In the disaster management literature, it is suggested that there is a relationship between disaster-related deaths and the democracy level of countries. According to this view, disaster-related deaths decrease as the level of democracy increases. But COVID-19 contradicts this view. Although the crisis is first seen in countries with low democracy level such as China and Iran, it affects European countries with high democracy level. What do you think about this?
I think it is directly related, in countries without democracy, the measures are implemented centrally without measuring the consequences, in democracy it is more difficult to implement a strict quarantine. In Argentina there is quarantine, but people are tired and do not respect much.
You have an interesting question. I have not studied the relationship between democracy and disaster related deaths. I can tell you that researchers I work with in the US tend to focus more of their attention on the data from the European countries as well as South Korea, Japan, Australia, etc. where they have an independent press that may have some trust in their respective government data but verify and report variances. In countries that are less democratic and the press is a function of government such as China and Iran, while the information is interesting and the case reports are valuable, the total case counts and some of the details are difficult to independently verify.
Democracy seems to challenge the swiftness in the control of COVID-19. For example, the Ghanaian government had to immediately pass the Imposition of Restrictions Bill on 20th March, 2020, to ensure that directives issued by the president to stem the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) would be enforced. Authoritarian regimes do not need this.
There have been reported cases of people who flouted the directives of democratic governments (to halt social gatherings) because of fundamental human rights principles encapsulated in democracy. This may not be the case with authoritarian regimes.
COVID-19 has truly put democracy to test whether it is “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”
There must be a relationship between the issues in discussion and a majority of answers agreed that a deep democracy does not allow a strong response to the pandemic. An strong regime could mobilize the answer system more easy and efficient but is not always a solution.
It is not about the political system. It is about leadership in the country, planning, and the ability to manage crises. Furthermore, using old models rather than using new models to solve a problem new global environment. The countries who trying to flatten curve with just social distancing are extending the containment process. You need social distancing and clinical intervention to shorten the time period. Thanks.
Research How to Manage Crises
Research Smart Curve: A balanced approach for managing health crises
COVID-19 will kill democracy it will create more racism even in the same country.
It is not possible to determine any difference between democracies and non democracies. The methods of measurement are different and the Chinese government cannot be trusted to be giving accurate figures.
Since they attempted to hide the outbreak in the first instance the subsequent reports cannot be regarded as coming from a reliable source.
Elizabeth Braw, Senior Research Fellow on the Royal United Services Institute Modern Deterrence project has delivered a bulletin on the Russian assistance being given to Italy in the Covid-19.
According to Dr Braw 100 officers from the Russian military medical departments are working with the Italian military to tackle the crisis following a failure by the EU to adequately assist Italy during the early stages of the outbreak. Germany is the only EU country to have offered substantial assistance to Italy admitting Italian patients to German hospitals.
NATO are voicing concern that the Russian officers have unprecedented access to NATO emergency planning measures and may be using the opportunity to gain considerable strategic advantage.
There is a good deal of information circulating in the press about Russian disinformation campaigns on the Coronavirus pandemic although to date little specific evidence has been adduced to support any accusation that the Russian government is behind this. Indeed a proportion of the disinformation has been traced to far right groups in the West.
The European Union has failed to provide any coherent strategy to deal with this crisis on a European level and apart from Germany the member states have taken an insular and exclusive approach, favouring tackling the problem on a national level rather than by international cooperation.
It is that failure that has caused the opportunity for Russian intervention within the NATO alliance and NATO is now faced with the very real problem that in times of crisis its natural adversary has done more to assist its member states than the others in the alliance, apart from Germany have.
Germany has of course provided assistance unilaterally and not in its roles either as a NATO member or EU member state.
1. Plain democracy with liberal approach seems to increase the spread of Covid-19.
2. Authoritarian rule has some effect in containing the spread.
3. A democracy with powerful leadership is producing some results.
Hence it is a mixed bag.
4. Covid requires cooperation of Government, people and other stakeholders.
5. Also health care facilities, finance, socio-cultural environment and age group of people have a say in the ultimate outcome.
Because of the freedom in democracy people refuse to adhere to the measures of the government...that contributes more to the spread of the virus...in my country some still don't believe the virus exist
The control level of a democratic government on its citizens to follow the COVID-19 precautions and movement-restrictions can be a point of discussion . However, I do not see any theoretical relationship of these two variables.
Great topic for discussion and would be very valuable research.
"The relationship between leadership style, government censorship and citizen conformity during the COVID crisis"
Dear colleagues the relationships between the general level of democracy and the strength of the response to a covid 19 pandemic is a very interesting subject of discussion , but the real problem is to discus the strength of state in relation to covid 19 attack. Of course a strong state could more easier to respond to such a problem that a SARS2NCOV pandemic is. The general principles of state and level of @democracy constitutes a huge problem that could be solved by nations.
Dear DR Omar: This Pandemic has made a few things very clear, which previously were under a sinister cloud cover. Democracy is inversely proportional to Pandemic Control . All the countries that boast of personal freedom a very high level of democracy have suffered the Most in Morbidity and Mortality rates. On the other hand Communist countries and /or those with Authoritarian Rule / Patriarchal Dispensation have been able to contain the Spread far more viably. US, UK, Italy champion Democracies have been hit hard although they have excellent Health Services in Place Sorry to say lax immigration Laws have been the outstanding cause , while Russia ex Warsaw pact countries have dealt with this Pandemic admirably. Even tiny Cuba has been brilliant. There have been noble exceptions on both sides but that is my take. A Communistic Regime implies no immigrants --they have a well oiled /honed Health System/Service in place while the so called Democracies an open society contains all the toxicity for its own implosion and this Pandemic has laid all bare. A tiny state 'Kerala' in the 1.3 billion + largest Democracy in the World, India, has come out unscathed because of the Communist Rule there!! Regards--
Democracy requires mutual trust and support from the public. Guidance from government that has the publics‘ support trusts Is essential. Health literacy in my country is varied. Our media is well informed, widespread and current. Individual support and respect of public health issues is national issue. Being in a democracy tasks individuals with the collective responsibility of their community and nation. I am proud of the way Australians are acting incredible the advice of the governments advice about Covid19.
They are inversely proportional, if you mean with respect to the virus infecting a pre-existing democracy. Whenever there is a crisis, attack, proximal enemies, or any other phenomenon or event that creates widespread fear and uncertainty, there are always authoritarians either in a position of power, or quickly seizing one, and reveling in the opportunity to expand, exert, reinforce, or create power and authority unto themselves against the will of the governed. Fear is insidious in that it will cause those with the most to lose to give up the most, unless the people take control of their emotion rather than allowing their emotion to control them.
Dear Omer,
You have an interesting idea, but it is hard to make a connection.
How would you classify the USA in this case which apparently has suffered the most? Most people will say that it is democratic, however, I watched a video called Plandemic which indicates that the disease was planned and lots of people in the USA are profiting from it. Several prominent doctors are furious how they are forced to write in their report that it was covid-related death, even if they don't agree. That is not democracy, but extensive corruption.
Each country, of course, will shape its own response to the present crisis. Some common scenarios, however, appear likely. On the negative side, the severity of the health crisis may overwhelm government response capacity. The resulting human toll would then erode citizen trust in the democratic system. Moreover, if the health crisis leaves in its wake a deep economic recession, with mass unemployment and austerity measures, trust in existing institutions may take a further blow.
Please go through the link.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/651343/IPOL_BRI(2020)651343_EN.pdf
It might be too early to have a complete answer to that question; if there can even be a simple answer.
For instance, consider Sweden and Germany: both countries are regarded as having solid democratic structures but they had very different reactions to the pandemic. This would lead me to thinking that democracy is not the driving factor for successfully negotiating this disaster event.
It has been two months since this question first surfaced. My question to all of you is how do you see your response today compared to when the question was first posed? In other words, has your view changed now that you have far more experience with both the virus and how your country (and form of government) responded? Clearly there are advantages in countries where you can demand quarantines/isolations, but in most democracies, how restrictive can you be without significant push back from the citizens not accustomed to that much government interference, do you now feel that the virus may have been better managed in more restrictive governments? On the other hand, has the free flow of information in typically democratic, less restrictive governments given you more information to make an informed decision? Regardless, this is and continues to be an interesting question. Thanks.
1 cheer for Democracy three cheers for 'Authoritarianism ' as far as response to COVID-19 is concerned!!nb
Interesting thought!
With authoritative rulers in charge (USA, Brazil, Mexico whose leaders made a joke of the virus) the disease seems to spread more than "normal" and their citizens suffer more than "normal".
The problem with western Europe is not bad rulers, but too many people, crowded cities where the infection is easier to spread.
العلاقه بين كوفيد ١٩ والديمقراطية وسياسات البلدان معقده
No relation, except for ignorance and level of education.
In whatever the people live, if they are ignorant, nothing will be helpful.
Best regards
Zehra
There is a strong relationship between democracy and Covid 19. First, the food shortage in poor countries made it one of the most infected countries with this virus .... ignorance in some countries made infection with this virus spread.
In my opinion, there is no clear correlation in this matter, and even if some correlation were it, it would be difficult to objectively verify, scientifically. How people adhere to established rules and established anti-pandemic safety instruments (e.g. home quarantine, wearing face masks outside the home, etc.) depends on the level of public awareness of the potential health risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus infection (causing the Covid-19 disease), the sense of social responsibility, the sense of intergenerational solidarity and the broadly understood personal culture. These types of issues may be completely independent of the political system, governance, level and type of democracy in a particular country.
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
I think it is directly related, in countries without democracy, the measures are implemented centrally without measuring the consequences, in democracy it is more difficult to implement a strict quarantine. In Argentina there is quarantine, but people are tired and do not respect much.
Interesting question. Though there might be no single direct indicator of links between Covid-19 and democracy, but there are some simple minor indicators. For instance, in some countries, protests are ongoing due to the way government is handling the pandemic which has caused people to go out to the streets to demand accountability from public officers. But in some other countries around the world today, citizen's freedom to even protest bad governance has been taken away by powerful leaders who have ensured that public institutions remain weak for their political gains. Perhaps the situation in both the former and the latter group of countries might be a reflection of how democratic those countries are.
DR OMER: Few trends have been as evident or exasperating over the past weeks as the use of the ongoing novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to advance preexisting political arguments. To those who see the pandemic and its management as a vindication of authoritarianism, or evidence of the necessity of public healthcare, or confirmation of flailing democracies, it is easy to cherry-pick examples to support these arguments. No less than Ben Rhodes, the former U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser, tweeted “It is no coincidence that countries run by right-wing nationalists are handling COVID-19 the worst (see: US, Russia, UK, Brazil),” ignoring numerous glaring examples to the contrary, such as Italy, Sweden, Hungary, or Ecuador.
https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/what-does-covid19-tell-us-about-democracy-vs-authoritarianism-66228/
Regards--
Juan Napoles we had strict quarantine during the first wave https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346952084_Lithuanian_COVID-19_Lessons_for_Public_Governance and have now stricter quarantine inside of the country. However, borders are open.
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