Neoliberalism and personal freedoms during COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 has put the global healthcare system under intense strain, and different healthcare systems have proven to be more effective than others. In particular, the neoliberal countries of the UK and the United States have proven to be the most vulnerable to a global pandemic, however the more socialist countries of Germany and New Zealand have fared much better. The authoritarian regimes of China and Vietnam have fared significantly better, though this has been at the expense of personal freedoms. This article will assess the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on personal freedoms and human rights by first mapping the impact of COVID-19 on human rights in authoritarian countries, such as China and Vietnam, then moving onto the Asia-Pacific region to examine the more liberal and democratic approaches of Taiwan and New Zealand. Finally, we will analyse the impact of coronavirus on European countries, in particular Germany, and then the United States. Broadly speaking, the least neoliberal countries in the world have come through the pandemic in better shape. The impact of neoliberalism on healthcare systems has resulted in a deterioration of healthcare services. Neoliberal restructuring has generally focused on profit rather than healthcare indicators. This neoliberal approach has had a det-rimental effect both on access to healthcare services and on the quality of what is affordable for many people.