Posted: Apr 13, 2020 1:16 am
*sigh*
Jamest, you don't seem to have a clue about what the government's role is in a modern democratic, capitalist mixed economy.
It's not to allow unfettered capitalism.
Capitalism is good at what it says on the tin: promoting the cause of capital. It's a wealth creator. That's its role in a mixed economy, and it does it well.
But wealth is not the only concern of a nation. And other concerns - particularly social capital and environmental capital - are what government exists to serve, either by regulation of capitalist activity to limit social or environmental harms, or direct service provision.
And that's what governments are doing in the pandemic: taking action to protect public health; providing monetary compensation for those whose livelihoods are impacted, and directing the justice system to curtail anti-social behaviour.
For once, they're doing their jobs, rather than trying to line the pockets of their corporate donors. It's little wonder that approval rates for most governments have gone up.
Jamest, you don't seem to have a clue about what the government's role is in a modern democratic, capitalist mixed economy.
It's not to allow unfettered capitalism.
Capitalism is good at what it says on the tin: promoting the cause of capital. It's a wealth creator. That's its role in a mixed economy, and it does it well.
But wealth is not the only concern of a nation. And other concerns - particularly social capital and environmental capital - are what government exists to serve, either by regulation of capitalist activity to limit social or environmental harms, or direct service provision.
And that's what governments are doing in the pandemic: taking action to protect public health; providing monetary compensation for those whose livelihoods are impacted, and directing the justice system to curtail anti-social behaviour.
For once, they're doing their jobs, rather than trying to line the pockets of their corporate donors. It's little wonder that approval rates for most governments have gone up.