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‘Real History’: Boston Molasses Disaster and the Birth of Government Regulation on Business

In 1919, one of the most bizarre and tragic accidents in American History took place. A molasses distillery in Boston’s North End, then (as now) a largely Italian neighborhood, had an explosion that produced a flood of molasses in the streets. Twenty-one people were killed, 150 injured. This moment in history produced two things: one of the first class action lawsuits, and the first time businesses had to face government regulation. After this Massachusetts required engineering and construction regulation – that regulation spread across the country and was built upon. The accident and its longterm political impact were the subject of this week’s “Real History” segment:

Comments (6)

  • Lloyd Drako
    Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:32pm

    Fascinating–but hardly the first time a US court came down hard on a business. Several of Teddy Roosevelt’s anti-trust suits had already been upheld by the courts. Nor was the Great Boston Molasses Flood the occasion for the earliest outright regulation of business, whether state or federal:: food and drug legislation and labor-safety regulations, among other types, long predated 1919.

    Report Post » Lloyd Drako  
  • Alessandre
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 7:55pm

    obviously we need some regulation because human beings take advantage of other human beings. at the same time, we need limits on regulations & on those who set them because, once again, human beings take advantage of human beings. to put it another way, human beings are selfish & greedy. we care more about what we can get than whether we might harm someone. and, we don’t care if we harm others w/ molasses (what a horrid death) or w/ regulations (more horrid deaths). so we need to regulate enough to address the greed that will harm people w/ molasses but not so much that we harm people w/ regulation.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 11:40pm

    The Woodrow Wilson Virus… infected the people… allowing each to believe that one is a God and should be able to Create Law that all others must Follow… just as the Jews turned the 10 Commandments into 613 Laws, attempting to out do GOD!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 7:27am

      Actually the 613 other laws were written by God and handed to the Israelites. Study the Prayer Shawl (which too was designed by God and contains 613 cords to represent each of the laws) Why do you supposed Moses was gone for 40 days if only 10 things were transmitted?

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • BobtheMoron
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:09pm

    Sticky situations require government intervention.

    Report Post » BobtheMoron  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 8:34pm

    Like the progressives say, never waste a good emergency or flood of molassas.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  

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