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Epidemic disease and the state: Is there a tradeoff between public health and liberty?

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  • Mark Koyama

    (George Mason Univeristy)

Abstract

This paper examines the political economy of epidemic disease. First, it outlines the incentive and information problems facing policymakers in responding to a new epidemic. Second, it considers the existence of a tradeoff between public health and freedom. Informed by a survey of the history of public health and an analysis of the response to Covid-19, it presents evidence that such a tradeoff can obtain in the short run but that, in the long run, the negative relationship is reversed and the trade-off disappears.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Koyama, 2023. "Epidemic disease and the state: Is there a tradeoff between public health and liberty?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 195(1), pages 145-167, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:195:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s11127-021-00944-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-021-00944-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Vincent Miozzi & Benjamin Powell, 2023. "The pre-pandemic political economy determinants of lockdown severity," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 197(1), pages 167-183, October.
    2. Lopolito, Antonio & Caferra, Rocco & Nigri, Andrea & Morone, Piergiuseppe, 2024. "An evaluation of the impact of mitigation policies on health and the economy by managing social distancing during outbreaks," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    3. Lindskog, Annika & Olsson, Ola, 2023. "Conditional Persistence? Historical Disease Exposure and Government Response to COVID-19," Working Papers in Economics 835, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics, revised 11 Dec 2024.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID19; Pandemics economic history; Liberalism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • E30 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)

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