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      • Afghanistan
      • American Samoa
      • Armenia
      • Australia
      • Azerbaijan
      • Bahrain
      • Bangladesh
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • Central Asia
      • China
      • Cook Islands

      • Cyprus
      • East Asia
      • East Timor
      • Fiji
      • French Polynesia
      • Georgia
      • Guam
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      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kiribati
      • Kuwait
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Laos
      • Lebanon
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Maldives
      • Marshall Islands
      • Micronesia
      • Mongolia
    • Column Three
      • Myanmar
      • Nauru
      • Nepal
      • New Caledonia
      • New Zealand
      • Niue
      • North Korea
      • Northern Marianas
      • Oceania
      • Oman
      • Pakistan
      • Palau
      • Palestine
      • Papua New Guinea
      • Philippines
      • Qatar
      • Samoa
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • Solomon Islands
    • Column Four
      • South Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Tajikistan
      • Thailand
      • Tibet
      • Tokelau
      • Tonga
      • Turkey
      • Turkmenistan
      • Tuvalu
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Uzbekistan
      • Vanuatu
      • Vietnam
      • Wallis and Futuna
      • West Asia
      • Yemen
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Asia In-Depth Podcast: Are Democracies Handling COVID-19 Better Than Authoritarian Countries?

June 11th, 2020
Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (C), seen wearing a face mask amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic alongside soldiers and officials, poses for a photograph during her visit to a military base in Tainan, southern Taiwan, on April 9, 2020. 


Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images

asiasociety · Are Democracies Handling COVID-19 Better Than Authoritarian Countries?

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The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments around the world to manage a huge public health risk using lockdowns, travel bans, digital contact tracing, and other tools. Some countries have been shining examples of how the outbreak was successfully managed — while others are the target of widespread criticism. This has sparked a public discussion about whether certain kinds of governments have been more effective; can one make the case that democratic or authoritarian governments are better equipped to deal with COVID-19? 

That was the subject for this episode of Asia In-Depth, featuring Fareed Zakaria, author and host of the CNN show Fareed Zakaria GPS, and Asia Society Policy Institute President and former Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd. Zakaria and Rudd also discussed the murder of George Floyd — and the worldwide protests that have followed.

 

asia society podcasts
asia in-depth
fareed zakaria
kevin rudd
current affairs
covid-19
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coronavirus

About the Author

Profile picture for user Michelle FlorCruz

Michelle FlorCruz is a Content Producer at Asia Society. She was previously a reporter for IBTimes.com, focusing on stories relating to business and culture in China and other areas of Asia.

 @mflorcruz
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