Disclaimer: this is not designed to get into the debate of rights and wrongs of companies and governments. Human life is very valuable, it’s just interesting the take different people/cultures have on things.

I read an article the other week that talked about a contractor in China having a high rate of suicide (10 people). The company subsequently raised wages. The article posted some interesting maths:

* Base salary was RMB 1200 = $175
* Revised salary was RMB 2000 = $292
* Increase in salary of RMB 800 = $117

Company employs 800,000 people in China. Therefore total benefit to workers = ~ $90M. So each life had effectively generated $9M for other employees.

I contrast this to the UK Bloody Sunday enquiry that has just ended (13 people lost lives). Apparently that cost £195M. So each life effectively generated £15M for the legal profession.

An interesting difference…..