Democracies reacted slower than autocracies to the specter of the pandemic, and the most solidly democratic among them were particularly slow to react. We examine at which stages of the spread of the COVID governments introduced four measures that to varying degree abrogate liberal rights:...

This paper provides the 3rd quarter update to an earlier analysis of the record on the first six months of the U.S. public policy response to the COVID-19 epidemic, The conclusion remains crystal clear:The U.S. had one of the worst policy responses to the pandemic in the world, certainly among...

The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic has caused unprecedented chaos throughout the global community. It has wrought havoc on people’s lives and health and has continued to dangerously threaten peoples’ wellbeing. It has ruined the economy of nations worldwide. One of the most visible responses that...

We expect effective state institutions to matter in a country's ability to respond to crises. Yet notably in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, what has stood out in simple global snapshots is that wealthier countries with stronger institutions have had the highest numbers of cases and...

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has a severe impact on societies, economies and labor markets. However, not all countries, socio-economic groups and sectors within all countries are equally affected. Part of this difference can be related to the different role and extent of short-time work,...

Rules-based trade is under attack and the WTO is at risk of marginalization. The COVID-19 pan-demic and its detrimental effects on public health, global supply- and value chains and industrial production, have brought back national export restrictions and stopped the free flow of goods and...

Culture can be a powerful driver for development, with broad social, economic and environmental impacts. UNESCO acknowledged the role of culture as an enabler and a driver of sustainable development. There are undisputable effects of culture on community building, social cohesion and empowering...

With rising spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has become involved in decision-making in areas where it has held back for years. In the case of housing the state's role has declined sharply since 1989, and the expectation that housing is the private responsibility of each...

This article evaluates the Philippine government’s science-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the field of administrative rulemaking. Specifically, it evaluates the effectiveness of the Motorcycle Pillion Shield Regulation (MPSR) to implement social distancing and prevent...