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> Why should a democracy not be able the enforce a city-scale quarantine effectively? Because decision making here is less centralized. People have rights, and
by darawk 7y ago
> Why should a democracy not be able the enforce a city-scale quarantine effectively?
Because decision making here is less centralized. People have rights, and they will agitate about them. It's not clear where the governmental authority to quarantine an entire city would come from in say, the US. It might be constitutionally challenged, people would get mad and sue. None of that happens in China.
- gdubs 7y agoAccording to Wikipedia the authority comes from H.R. 5122 signed into law by G.W. Bush in 2006, which “gave the president the power to declare martial law and to take command of the National Guard units of each state without the consent of state governors.”
- holri 7y agoThat is why every nation has Emergency Provision Acts.