Category Archives: Politics – national

Histories of the Great Panic.

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Paul Frijters

How will Western historians in 2050 remember 2020? In scenario 1, “The Great Panic, a lost generation”, I sketch my best guess. Scenario 2, “A job well done” is the one I imagine many current Western governments hope is told. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Cultural Critique, Dance, Geeky Musings, Health, History, Humour, Innovation, Libertarian Musings, Life, Philosophy, Politics - international, Politics - national, Public and Private Goods, Social Policy, Society | 86 Comments

How others are organising the Covistance: ideas for those who want to help.

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Paul Frijters

How are we going to escape the authoritarian nightmare and regain our liberties and zest for life? This long read is written for organisers of new Covistance initiatives, explaining the logic of what others have done and what could further … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Death and taxes, Democracy, Geeky Musings, Health, Information, IT and Internet, Journalism, Law, Libertarian Musings, Media, Parenting, Politics - international, Politics - national, Science | 17 Comments

The legal battles of the Covistance. Have there been crimes against humanity?

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Ramesh Thakur is one of many commentators inside the Covistance who think government public health advisers have committed crimes against humanity. His anger was raised by reports of desperate parents in India selling their children into virtual slavery, including sexual … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Economics and public policy, Health, Law, Libertarian Musings, Politics - international, Politics - national, Science, Social, Society | 73 Comments

Canadian doctor Joffe MD on the negative effects of covid-19 responses

Posted on October 23, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Dr. Joffe just posted a new article on the many negative effects of lockdowns in Canada and in the world as a whole. He really has put in a fantastic effort to source the evidence on the negative effects of … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Death and taxes, Economics and public policy, Education, Health, Life, Medical, Politics - international, Politics - national, Social Policy, Society | Leave a comment

From Trump to eternity: The fate of the political arts in the modern world

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Nicholas Gruen

Published in and edited form in The Conversation. Martin Wolf has a crisp face-to-camera opinion piece in which he points out that populism in government hasn’t lined up neatly against relative success in keeping populations safe from COVID. Thus in … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Political theory, Politics - international, Politics - national, Sortition and citizens’ juries | 11 Comments

The gathering Covistance, its promise and its main enemies

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Those who already in March foretold the folly of lockdowns and social distancing did not dream we’d still be in the same place after 7 months. Only slowly has it dawned that the panic would become an enduring business model. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Cultural Critique, Dance, Death and taxes, Democracy, Geeky Musings, Health, History, Humour, Politics - national, Science | 33 Comments

Playacting government: Victoria’s COVID response

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Nicholas Gruen

Life in the West is increasingly reminding me of the old Soviet joke. “We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us”.   Herewith an email I received this morning. Nick I am going troppo about the Vic policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and public policy, Ethics, Health, Innovation, Politics - national | 5 Comments