Long before the chaotic scenes in the US capital this week, commentators had noted how the Covid-19 outbreak had exposed the fatal flaws in the populist wave of recent years.

In contrast to the likes of Angela Merkel in Germany or Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand, Donald Trump in the US, Boris Johnson in the UK and Brazil’s far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro had overseen catastrophic failures that had seen their countries emerge as world leaders both in terms of infections and deaths. Catchy slogans and misleading social media campaigns can win elections, but aren’t necessarily useful for governing. ..

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.