The Years of Covid – Never let a crisis go to waste
It was frightening to see how values that I thought were mainly widely accepted (like the freedom of expressing one's opinion) were promptly discarded in the name of the war against Covid and how simplistic slogans were made up and propagated to prevent any form of discussion.
You have probably heard the saying "never let a serious crisis go to waste," which comes from a politician. The pandemic was the perfect example: governments using a perceived crisis to strip citizens of their fundamental rights and extend their power over them. At the same time, they dished out a tremendous amount of money to their affiliates, mostly in the form of overpriced tenders, under the guise of protecting the populace. And then pretend to cry on television when they can't control their laughter.
It is an opportunity an astute band of gangsters (sometimes also known as a government) can't miss, even beyond the direct possibilities of working closely with "Covid warfare" providers.
In Hungary, for example, restaurants, cafés, and bars could only make food and drinks for takeaway since November 2020 (the start of the 2nd wave). Similarly, hotels could only take guests on business trips. Since there was a similar prohibition in the spring, and given how little cash reserve most establishments have, many of them had to close shop or look for a buyer that can save them. And who gets cheap credit to buy these? Companies that have close ties with the oligarchy, that's who.
When there was finally a grand reopening, the restaurant business will flourish as people will rush to have their first beer in a pub, meal in a restaurant, or weekend trip abroad. Lo and behold: government regulations resulted in a transfer of wealth from those who might have worked decades to have a little something they can call their own to members of the political élite.
(Originally written on 18th April 2021)