JEFFREY A. TUCKER---AFTER COVID---TWELVE CHALLENGES FOR A SHATTERED WORLD

Three years ago, in the depths of lockdowns, it became obvious that we desperately needed a new citizen movement with a different focus. Prevailing ideological forms were simply not adapted to the enormous exogenous shock to the system that lockdowns implied. It was unexpected, especially under the guise of public health.

Every essential freedom was under attack. And so I suggested a response:

This movement, whether it is called anti-lockdown or just plain liberalism, must reject the wickedness and compulsion of this current moment in American life. It needs to counter the brutalism of lockdowns. It needs to speak and act with humane understanding and high regard for social functioning under freedom, and the hope for the future that comes with it. The enemies of freedom and human rights have revealed themselves for the world to see. Let there be justice. The well-being of us all is at stake.

And such a movement did in fact form. It has been broad. It has transcended the ideological and class entrenchments of the past. It grew in sophistication and strategy over time. The resistance became international. It fought its way out of censorship and shaming. The fields of battle have been varied and comprehensive, from the scientific journals to journalism to hard-core revolts on the street such as the truckers’ protest.

The results have been impressive. Vaccine mandates and passports have been beaten back. The right of international travel has been restored. Emergency declarations have been allowed to expire (even if the powers are still in place). We are back to pretending that the people and not the Faucis of the world are in charge.

There has been no justice, however. No question that the officials who did this to us are on the ropes. Many have resigned. Others are hiding. Rare is the public figure today who is willing to own what happened. And these days, hardly anyone defends the claim that the despotic response achieved anything in terms of public health. MORE AT After Covid: Twelve Challenges for a Shattered World  ⋆ Brownstone Institute