Coronavirus: Our world is caught on the precipice between freedom and tyranny
We’re all caught up in watching news about the coronavirus pandemic that has suddenly befallen our planet. We try to remember what our lives were like before this and anticipate how they will be afterwards, all the while fearing that this situation may never end.
The deadly virus initially emerged in tyrannical China, which apparently succeeded in defeating it through various means, including its dictatorial security services, which monitor everything. For supporters of freedom in the world, this makes us deeply fear what is to come, pushing us to join hands to protect this planet from a disease much more dangerous than Covid-19: the virus of tyranny.
Data in doubt
China is trying to present itself as a “successful model” of handling the Covid-19 crisis, even as doubts have been raised over the accuracy of the data presented by Beijing on case numbers and fatalities. Not only that, but the brave doctor who initially warned of the coronavirus crisis was reprimanded by Chinese authorities.
If this pandemic had started in a democratic country, it would likely have been discovered earlier, rather than lingering for weeks or months as the disaster escalated, ultimately being exported to the whole world. While some believe that tyranny was the key to China’s success in containing the pandemic, this “containment” is actually an unproven assumption, while tyranny is the real reason for the spread of the virus.
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If we do not act now, these regimes will likely impose more authoritarian controls to silence the voices of those who speak on behalf of the people
At the same time, there is an overwhelming desire among governing elites and politicians in most countries - even “democratic” ones - to use the pandemic as an excuse to monitor and gain more control over their citizens, under the pretext of protecting public health.
There are calls to monitor everything and everyone; essentially, to treat humans like machines. Freedom-loving people around the globe should establish a unified front against this surveillance mindset, which has been getting increasingly brutal with time and will not subside even after this pandemic is over.
Weak healthcare spending
In addition to tyranny’s role in furthering the spread of Covid-19, the crisis has been exacerbated not by weak security measures, but by weak spending on public healthcare systems. The solution is not to give security services more power over people, but rather to redistribute public funds, cutting spending on weapons and wars, while boosting funding for healthcare and education.
More power should be given to society, whose priority will be to take care of people - not to satisfy politicians’ greed and ambition, which only results in more arms trade, conflict and unnecessary death.
Indeed, healthcare institutions should be owned by the people - not state ownership, but a type of popular ownership belonging to citizens. Imagine if free people around the world united in their efforts to make medical institutions free across borders, so that any human being could enjoy proper medical care anywhere in the world.
If we cannot build that type of solidarity in opposition to tyranny and dictatorship, it will become more likely that the world will soon witness a catastrophe even greater than the Covid-19 pandemic. This pandemic, while massive, will not change the balance of power in the world in one shot. Global superpowers will continue to insist on their supremacy.
Consequently, there will be no way to redraw the power boundaries other than through war, resulting in widespread death and displacement. It goes without saying that most of these victims will be from the Arab world, afflicted by oppressive rulers.
A united front
Nothing will stop this scenario from unfolding, except the formation of a united front of free people around the world, operating with a unified agenda to reject tyranny and the military-industrial complex, which starves our health, education and civil society systems.
Free people of the world must think beyond the coronavirus crisis, before we reach a point where the war drums are beating again and any talk about people’s rights is a violation of national security and a fragmentation of the home front.
Today, free people of the world can peacefully bring down governments and regimes that have been neglecting their citizens. This is a humanitarian duty to preserve public health, resist pandemics and prevent wars. Such noble goals are supported by the vast majority of the world’s population, especially after they have seen their money wasted on armies and palaces, while hospitals and schools are left in ruins.
If we do not act now, these regimes will likely impose more authoritarian controls to silence the voices of those who speak on behalf of the people.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
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