Page 66 - COVID-19: The Great Reset

1.3.2. Social unrest

One of the most profound dangers facing the post-pandemic
era is social unrest. In some extreme cases, it could lead to
societal disintegration and political collapse. Countless studies,
articles and warnings have highlighting this particular risk, based
on the obvious observation that when people have no jobs, no

income and no prospects for a better life, they often resort to
violence. The following quote captures the essence of the
problem. It applies to the US, but its conclusions are valid for most

countries around the world:

Those who are left hopeless, jobless, and without assets
could easily turn against those who are better off. Already,
some 30% of Americans have zero or negative wealth. If
more people emerge from the current crisis with neither

money, nor jobs, nor access to health care, and if these
people become desperate and angry, such scenes as the
recent escape of prisoners in Italy or the looting that followed
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005 might become

commonplace. If governments have to resort to using
paramilitary or military forces to quell, for example, riots or
attacks on property, societies could begin to disintegrate. [60]

Well before the pandemic engulfed the world, social unrest

had been on the rise globally, so the risk is not new but has been
amplified by COVID-19. There are different ways to define what
constitutes social unrest but, over the past two years, more than
100 significant anti-government protests have taken place around

the world, [61] in rich and poor countries alike, from the yellow
vests’ riots in France to demonstrations against strongmen in
countries such as Bolivia, Iran and Sudan. Most (of the latter)
were suppressed by brutal crackdowns, and many went into

hibernation (like the global economy) when governments forced
their populations into lockdowns to contain the pandemic. But
after the interdiction to gather in groups and take to the streets is

lifted, it is hard to imagine that old grievances and temporarily
suppressed social disquiet will not erupt again, possibly with
renewed strength. In the post-pandemic era, the numbers of

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