Daily: “Democracy isn’t just about voting” – Politics in a Pandemic

COVID may have suspended parliamentary debate, but important decisions were still being taken behind the scenes. So how did we do politics during the pandemic, and how can we do better? Ros Taylor talks to Aveek Bhattacharya, chief economist of the Social Market Foundation, about co-editing his new book, Political Philosophy in a Pandemic, “zombie governments,” and whether COVID shaming is ever acceptable.

• “Even if you think you know the COVID guidelines, you might not know the rules around a particular case.”
• “We have a zombie government, but we have had no option to vote it out.”
• “Democracy isn't just about voting. It's about experience and debating.”
• “The rise in tuition fees is a tax on younger people.”
• “The boom has only benefitted those who got on the property market in time.”
• “We normally think of children as the most vulnerable. But COVID has shown that that isn't always the case.”
• “We haven't seen economies behave like this before, so we've have to take calculated risks.”

Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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