Never as in the past few weeks has the Chinese economy registered such an increase in growth rates. Data show an expected growth of about 1% in this annus horribilis of 2020. Nothing like the past years’ growth rates, but growth still, especially in the face of a serious global recession.
In the post-lockdown recovery phase, China has surely benefitted from its vital role as a “global supply chain ”. Is it all there is to this? Absolutely not, there are more reasons, starting from the astounding number of investments in infrastructures and other industries.
The strict scheme for thoroughly managing the post-lockdown restart has made Chinese consumers somewhat more confident, hence an upswing in consumption itself, which is crucial to the economic growth.
No doubt that this strict scheme, starting from monitoring and tracking everyone’s positions and habits, has managed to prevent any attempt of the epidemic to come back, and has thus avoided measures even stricter than denying democratic freedoms.
If we compare this to our management, the current confusion might not be able to contain a second wave, and gives elements to reflect upon.
Is the virus actually so dangerous?
If so, why did we allow gatherings in the summer? Why do we allow football players to hug to celebrate goals, then have them seat in the stands at a 10-meter distance from each other, wearing masks?
Why are quarantining people from Liguria, but letting people from Lombardy who attended the Salone Nautico in Genoa over the weekend into Switzerland?
Why are we closing bars at 11pm – is the virus more aggressive after that?
It all looks half bizarre, half reckless to me.
I do not have any sound base to deny that the virus is dangerous, nor to think that this is all to take advantage of the situation and establish an imperialistic supremacy.
The only certain data is that China is surviving these distressing times better than anyone else. Is this a prelude to the promotion and exportation of a “winning” management model – however totalitarian – in a world where chaos is currently prevailing?
It might be premature to predict such an event, but I believe that all worrying factors are already on the table.
It would be grotesque, if not dramatic or lethal, to imagine that a virus that exploded in a non-democratic country, and spread to democratic ones, will cause democracy to die, and communist totalitarianism to triumph.
Luigi Lauro
