I had the great pleasure this afternoon of “seeing” my dear friend and Econlib contributor Alberto Mingardi. In Milan, Mingardi has been under lockdown and witnessing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic longer than most of us.
He says Italians are currently experiencing the greatest restriction in their personal liberty EVER, including under fascism. This is a claim that admittedly shocked me, even having been in conversation with Alberto all along.
We talked about “essential” businesses, the “disease of public opinion” which may be as dangerous as the virus itself, the greatest challenges government will face as the economy re-opens, and what the future may hold for the Italian economy. I hope you enjoy the conversation:
READER COMMENTS
Peter
Apr 21 2020 at 2:48pm
Good episode but one minor quip, not sure I believe most of this was “Unintended”. As the saying goes, let no good crisis go to waste.
Amy Willis
Apr 21 2020 at 4:09pm
Fair point… though Alberto does he he doesn’t think the Italian government has or had a plan to use the pandemic to transform itself into a dictatorship. Still, the phrase struck me, too.
Thomas Hutcheson
Apr 22 2020 at 8:54am
Those of us who do not like authoritarianism, or even just garden-variety inefficiency, need to be prepared to come forward with non authoritarian/efficient responses to problems. That is or ought to be one meaning of “state capacity” Libertarianism.
Amy Willis
Apr 22 2020 at 9:02am
I think that’s a totally valid point. “State capacity” theory (somewhat) aside, what are some suggestions you think we should put forward with regard to COVID-19?
Thomas Hutcheson
Apr 24 2020 at 11:19am
I have in mind things like advocating regulation according to cost benefit analysis instead of just opposing “regulation,” advocating a higher EITC/Child tax credit rather than just opposing higher minimum wages, taxes on net CO2 emissions instead of just pointing out the inefficiencies of subsidizing favored technologies or expressing skepticism about climate change “alarmism.” Specifically in the pandemic case, regulate how firms can operate, rather than close/re-open classes of firms.
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