In the introduction of this book, a number of examples of contemporary relevance were referred to and, at times, directly pointed out. Upon reading the book, however, not only did these given examples bear a number of unpalatable social truths but also the case studies set out have, hopefully, inspired more connections and insights into similar events and thus provided warnings about what should be done to prevent such occurrences happening again. The need to privatise and make profit was an obvious yet dangerous connection to bear in mind. So too was the State's role as a lawmaker and its ability to legally justify its actions no matter how destructive they may have been. Nevertheless, there are other warnings and caveats that need to be taken on board.

Historical Warnings

As intimated in the introduction of Chapter One, the introductory passage on contemporary relevance should not be allowed to denigrate or degrade the relevance of the book's more historical examples such as the Aberfan disaster where NCB mismanagement caused 144 deaths and untold misery for families and survivors. Full recompense (not the measly sum that was reluctantly paid) still needs to be pursued even if it is 54 years later. The avoidance of paying for the disaster, the misuse of charitable funds and the costing of children's lives at £8.06 per child amply demonstrated the gravity of capitalist/neoliberal trains of reasoning that still exist to this day. Likewise, the effects of the Flint Water Crisis in the United States, which has ongoing problems associated with lead poisoning, resulting – up to 2015 – in the death of at least 12 people alongside a concomitant increase in foetal mortalities is another revelation worthy of extensive deliberation. There is little doubt that these deaths were a result of neoliberal financial logic. And it is this tragic logic that is revealed as a warning by the case study concerned. So too are the lessons that should have, but have not been, learnt by the United States and local governments.

To reiterate, the more contemporary examples cited in this book should not be allowed to degrade the investigations into either the corruption within the DRC or the revelations pertaining to organised gang-like activities of the UN peacekeepers in Bosnia.