But what happened to European countries, among the most advanced on the planet, to sink into health anxiety and take decisions causing irreparable damage to their economies and restricting freedoms to such an extent?
It is now the reign of fear.
Fear and reluctance of citizens who want to be protected from everything;
terror and hesitation of very poor rulers, anxious to act and to show it;
failure of science to give an immediate response to the appearance of an unknown virus.
The spiral of fear has prompted everyone to demand, prescribe and implement exceptional coercive measures that until now were believed to be reserved for totalitarian regimes.
We are witnessing a particularly disturbing surreptitious shift, which is moving us away from the rule of law.
To read also:
Nicolas Baverez - François Lenglet: who will foot the bill for the crisis?
The extreme sensitivity of European societies to any danger that this reveals foreshadows many disappointments in the face of the challenges to come.
Imagine for a moment what would be
This article is for subscribers only.
You have 80% left to discover.
Subscribe: 1 € the first month
Can be canceled at any time
Enter your email
Already subscribed?
Log in