Liberal Democracy: a democratic system of government in which individual rights and freedoms are officially recognized and protected, and the exercise of political power is limited by the rule of law.
Australia is supposed to be a liberal democracy and our state and federal government responses to covid have shown just how far our society has regressed from this.
The State of Emergency / Disaster legislation in place that centralises power the way we have seen over the last 12 months goes counter to what it means to be a liberal democracy.
Covid is dangerous, but it has been alarming to see a government that has not put together a burden of proof that covid is so dangerous to justify government interventionist policies, that has not put together a business case to look at the costs and benefits to society of different forms of lockdowns and restrictions, and that has not put together the moral case that supports taking away individual freedoms for the ‘greater good’; in a format that can be peer reviewed and publicly debated.
This would be step one in a liberal democracy. And we have skipped it.
So everyone talks under the presumption that covid is extremely dangerous and lockdowns are our only option and then play the blame game on who isn’t containing covid.
I don’t know if they are all in cahoots or are all drinking the same kool-aid, however our social institutions have let us down: government and mainstream media are pushing the narrative that lockdowns are our only option, social media and big tech are suppressing the counter-narrative, and the legal system and police are enforcing this narrative.
We are having the wrong conversation.
I think we need to be using the data we have over the last 12 months to define just how dangerous covid is, just how effective lockdowns and other restrictions are, and whether we want to live in a society that grants public ‘servants’ so much power over private citizens without due process.
If you have taken a glance at history, you will know the importance in protecting the freedom of the individual, and yet you are branded a conspiracy theorist or ‘covidiot’ if you fight for this. If you are hesitant about taking a vaccine that hasn’t yet completed clinical trials, then you are labelled as an ‘anti vaxxer.’ Above all, you are selfish and morally moribund.
I would respectfully disagree.
We have seen the radical being normalised while the normal radicalised.
With winter here and our government’s current response to covid, we are going to be on a continual or repeated lockdowns. The only way to stop this is through mass civil disobedience – like Uber disrupting taxi regulations.
Civilly disobedient citizens are my heroes as they are the frontline defenders of a liberal democracy, rallying against current and future oppressive governments.
Maybe what the government is doing is the right thing to do, but right now they have violated their duty of care to the citizens by failing to take appropriate due process first. They are messing with over 6 million lives without due process. Show some respect.
Let’s see their work peer reviewed and publicly debated; and let the citizens make up their own minds.
That would be a responsible, rational and moral government. Right now, it can only be the opposite and a terrible precedent is being set for future emergencies.
