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Why were the UK and USA unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic? The systemic weaknesses of neoliberalism: a comparison between the UK, USA, Germany, and South Korea.

Authors :
Mellish, Timothy I.
Luzmore, Natalie J.
Shahbaz, Ahmed Ashfaque
Source :
Journal of Global Faultlines; Jun-Aug2020, Vol. 7 Issue 1, p9-45, 37p
Publication Year :
2020

Abstract

Pandemics historically have killed as many people as the wars that have beset this world, yet the resources committed to pandemic prevention and response are a fraction of the resources we commit to security. This paper examines the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 by analysing the preparedness and responses of the UK, the USA, Germany, and South Korea. We will evidence that the UK and USA lacked the levels of preparedness that global health reports indicated, and that their responses were diametrically opposite of those of Germany and South Korea. We argue that decades of deregulation and privatization due to neoliberal, free-market economics by the UK and USA led to the Great Recession of 2008. This, in turn, led to economic collapse and austerity (increased neoliberalism), which negatively impacted investment in healthcare in the UK and USA. This resulted in very different levels of preparedness and responses by the four countries under the microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
23977825
Volume :
7
Issue :
1
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Journal of Global Faultlines
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
146389707
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.13169/jglobfaul.7.1.0009