The Thing That Determines a Country’s Resistance to
the Coronavirus
Noted political scientist Francis Fukuyama observes:
“It is a popular misconception that liberal
democracies necessarily have weak governments because they have to respect
popular choice and legal procedure. All modern governments
have developed a powerful executive branch, because no society can survive
without one. They need a strong, effective, modern state that can concentrate
and deploy power when necessary to protect the community, keep public order,
and provide essential public services.
What distinguishes a liberal democracy from an
authoritarian regime is that it balances state power with
institutions of constraint—that is, the rule of law, and democratic
accountability. The exact point of balance between the principal institution of
power, the executive branch, and the primary constraining institutions (the
courts and legislature) differs from one democracy to another, and also differs
over time”.