Eric Zuesse
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Eric Zuesse
PRELIMINARY, TO DEFINE “SOCIALISM”:
The two extremes of ideology are libertarianism (anarchy) versus government (socialism). (Pure embodiments of either are rare if not non-existent.) A democratic government represents the public; an aristocratic government represents the wealthiest 0.1% as its actual dictators and beneficiaries. The two types of libertarianism are: the pure form, in which everyone is free to destroy everyone else, and the limited form, in which ONLY the wealthiest (that richest 0.1%) privately hire agents to deceive and otherwise control everyone in the poorer 99.9% of the population (and this is only nominally different from having an aristocratic government, a governmental — as opposed to ‘libertarian’ — dictatorship).
The covid-19 pandemic has tested all governments and clearly shown that a strong relationship exists between a government’s success at limiting the virus’s spread, and the degree to which the government has applied socialistic (or governmental) controls to reduce its spread. The most-libertarian regions have had vastly higher numbers of cases and deaths from the virus than the most-socialistic regions have had.
THE DATA:
The most-comprehensive website on the covid-19 numbers globally and nationally is https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries whose column headed “Tot Cases/1M pop” shows the number of cases per 1 million residents in each country. A click onto that column-heading ranks all 222 reporting countries (or regions, such as Taiwan) (plus two cruise-ships) in order from the most-infected down to the least-infected; and a double-click on it ranks them from the least-infected up to the most-infected.
The present report is based upon that website’s numbers as-of the morning of December 13th.
The 8 nations (or regions) that are listed among the least-infected ten (with the cruise-ships having had 0 cases and thus being #s 1&2) all have below a million population except for the world’s most-populous country, China, which clearly ranks #1 as being the pandemic-safest country (other than those tiny countries), the country that has had the biggest success at dealing effectively with covid-19. China has had 69 cases per million residents. By contrast, the world’s worst performers, among countries with populations over a million, have been: #221 Georgia, #219 Czechia, #218 Slovenia, #216 Lithuania, #215 Estonia, #213 Netherlands, #212 Belgium, #209 Croatia, #208 UK, #207 Bahrain, and #205 USA, all of which have had extremely libertarian policies on the pandemic.
USA has thus far had 152,188 cases-per-million, which is 2,205 times higher than China’s 69 cases-per-million. (Georgia’s 223,929 cases-per-million is 3,245 times as high as China’s.)
All of the worst-performing countries have taken, overall, a far-more-libertarian-than-normal policy-approach to the pandemic. China has probably taken the world’s most-socialistic policy-approach to it. Some countries, such as DRC Congo, have reported very low case-rates but have untrustworthy reporting. Other than China, whose reporting has been reliable, only #19 (the 17th-lowest of all countries), Taiwan (which is actually a region of China) is at all near China’s: it is 701 cases-per-million.
The best performance among U.S.-allied countries has been by New Zealand, #40 (or #38 not including the two cruise-ships), at 2,596 cases-per-million. That is also the most-socialistic of U.S.-allied countries. America has had 58.6 covid cases for every one covid case in N.Z. However, N.Z. has had 37.6 cases for every one covid case in China. So: in this sense, N.Z. is a little closer to China than it is to U.S. On December 13th, RT headlined “NZ says ‘yes’ to 25-person orgies as part of new Covid rules”, and indicated that NZ’s head-of-state, Jacinda Ardern, is remarkably libertarian in the extent to which she supports sexual freedom between consenting adults, but she is so very intelligent that she calibrates this freedom in the context of the current covid-infection data so that public health (which is a socialistic concern) remains the higher priority. By contrast, America, ever since its Pilgrims, is socialistic in all of the wrong ways.
China’s unemployment rate has consistently, every month, been below 6.25% throughout the pandemic, whereas America’s peaked at 14.7% in April 2020 and declined to 6.7% by the end of that year. So, even from a strictly economic standpoint, socialism was more effective than libertarianism was, during the pandemic. The same was also true in other countries.
Previous articles that I have done on libertarianism-v.-socialism regarding public-policy responses to this pandemic have been here and here and here and here; and, in each analysis, the result has been the same, though the data were at different times and concerned different specific countries. Also, NPR, on December 5th, did a detailed analysis of America’s state-by-state comparisons, “Pro-Trump counties now have far higher COVID death rates. Misinformation is to blame”, and Trump-voters were far more libertarian than Biden voters were (even though Biden is more of a libertarian than a socialist, when compared with heads-of-state around the world).
The pandemic-evidence is overwhelmingly showing a greater anti-pandemic policy-effectiveness in socialistic regions than in libertarian regions. To put that finding in another way: pandemic-control is even more of a public-health matter than it is a private-health matter. Any scientifically oriented society will handle it that way — because that’s the way it is.
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Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
this guy is simply comparing ‘cases’, which is ridiculous and meaningless
The best way is just let it take its course without all this silly political posturing, because people with underlying illness die every year of the flu. They die of Pneumonia and many other things. I am one of those who is at risk so stop this stupidity. We all die anyway.
Let it take its course??? Alone in a Canadian province a good 35,000 urgent surgeries had to be postponed/cancelled on account of the selfish and uncaring anti vaxxers. Yes, eventually we all die anyway but not in this brutal manner.
You know, a guy like you with your silly lies is going to be in big trouble if barbarism comes back.
Have a look at the dark ages. See what happens to your kind.
Vera… go get a booster.
Take your narcissistic values to your next coffee clutch and enjoy a circle jerk!
And I must tell you as well:
One year ago I would NEVER comment in this manner.
I have had enough of virtuous crisis acting.
Vera (or whatever your real name is), I speak to you thus:
BAAAAA. BAAA. BAAAAAAA.
I am sorry 35,000 surgeries had to be cancelled, but the anti-vaxxers are not responsible for it. They are not the ones who are dying, a majority of those catching it at this point are those whose immune systems have been destroyed by the deadly vax, which isn’t a vaccine at all because it does not protect you from catching it. All it does is cause mutations of the virus to more virulent forms.
Yes, Helga. The so-called vaccine is not a vaccine at all. It is a gene therapy which changes the DNA.
The only way OUT of a pandemic is when ALL pull in the same direction.
Or, you could stop lying. It’s a hoax.
You could stop pretending it’s real.
Can you imagine how evil you have to be to still be pretending there’s some supernatural, international mystery illness? Rot in hell, eric zeuss.
“Rot in hell”? No need to get so dramatic. Every writer may express his opinions, this is called “freedom of speech”.
What specific empirical allegation(s) in this article are you saying is(are) false allegation(s)? Or are you capable ONLY of ad-hominem comments, no ad-rem ones?
Bummer…
Eric is part of the limited hangout.
Are you denying the documentation to which I linked?
Eric, can you provide proof that the ‘virus’ has been isolated in it’s PURE form from an infected patient? No-one else in the WORLD has, can you, please?
But that is precisely what is done in order to verify and analyze a new strain of the virus. The structure of the virus is exactly identified, and is found to be a new mutation, one having differences on some of its chromosomes as compared with the then-prevailing strain. This is basic bioscience, and is the way that bioscience is done.
Disagree. For me the entire event reeks of fraud in every form and continues to do so, just as the one in 2009 under similar but less severe economic circumstances.
I asked for irifutable proof that the ‘virus’ has been isolated in it’s PURE form from an infected individual, Eric. Has it? Who has accomplished this?
You are relying on false cases of the Carmon Drosten PCR test concoction as well as the deliberate fear and falsification manipulated by ridiculous augmentations. I am 100% libertarian in the pure sense. I do not wish to live neither in a Chinese, US or especially Austro NZ heavy handed dictatorship. I would rather take my chances with this questionable virus. I find being in a surveillance prison fsr worse.
· According to media reports, the Omicron variant was discovered in Botswana, in four fully “vaccinated” individuals. Physicians in South Africa responded saying that while the variant has been detected, they are not seeing significant illness from it. All cases so far have been mild and none has required hospitalization · Omicron appears to be evading the COVID jab, resulting in breakthrough infections at a higher rate than previous variants. This is a sign that the mass vaccination campaign may be breeding “vaccine” resistance · There’s a curious feature of Omicron, however, that hints at it having been modified in a lab. The… Read more »
“… having been modified in a lab”. Yes, so Big Pharma can continue to make BIG PROPHITS. The show must go on.
big profits
Garbage in garbage out! ALL cv stays are false, speculation based on them even more so! Worthless conclusions, except that maybe the “socialist “ defined governments lie more than others. That’d be consistent with history.
Libertarianism is based on individualism which, in the case of a pandemic, each person deals with it in his own way.
Yes, and this means anarchy, but most people don’t want theft to be allowed, and rape to be allowed, and business-crimes such as marketing dangerous or toxic products to be allowed; and, therefore, most people do want there to be a government, with enforcement powers to punish “crimes.” Of course, the worst of all crimes is whatever harms public health, because that is a crime against everyone; and, in a pandemic, this is what anyone commits when spreading a contagious virus such as COVID-19, which is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, punishing people who endanger public health is… Read more »
There is no tyranny greater then toxic public health regimes the most notable one having been the NSDAP. A global dictatorship under the WHO Narcotics Cartel is potentially far worse.
I am quite happy with most anarchy as freedom is paramount to me. As to fraud what greater fraud then the behavioral fear psychology units, the pharmaceutical cartels and the fraudulent Casedemic one asks?
This logic of punishing those that “endanger” public health was the mantra of the NSDAP and the T-4 program. Who is to decide who is endangering public health?
“…this means anarchy, but most people don’t want theft to be allowed, and rape to be allowed, and business-crimes such as marketing dangerous or toxic products to be allowed; and, therefore, most people do want there to be a government, with enforcement powers to punish “crimes.” ‘ No, liberty (from which ‘libertarianism’ is derived) means doing whatever you want as long as you don’t deprive others of life, liberty or property, property being that which the individual produces or trades for. A government that merely exists to stop such deprivations is all the government that need exist. That’s not anarchy;… Read more »
Re. your: “No, liberty (from which ‘libertarianism’ is derived) means doing whatever you want as long as you don’t deprive others of life, liberty or property, property being that which the individual produces or trades for.” All of those things necessarily must be embodied in laws in order for them to have any specific reference to specific cases that can then be adjudicated by a court of laws and then be enforced by an executive power, in order for them to be at all meaningful; and this means that there needs to be a government, a socialistic NOT any sort of… Read more »
“Libertarianism, in other words, is a philosophical fraud, an evasion, nothing more.”
You’re still claiming libertarianism is anarchy. That’s false, or at least it is not what I and other (Objectivist) libertarians are talking about – which does include the Constitution, permitted legislation, an executive, courts, etc, as long as government power is limited.
As you don’t accept liberty, you support absolute tyranny as the alternative. I’m very glad you don’t have political power. I’m not going to waste any more time with you.
I did not say that libertarianism is anarchy, but that it is a fraud, because it is arguing over how “much” government, instead of over how “good” or “bad” the government is and why. It EVADES the REAL issues of governmental policymaking, and it does so by means of AVOIDING those issues, and ESPECIALLY by avoiding to deal with the DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH and the FACT that REGARDLESS of whether a government even EXISTS, wealth is power (largely because it is the ability to hire agents) and therefore the distribution of wealth is a large or even the main determinant… Read more »
Government, by its nature, has a monopoly on the legal initiation of force. That force is needed for things like arresting suspected criminals so they can be brought to trial and punished if found guilty. But the power to arrest and punish criminals must be limited by such things as requiring ‘due process’. That’s why the Founders of the US wrote a Constitution that divided powers first among three branches of government and again between national and state governments. The powers of the national government (legislature) were few and defined. The Bill of Rights further limited government power. While a… Read more »
Eric, one cannot ‘catch a ‘virus’ called ‘COVID-19″, because it is NOT a virus. It is the condition created when the Sars-Cov-2 virus causes damage via the ‘spike protein’ in those who’s immune systems are compromised and/or are suseptable. One CANNOT ‘contract’ ‘COVID’ without first being infected with Sars-Cov-2. However, it is increasingly becoming obvious that being ‘jabbed’ bypasses the required infection from Sars-Cov-2 and one goes straight TO ‘COVID’ directly.
Any theory based on comparing “case” numbers, or C.V. death numbers, between nations, states, counties, etc. is heavily flawed because none of the reported numbers are accurate. For example, in the US those entitled to sign death certificates have been well paid for every death certificate which listed Co..Vid as cause of death, while receiving no rewards other than their salaries for listing any other cause of death. As soon as the number of “cases” rose steeply, death from the usual causes, such as old age, cancer, stroke, heart attack etc. declined significantly. This is true in the US and… Read more »
: In Russia, the Independent Association of Doctors is against Covid-vaccinations. On their internet site they write: Complications and deaths following Covid-19 vaccination (updated) We as medical practitioners have concluded that vaccination is not safe due to the lack of preclinical trials, lack of isolated virus, and unfinished clinical trials of vaccines. We published our opinion on our website There are a large number of cases in the public domain when serious side effects and deaths have occurred after vaccination and these cases require verification. We have collected only a small part of publications on the Internet of side effects and… Read more »
Covid: a German cardinal accuses Soros and Gates of wanting to establish “total control” of the population – Dec 14 2021, 19:21 German cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller accused “the financial elite” – citing Soros, Gates and Schwab – of instrumentalizing the Covid-19 crisis to establish “total control” of the populations. The German press denounces his “conspiracy”. The former bishop of Regensburg – now prince of the Catholic Church – Gerhard Ludwig Mueller has fired red bullets on a certain “financial elite”, which according to him is taking advantage of the Covid-19 crisis to “advance its agenda “. “People who sit… Read more »
In Russia the INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF DOCTORS is suing the Health Ministry: The Association of Physicians and OSVR have sued the Ministry of Health for vaccines. Join the claim! 06/01/2021 Representatives of the Independent Association of Physicians, together with the National Union of the Renaissance of Russia (OSVR), filed an administrative claim against the Ministry of Health in the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow. … Experts demand to declare illegal the decisions of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the registration of vaccines for the prevention of coronavirus infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, under the name… Read more »
In Russia THE INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF DOCTORS is suing the Health Ministry! The Association of Physicians and OSVR have sued the Ministry of Health for vaccines. Join the claim! 06/01/2021 Representatives of the Independent Association of Physicians, together with the National Union of the Renaissance of Russia (OSVR), filed an administrative claim against the Ministry of Health in the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow. … Experts demand to declare illegal the decisions of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the registration of vaccines for the prevention of coronavirus infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, under the name… Read more »
PEOPLE HELP EACH OTHER IN KAZAN/TATARSTAN (RUPTLY VIDEO) – After a mandatory COVID QR code system was introduced on public transport in Russia’s Kazan on November 22, some residents started offering special free car rides to those who do not have QR codes and do not want to get vaccinated, just to drive to work. Anton Bortyakov joined the initiative, offering lifts to people for free. He tied a red ribbon to his car so that people can recognise it. “Passengers can recognise us by this ribbon. They can flag down the car, and we will pick them up… Read more »
The Russian media MEDUZA reports: It seems that scientists have discovered the cause of thrombosis after vaccinations. Yes, this also applies to Sputnik. 13:29, December 15, 2021 Source: Meduza Scientists managed to reveal one of the possible mechanisms of thrombosis, which, although very rarely, can occur after the introduction of vector vaccines. Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (HITT) is a very rare side effect associated with the use of adenovirus vaccines. It is rather difficult to accurately measure its frequency, but now it is estimated in the range of one case per 25-500 thousand vaccinations. This is a serious condition that… Read more »
In Russia the INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF DOCTORS is suing the Health Ministry: The Association of Physicians and OSVR have sued the Ministry of Health for vaccines. – Join the claim! 06/01/2021 Representatives of the Independent Association of Physicians, together with the National Union of the Renaissance of Russia (OSVR), filed an administrative claim against the Ministry of Health in the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow. … Experts demand to declare illegal the decisions of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the registration of vaccines for the prevention of coronavirus infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, under… Read more »