Just as the wildfires raging across the West Coast in September jolted our attention to the realities of climate change, the economic downfall and health disaster caused by Covid-19 are forcing us to reckon with longstanding problems in capitalism. Even before the pandemic caused millions to lose their jobs, workers were struggling with the precariousness of work caused by the rise of the gig economy and the deterioration of their bargaining power. An era of deregulation has allowed businesses to pursue short-term returns, leading to disasters like the 2008 financial crisis. Governments can use the Covid-19 crisis to address flaws in our systems and structures. The race for a vaccine is a good place to start.

Source: International New York Times October 08, 2020 09:56 UTC