This segment is about how a health crisis, especially a pandemic, can accelerate a government’s slide towards authoritarianism, especially if the government in power did not have much respect for democracy prior. Consider: A regime addressing a highly infectious disease, like Covid-19, will employ some degree of restrictions -- mandatory masks, social distancing, closing restaurants, stay-at-home orders, state-imposed or self-imposed quarantine, mandatory temperature taking in public, facial recognition, tracking and tracing people suspected of contact with infected individuals without permission to use their cell phone data, publication of health records, etc. How robustly will the state enforce these measures?
Other questions that pertain to the maintenance of a democratic culture: Should a government delay planned voting or make voting more accessible in the mail? Will a government take time, or have the time, to ensure that emergency laws are equally applied across all racial and ethnic groups?
As we explored previously, pre-existing Inequalities weaken protections of human rights. Low levels of trust on the part of citizens, and a lack of commitment to truth on the part of leaders, make for a citizenry less likely to pay close attention to state dictates. As noted elsewhere, trust is built, in part, by degree of social solidarity. If people have health care and a guarantee of adequate food, their trust of state bureaucracy will extend further. Authoritarians weaken trust with their aversion to science and may justify the use of a pandemic as an opportunity to destroy their opposition.
Other questions that pertain to the maintenance of a democratic culture: Should a government delay planned voting or make voting more accessible in the mail? Will a government take time, or have the time, to ensure that emergency laws are equally applied across all racial and ethnic groups?
As we explored previously, pre-existing Inequalities weaken protections of human rights. Low levels of trust on the part of citizens, and a lack of commitment to truth on the part of leaders, make for a citizenry less likely to pay close attention to state dictates. As noted elsewhere, trust is built, in part, by degree of social solidarity. If people have health care and a guarantee of adequate food, their trust of state bureaucracy will extend further. Authoritarians weaken trust with their aversion to science and may justify the use of a pandemic as an opportunity to destroy their opposition.
Note taking handout
- Racism and stigma: I became a person of suspicion (The Daily 4/10/20)
- Inequality and risk: Black Americans face alarming rate... (NY Times 4/7/20)
- Inequality and risk: As Coronavirus deepens inequality, inequality worsens its spread (NY Times 3/15/20)
- Slums and social distancing: Social distancing is a privilege of the middle class. For India's slum dwellers, it will be impossible (CNN 3/30/20)
- Food Security: World Central Kitchen
- Solidarity with caretakers: Paul Farmer, Partners in Health. see also brief videos from: Turkey, Croatia, Madrid
- Brookline Food Pantry: Fundraiser begun by BHS students