Introduction
Capitalism is a three-level system of governance consisting of an economic aspect, an administrative aspect, and a political aspect. It allows for the amassing of wealth by individual members of society or corporations without regard for those who cannot. The administrative phase of capitalism ensures that society is kept under control through the military, courts, and the police (Azmanova, 2020). The coronavirus pandemic has presented the world with a chance to examine the role of this system in governance and evaluate its hold in activities for better decisions in the future. The pandemic has ravaged the globe laying waste to human lives and civilizations. There has been a need for people to adapt differently and orient their lives in an unfamiliar way in their jobs, education, and activities in general. Everything has been redefined by the pandemic and capitalism, the prevailing governance solution, cannot lag behind. There is need to evaluate the positive gains presented by capitalism alongside its disastrous effects and how this has impacted the world’s ability to combat the pandemic.
Economy
The capitalist flow of goods and services across the world and the role of governments in this was a major setback in the fight against the pandemic. Many governments globally delayed closing their borders hence stopping the spread of the disease to their countries. Closing of borders and grounding of flights would make it difficult for these countries to import and export various goods and services hence jeopardizing various economies (Zanoni, 2020). The effect of this hesitation was the spread of COVID-19 to all countries globally and millions of deaths. Many people lost their lives in avoidable circumstances where governments would have disrupted the flow of goods to protect their people. Capitalism also necessitated that people continue going to work so that dependents could be well nourished. Interactions at the workplace were a major means of spreading the illness, and this led to the loss of many lives.
Medical Service
Inequality in the distribution of essential health requirements amongst countries and various individuals has been a glaring issue since the onset of the pandemic. Some countries were unable to access sufficient personal protective equipment for their healthcare workers since the start of the pandemic. This is while other countries could produce this equipment in large numbers, surpassing their need (Scambler, 2020). This is because capitalism advocates for amassing of wealth and political power regardless of who losses. The distribution of the vaccines that are hugely from western countries is also an issue. Some poverty-stricken countries have been unable to access them and protect their people (Robinson, 2020). The focus of capitalism is mainly a few affluent members of the society or nations with massive resources at their disposal while others languish in varying degrees of poverty.
Education
Capitalism has a tight grip on education and the educational system as they are tailored to fit the capitalist job requirements. The workers produced by this system have to acquire the skills necessary to serve in the various capitalist-led industries that are profit oriented. The pandemic interfered with education all over the world with schools and universities rapidly closing to combat the spread of the pandemic. In some countries, students were unable to report back in school or progress with their education during that period and their lives stagnated (Gurukkal, 2020). Educational leadership is also aligned to capitalism and only students who could afford alternative means of learning such as remote learning that occurred online could progress with their studies. The majority in many poor countries were left deprived of education which is a human need and child right. Should the capitalist system progress as the governance model, education will continue being sold to the highest bidder, and capitalism is, therefore, inappropriate.
Importance of Capitalism in Governance and Recovery
Despite all the negativity followed by all the inequality that capitalism advocates for, there are positives to the use of this system. Capitalism has been the prevailing ideology for many decades now and become an integral part of how the world operates. Other ideologies became defunct in the course of the development of human principles (Sell, 2020). The economic recovery of the world post-pandemic is hugely dependent on preexisting normal status before the pandemic. These normal factors of life include capitalism that dictated how many aspects of the world economy and governance were run. Aspects such as job recovery, economic stability, and healthcare insurance are likely to be guaranteed if the world embraces the positive aspects of capitalism. This includes enshrining hard work, determination, and wealth accumulation amongst the people to ensure financial security and health.
Conclusion
In conclusion, capitalism bears its mark on all global operations and has been a massive player during the coronavirus pandemic. It has caused discrepancies in how various nations have handled the pandemic, including the distribution of personal protective equipment and vaccines. The pandemic has revealed preexisting capitalist differences in living standards necessitated by the need to work to live. The differences in job and health insurance for most people ensure they cannot guarantee their health in the face of adversity. Despite all the negative associations of this ideology, it bears an immense hold on the world and is the best alternative for quick recovery. There is a need for world supply and business systems to regain their former efficiency, and capitalism provides a perfect foundation for this to occur. Capitalism must be reexamined and solutions sought for its negative aspects while its strengths are reinforced.
References
Azmanova, A. (2020). Viral insurgencies: Can capitalism survive COVID?Theory & Event, 23(5), S–87.
Robinson, W. I. (2020). Global capitalism post-pandemic. Race & Class, 62(2), 3–13.
Gurukkal, R. (2020). Will COVID 19 turn higher education into another mode?Higher Education for the Future, 7(2), 89–96.
Scambler, G. (2020). Covid-19 as a “breaching experiment”: exposing the fractured society. Health Sociology Review, 29(2), 140–148.
Sell, S. K. (2020). What COVID-19 reveals about twenty-first century capitalism: Adversity and opportunity.Development, 63.
Zanoni, P. (2020). Whither critical management and organization studies? For a performative critique of capitalist flows in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic.Journal of Management Studies, 58(2), 577–581.