One thing the pandemic has made abundantly clear is that left-wing media values ‘public health’ (i.e., safetyism) more than civil liberties. Here in Britain, the Guardian editorialised in favour of both the first and second lockdowns, claiming that citizens are “willing to cede their liberties” once the state “takes responsibility”.
However, that newspaper appears to be in denial about its actual priorities. Back in December, it published an article with the rather strange title “Eastern European countries adopting authoritarian measures in face of Covid”.
Why strange? Well, a more accurate title – you’d have thought – would be: ‘Countries adopting authoritarian measures in face of Covid’ (not just Eastern European ones). The article goes on to claim that five of 18 countries in Eastern Europe have seen “major violations” of democratic freedoms, compared to none in Western Europe.
That seems odd. Didn’t every Western European country other than Sweden have a lockdown that involved forced closures of schools and businesses, and in some cases mandatory stay-at-home orders too? They may have done, but lockdowns apparently don’t count as “democratic violations”.
The Guardian included a map showing the distribution of “democratic violations” across Europe (see below). It features the truly remarkable statement: “Belgium was the only western country where people’s freedoms were moderately violated.”
And note that, according to the map, democratic freedoms were violated more in Sweden than in Austria – which had two protracted lockdowns with months of stay-at-home orders, and even considered mandatory vaccination.
In case you’re wondering what Belgium did to earn its status as the “the only western country where people’s freedoms were moderately violated”, we’re told that it “recorded ethnic profiling during the pandemic… with abusive police practices disproportionately affecting minority ethnic communities”.
The data on which the Guardian’s pronouncements were based come from the V-Dem Institute’s “Pandemic Backsliding Project”. They were compiled by a team of researchers who coded “official government sources, academic databases, trusted inter-governmental, state or independent organisations and trusted media outlets”.
And while those researchers may have done their coding in a systematic way, any attempt to quantify “violations of democratic freedoms” that ignores lockdown itself ought to be treated with suspicion. After all, there’s a good argument to be made that lockdown was illegal – both here and elsewhere.
As the estimable Lord Sumption has noted: “Liberal democracy breaks down when frightened majorities demand mass coercion of their fellow citizens.”
Discussion
Comments
This week across the site:
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to the Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
The guardian is MSM. Why would anyone quote any nonsense that comes from MSM? Haven’t the last two years of misinformation been enough for you. Please stop reading or listening to MSM until they begin to report with integrity and honesty. That has not happened yet. There are so many social platforms to choose from with some outstanding data, information, honesty and integrity.
Very true. It is MSM, and no longer anything to do with ‘news’. It is simply a narrative. Yet, I am constantly derided for not listening to, watching or reading the ‘news’.
This is satire, right?
Reminds me of how starting in February 2021, the Oxford Stringency Index was arbitrarily, retroactively, and surreptitiously gamed just for no-lockdown Sweden to look far more stringent than they actually were, and seemingly about as strict as the UK or stricter (that’s rich!). Why? Most likely to make the UK look not so bad despite it’s far worse performance in terms of both death rates and economic damage relative to Sweden.
Interestingly, Belarus, who had even fewer restrictions than Sweden and basically ignored the pandemic for the most part, is listed as “major violations”. That’s rich. While they probably did indeed have major violations, since they have been an authoritarian regime ever since they became independent in 1994 (and before that in the Soviet Union), it is unlikely than any of these violations had anything to do with the pandemic, and more like “business as usual” for Belarus.
France is a prison state. It stops its residents leaving. The Guardian is a worthless rag.
Various doctors say families of loved ones hospitalized with covid19 are resorting to desperate measures when approved treatments(slow death protocols) have failed. When it’s not too late, some have seen tremendous success by sneaking Ivermectin medication prohibited by hospitals to patients. It is really sad situation what has our country become. You can get your ivm by visiting https://ivmpharmacy.com
…whilst DS supports the mainstream BS that there was a pandemic over the last two years.
guardian thinks fantasy and reality are the same thing.
some citizens – “but we saw the violations with our own eyes”
guardian – “no you didn’t, you have covid brain”
This tells us what the Guyardian thinks of as democratic. Doing what bureaucrats (“scientists”) say and the Guardian approves – that is democracy for them. Freedom – forget it.
All you really need to know about this is who funds The Guardian. Now, tell me again why we are starting a war with none other than Russia over Eastern Europe and the Left are saying next to nothing?
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2020/09/inv017377
Alas, the “violation of democratic values” has only just begun.
I recently watched a compelling video by Dr. Michael Yeaden, former chief scientist with Pfizer, who outlines what the Powers that Be are trying to achieve with this pandemic “crisis.”
One thing that struck me is Yeaden’s acknowledgment that his thoughts and warnings won’t make any difference. Due to censorship and the massive groupthink that “protects the authorized narrative,” he knows his view is not going to resonate with enough people to expose these crimes and frauds.
This leaves those who strongly sense what is happening with the greatest feeling of impotence and powerlessness. What’s worse than knowing a massive crime is being committed and knowing that nobody (who matters) cares or is going to do anything to prosecute or expose the guilty?
Here’s my summary of a few points Dr. Yeaden made in one of his video presentations. (He thinks the ultimate agenda is the digital currency and “social credit” surveillance systems).
– The Purpose is complete totalitarian control. This will give the State complete control over everything you do. This will be “the end of human freedoms.”
– The M.O. of the PTB: Frighten everyone to death and… Read more »
Independent journalist Corey Lynn has an excellent website (where I found Dr. Yeaden’s video).
At the bottom of this link, she lists 22 ways to “stop Vaccine ID passports.”
Of all things, she starts off talking about rabies vaccines, but, after reading this dispatch, I see that this topic is perhaps germane to what’s happening in the world today.
https://www.coreysdigs.com/health-science/22-ways-to-stop-vaccine-id-passports-in-2022-and-why-we-must/
Yup we shouldn’t worry about “evil Putin” too much, with our own government the way it is.
Nice distraction though. Amazing when you consider what the great PM in Canada has been up to.
It’s typical of the Left today. They say nothing about abuse of power unless it suits them. Tony Benn would never have stood for what has happened in the last two years. I never agreed with his politics, Socialism is a pile of nasty smelly stuff, but he stood for what is right. Lying is not right and that is largely what “Media” do today.
I think a lot of politicians from Benn’s time were genuine- even if I disagreed with most of them. They had character and a stature that no-one today seems to possess.
Please define ‘left-wing’. I’ve hardly changed my views in 45 years but those a generation or more younger do seem to yearn for an authoritarianism which I find repugnant.
There was a time when probably more libertarians were ‘left-wing’ than ‘right-wing’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-libertarianism
Thatcher was regarded as an authoritarian figure. On everything except the economy, she was.
In short, unless words are clearly defined, mostly no-one understands what the hell anyone else is talking about. This makes such debate a waste of time and effort.
Personally, when I see a lying, Guardian-type ostrich with its stupid head (likely covered with some face rag) stuck in the sand, I itch to shoot it in the backside.
Every country in Western Europe, except perhaps for Sweden, hasn’t hesitated to exercise assorted forms of repression, oppression, coercion and terrorism. The Guardian is just cretinism personified.
Without 100 percent (okay, maybe 99.9 percent) of the corporate press helping create and then perpetuate the “sky is falling” narrative, none of what’s happened – and is still happening – could have happened. Of all the “captured” professions and institutions, the capture of the “watchdog” press corp is the most ominous for the future of civilization.
Who is ever going to expose great scandals or “crimes against humanity?” We know the government isn’t going to expose or convict itself …. which leaves us with a few contrarian sites (like this one) and a network of Sustack independent journalists … who have been easily pushed into a tiny corner with no real “reach.”
Where are the “fact checkers” when they’re needed?
Who “fact checks” the (authorized) “fact checkers?”
Answer: Actually a lot of people and organizations. It’s just that hardly anyone sees these fact checks.
The Grauniad – ‘nuff said.
Earth calling. Earth calling.
This whitewashing of the tyranny of the last 2 years is dreadful. I just can’t believe it’s happening. What about the rubber bullets that the police used to shoot at protestors in Holland? Forced vaccinations of careworkers? Elderly people in care homes dying alone? WTF Guardian?
Radiation used in Australia, including injuring kids.
As plain as plain could be.
This is “disinformation” to use their vernacular.
To anyone who has half a brain, it’s shit – and they know it is.
They should be in jail e.g. for encouraging/mandating the taking of a poison/noxious substance, S. 23 and 24 Offences against the person Act 1861.
To think that over 18 months ago I was banned from their comments section for spreading disinformation about the covid scam/lies.
Apparently too many people objected – to me suggesting they used what was left of their brains and think critically about covid “The Science”.
Because for socialists if everyone is EQUALLY enslaved, it’s not slavery.
“Austria – which had two protracted lockdowns with months of stay-at-home orders, and even considered mandatory vaccination.”
They also have a lockdown for the unvaccinated, the Youtube UnHeard interviewed those who hadn’t had the jab along with attitudes from the public. The response was chilling considering their living history.
Just don’t ever read the guardian.
it would be amusing to replay some of the comments back to the commenters and see if they still believe the bile they come out with?
I have a flying pig to sell them.
German court rules that security services can spy on a legitimate political party represented in the Bundestag. https://www.rt.com/news/551543-alternative-for-germany-court-spy/
All part of the general descent into totalitarianism in the US sphere, as the ruling elites struggle to contain populist dissent.
Mainstream media journo caught admitting to lies about the January 6th “insurrection” that the Trump-deranged Dems and their media shills have been going on about endlessly (and numerous political detainees have been confined over).
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/nyt-reporter-says-ton-fbi-informants-were-j6-calls-traumatized-fellow-journos-biches
What populist dissent? There doesn’t seem to be much of a’ struggle.’- more of a ‘cave-in’.
In Germany, mostly the “far rjght”. In the US, Trump Republicans. Here, the politically unrepresented dissenters from the elite woke bipartisan consensus.
In general you can tell who the genuine populists are by the way they are targeted for demonisation and suppression by the regime and by the political elite.
In Germany, you’re either green or a post-communist or far right to varying degrees. The term has absolutely no meaning beyond political position the self-appointed progressive establishment really dislikes. It’s equally applied to actual Neonazis, people who want any controls on immigration, environmental activists opposed to wind turbines and people who don’t think Corona vaccines are mandkind’s greatest invention so far and thus, everybody must have as many of them as possible.
“green or a post-communist or far right to varying degrees. The term has absolutely no meaning beyond political position to self-appointed progressive establishment really dislikes.”
Yes, that’s pretty much what I was getting at. “Far right” are the populists basically, some of who are actually meaningfully “far right” in the old sense, and many who are not but are nevertheless outside the window of acceptability. Greens and post-communists are not deplorable in the same sense, as far as I can tell.
Practical example: Someone who believes that asylum seekers should not be accepted automatically and that rejection of a claim should ultimatively lead to deportation would be considered unspeakably far-right, IOW, clearly a Nazi or at least indistinguishably close to one, by most, if not all[*], of the members of at least two of the parties in the current ruling coalition (SPD and Greens).
[*] whoever might think in this way would be well-advised to keep these opinions to himself to avoid endangering his political career.
“Someone who believes that asylum seekers should not be accepted automatically and that rejection of a claim should ultimatively lead to deportation would be considered unspeakably far-right, IOW, clearly a Nazi or at least indistinguishably close to one…“
That would be me, but I’m certainly not a Nazi. I use that term quite specifically, usually (which is why I’m quite careful about using it in relation to Ukrainian nationalists generally).
“.…by most, if not all[*], of the members of at least two of the parties in the current ruling coalition (SPD and Greens).”
Indeed. But such people are generally dishonest, delusional and/or corrupt anyway.
Hitler is …………… (please see attachment).
I’ve had so many argument with young people over the last few years when they call everyone to the right of Corbyn a ‘Nazi’. I’m often called one when I say I’m a Libertarian. Just trying to point out that they were socialists seems to cause something to fuse in their brains- they simply will not accept it or even think about it. That’s history completely re-written.
That’s the usual confusion with German words and 19th century history. Originally, the socialists where people who formed social clubs for workers. That’s why they called them themselves socialists (Sozialisten). The idea behind that was to improve the circumstances of their lives through self-improvement, ie, self-educiation and collective action. Ultimatively, these fused into a political party called SPD (social-democratic party). At some point in time, the SPD pro forma approved Marxism, an independent, theoretical development of German emigrants living in England, as their official ideology despite – as historical events would show – they never really meant that, ie, they had a lot of revolutionary rethoric but didn’t want a revolution or at least not the kind of revolution which was to take place in Russia.
Hitler encountered the formerly socialist marxists during a time when he was a construction worker in Vienna which ultimatively ended with him being driven out of this trade due to his unwillingness to conform to this party line (which he considered part of the Jewish conspiracy to destroy [European] civilization). While being opposed to this ideology, he nevertheless realized that the circumstances of factory workers were bad and desparately needed improvement if those worker… Read more »
It is the German courts that are no longer ‘Legitimate’ -what happened to the of rights guaranteed by the Grund Gesetz they are supposed to defend?.
Red Green Fascism is now the liedmotiv of this “Neues Deutschland” So how could there be any “Alternative” allowed – never mind one for “Deutschland”
In fact, isn’t the name “Deutschland” itself nationalistic, racist and sexist … full of Nazi connotations ..how about renaming it ‘Menschland’ …or could that also be full of ‘racist’ undertones ( über or unter?)?
“Mitteleuropa” has old connotations of expansionism – so perhaps settle for “Mitteleuropäischeunion” and abolish “Germany” altogether?
Would that please the Red-Green Loons and the Courts?
There’s actually a movement in the German Green Party which seeks to strip the word Germany/ Deutschland out of anything the party publishes.
A friend of mine has a t-shirt that reads thus:
The Guardian
Wrong about everything.
Democratic Values and Human Rights are what the state graciously give you according to the Left
Democratic Values and Human Rights are what every individual has and will will fight to prevent the state taking them away
Its a simple case of the Left redefining what they mean to fit their beliefs. Theyre wrong of course – you cant redefine them – but thats what they do. If you cant give an honest answer to a question, then change the question until you can give the answer you want to!
Absurd and derisory but we me must be used to it by now arent we.
Sad that the Guardian is now no better than the inversion of the ‘Völkischer Beobachter ‘- what a fall from integrity!
I wonder what C. P, Scott would think?
The current rag does not deserve its title.
Its so far from its working class roots in Manchester.
I see our new government at the WHO are becoming quite adept at rewriting the English dictionary. Fortunately, the Groan is on hand to explain all.
And rewriting the definition of a ‘pandemic’….They needed to get that in order to have the excuse to carry out what they did.
I took it for granted that people on here would make that connection.
It’s the Guardian!
Quis custodiet?!
This must be one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. No violations at all in Austria, where bodily autonomy was violated by the state under the threat of financial ruin and imprisonment? Are these people insane? Or just liars?
Liars employing the insane, would be my guess.
Just Liars.
Likely criminally insane.
Yet another bunch of people trying to rewrite history rather than admit they were wrong.
Story of the Deranged Extreme Left for over a century
It can’t be long before they start blaming it all on Thatcher.
They can’t admit they were wrong. If they acknowledge all the misery and unnecessary deaths these policies really created – and they have any kind of conscience – they would have a mental breakdown.
In short, they literally “can’t handle the truth.”
…they would have a mental breakdown.
And hopefully spend the rest of their lives in prison.
Look, just because the Guardian employees the mentally subnormal and psychologically affected doesn’t mean you have to publicise their cretinous rubbish, does it?
The following democratic freedoms were violated everywhere:
Basically, the Coronavirus Act was a violation of democratic rights. It allowed Government by fiat without a referendum of the people to give it legitimacy.
The Guardian should now be put in the children’s fiction section of every public library.
I agree, but most of it was done under the Public Health Act 1984, which unless it is amended will remain and things can happen again and again.
The Guardian should now be put in the children’s fiction section of every public library.
Where Uncle Bill can read them a fairy story.
Whilst broadly agreeing, the last place I’d put the Grauniad is anywhere some child might pick it up and read it.
Roll it up, shove up the ars@s of its journalists and owners, set fire to it.
Nearly the same argument as BF Finlayson, above. I see your point, but, as I said to him (Finlayson), some of us are fascinated by Guardian weirdness, which we wouldn’t be able to enjoy if it weren’t reproduced in places like this. And I assure you there’s no danger of my being influenced in the Guardian’s favour! Good grief! Again, reproducing leftist lies here is perfectly reasonable.
More smug superiority and actually racist thought processes from “liberals”.