Category Archives: Social Policy

Are the covid lights going on in the States?

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Paul Frijters

An important rule in politics is that you adopt the best policies and slogans of your opponent only after you have destroyed that opponent. Till that moment you pretend he is the devil, but afterwards you re-label his best ideas … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Cultural Critique, Death and taxes, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Geeky Musings, Health, Humour, Politics - international, Social, Social Policy | 30 Comments

Historical analogies for the covid-mania

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Paul Frijters

“men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses more slowly, and one by one.” MacKay, 1841. Right now, London and much of Europe … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Cultural Critique, Death and taxes, Economics and public policy, Employment, History, Libertarian Musings, Political theory, Politics - international, Science, Social Policy, Uncategorized | 51 Comments

7 Questions and hypotheses for 2021

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Paul Frijters

2020 was certainly a roller coaster for a social scientist, full of surprises. Let me not once again bemoan the increasingly coordinated attack on all sources of vitality in Western civilisation, but look ahead and openly wonder about what 2021 … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Cultural Critique, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Humour, IT and Internet, Medical, Politics - international, Politics - national, Science, Social, Social Policy, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Which governments have been most restrictive?

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Guess which countries in Europe have had the lowest average restrictions on individual behaviour from March to December according to researchers at the Blavatnik school of government in Oxford? Guess which countries in the world have had the most or … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Death and taxes, Democracy, Politics - international, Science, Social Policy | 29 Comments

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 | 92 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

Is Sweden the promised land for sensible covid-policies? Reluctantly. 

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Sweden is a rich, spacious country famous for IKEA, ABBA, dark cold winters, and its unique covid-policies. We escaped London for a few days to see for ourselves what the deal was with this Scandinavian country of 10 million. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Dance, Death and taxes, Democracy, Employment, Health, Politics - international, Science, Social Policy | 77 Comments