Where Lives Are Expendable

Why is it that in populous, second-world nations human life seems to have diminished value? And why do the governments of such nations just seem to care less about their people? Is it because there are so many people that the loss of a relative few is tolerable? Or, is the answer simply that, in many cases, these governments are run by unaccountable dictators who couldn't care less? Either way, I don't think it's that simple.

Egypt provides the most recent example, after reports tonight that a train collision killed 25. The accident is only the most recent of several that needlessly took the lives of many, many people. I have a hunch that if these countries had bureaucracies where people were held to account for their inadequacies and mistakes, more accidents would be prevented. At least that's a more hopeful answer than thinking that countries with hugely-populated metropolitan areas simply view people as expendable.