Comment by rococode | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rococode | Hacker News Reader

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Just my opinion, of course, but I guess one very simple way I think about it is, a government that expends a lot of effort controlling its people even in normal times is naturally better equipped to do so than a government that generally encourages individualism and freedom among its population.

For example, North Korea reportedly executed a guy for breaking quarantine [1]. China may not be nearly as extreme, but the government is similarly domineering. If your choice is "be quarantined or be disappeared" then you shut up and stay home. But "be disappeared" is not the alternative in many Western countries. Again, just my totally uninformed opinion as a coder sittin' at home. In any case it'll certainly be interesting to see how it turns out.

[1] https://nypost.com/2020/02/13/north-korean-official-reported...

I believe you miss some crucial information in your argument. An administration which controls tightly a population must appear to be correct. The administration must make the perception its plans are infallible.

It is the perception that the administration’s plans and officials are infallible that it is after. Not the actual actions.

An administration which can confront when its officials can do wrong, which can act on errors instead of hiding them can do well. The perception of its actions take effort and steps to explain.

The reference on such institutions is outside the scope of the current comment. When I started writing, I realised it has to be a very long.

But my opinion is that democratic countries will do well. We might hear more, but their problems will be less. I used to live in an authoritative nation, so there is a difference between the information and the common communication on problems.

Check Hayeks’ writings to see how such communication becomes controlled by marketing ‘authoritative plans’

That is just power fantasy. Do you have any evidence that shooting people for breaking quarantine has effect? I think it just causes people to avoid doctors if they experience symptoms. People do not want to "disappear" into quarantine. I lived under authoritative government and know how it works.

Initial situation was made much worse because China policed their doctors.

Also I do not think that China actually shoots people. It shutdown transport and pumps money into economy. Other states could do that as well.

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