Firstly this isn't a slightly woke pitch for communism, but an overt one. We know know that in communist and socialist societies at the time occupational safety in factories was massively worse than it was in the US or western Europe. So what on earth is with overt pro-communist spin? We know from records released decades ago that workers in the Soviet workers paradise industrial factories in the 1920's had much worse health outcomes. Moreover we also know that in communist societies people who complained were murdered by the state en masse.
Also making this about greed rather than ignorance is highly problematic given we know that at the time people who were *relatively* highly educated and informed about radiation were killing or injuring themselves with it (hello Marie Curie). Also that patients were getting severe and injurious and often mortal doses of radiation in hospital radiology (such as x-rays for broken bones) and radiotherapy. People were being harmed -- and being helped -- by radioactive materials. Again this was independent of economic system.
The issue was NOT economic system, unions, workers rights or occupational safety laws. Today we would say "follow the science" -- well in the 1920's the science was saying this was benign! So the issue was simply ignorance.
Ultimately these facts make this film a bunch of nonsense, and its hamhanded message even more ludicrous.
Also making this about greed rather than ignorance is highly problematic given we know that at the time people who were *relatively* highly educated and informed about radiation were killing or injuring themselves with it (hello Marie Curie). Also that patients were getting severe and injurious and often mortal doses of radiation in hospital radiology (such as x-rays for broken bones) and radiotherapy. People were being harmed -- and being helped -- by radioactive materials. Again this was independent of economic system.
The issue was NOT economic system, unions, workers rights or occupational safety laws. Today we would say "follow the science" -- well in the 1920's the science was saying this was benign! So the issue was simply ignorance.
Ultimately these facts make this film a bunch of nonsense, and its hamhanded message even more ludicrous.