New Books in Political Science Pandemic Power: The Covid Response and the Erosion of Democracy - A Liberal Critique
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Apr 12, 2025 Muriel Blaive, a socio-political historian specializing in post-communist Europe, joins for a deep dive into her latest book on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on democracy. She discusses how emergencies can erode democratic norms and suppress dissent, revealing parallels with past authoritarian regimes. Blaive critiques the role of liberal intellectuals in straying from their values, while highlighting the disparities caused by pandemic policies. The conversation is a call for critical debate and greater accountability in governance and media.
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Historian's Perspective on COVID-19
- Muriel Blaive's background in communist history gave her a unique perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic response.
- She recognized parallels between government actions during the pandemic and those of authoritarian regimes.
Parallels Between Pandemic and Authoritarianism
- Blaive was surprised that other historians of communism didn't see the parallels between pandemic measures and authoritarian tactics.
- She observed similar language use, public shaming, and the suppression of dissent.
Normalization of Social Control
- COVID-19 accelerated the normalization of social control mechanisms and public shaming for non-compliance.
- This makes societies more susceptible to similar reactions in future crises.
