a critical, ethical, democratic professional is essential in understanding democracy.
• Applications of democracy include Business Ethics, Ethics & Politics in the Workplace, Expectations on Politicians & Public Officials’ Behaviour, Institutions & Wellbeing, and Respect for Minority & Diversities.
• In April 2023, a group of 22 organisations including cladding company Arconic, home appliance company Whirlpool and several government bodies reached a civil settlement with 900 people affected by the fire.
• Liberal model of democracy emphasizes no power is absolute, separation of powers, limited government, safeguarding individual freedoms, equality of opportunity, respect for human rights, and whistleblowing, as per J. S. Mill.
• Democracy is not just a system of governance, but a philosophy that values individual rights, civic engagement, rule of law, equality, protection of liberties, respect for minorities, accountability & transparency.
• Relation between Democracy, Law & Ethics is crucial in understanding democracy.
• The Grenfell incident revealed disregard for local democratic practices, the fragmentary effect of sub-contracting, oversights in the renovations, increasing privatisation of the building inspection regime which encourages a cost-cutting ‘race to the bottom’, and trends that place the delivery of public goods at the mercy of financial markets and speculative derivatives.
• Models of democracy as inspiration include Liberal, Deliberative, and Agonistic.
• Whistleblowing is a crucial aspect of democracy as it helps to expose corruption and injustice.
• Grenfell Tower case study highlights the importance of democratic ethics.
• Austerity measures, especially in response to the 2008-09 financial crisis, resulted in severe cuts to the social housing budget, impacting disproportionately vulnerable communities.
• Agonistic model of democracy acknowledges conflicts in society, seeks to radicalize democracy further, challenges harmful effects of neoliberalism on democracy, calls out institutional injustices, respects minorities and diversity, and a society that quenches dissent and resistance is undemocratic and unethical, as per C. Mouffe.
• A conflict exists when government work is awarded to private corporations whose primary concern is to maximise returns for shareholders overrides commitment toward a public realm.
• Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, 11/01/2024, p. 25.
• Such failures challenge the neoliberal doctrine which promises that private providers would enhance efficiency while improving choice for ‘consumers’ of public goods.
• Democratic Ethics is a key aspect of democracy.
• Grenfell is an atrocity for which the institutions of government in Parliament and in Kensington and Chelsea alongside certain private contractors must be held to account.
• Deliberative model of democracy encourages participation, meaningful consultation, listening to people, social dialogue, active citizenship, deliberative fora, and resists the take-over by business or media, as per J. Habermas.
• Grenfell Tower was destroyed in a severe fire on 14 June 2017, resulting in 72 deaths and 74 non-fatal injuries.
• Some fire safety tests were carried out on these panels ; of the first 75 tested, 100% failed.
• By the time the fire brigade arrived, within six minutes, the fire had spread beyond the kitchen window of the flat to the building’s external cladding, and rose rapidly up its exterior at a ‘terrifying rate’.
• Theresa May made a private (not public) visit to the Grenfell area, without meeting survivors of the fire for ‘security reasons’, a decision which infuriated residents.
• Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide thermal insulation and weather resistance.
• Grenfell Tower was clad with composite panels whose material contributed to the fire ; these panels cost about £2 per sq m less than ones with incombustible core.