ABSTRACT
Aside from the enduring problems considered in the previous chapter, we can see some long-term historical improvements in government, for example: the international outlawing of mass atrocities and slavery, the constraining of the arbitrary will of rulers, the subjection of rule-makers to the written rules they make, secularism and religious toleration, the progressive inclusion of women and ethno-religious minority groups, and a better understanding of economic inequality. There’s a lot we know now about the qualities of good government and how to do it better. But there are also problems emerging that are unprecedented in human history, notably climate change and the advance of AI. By contrast, the 2020 pandemic had precedents and was predictable. It revealed, however, that many people see the state as a source of protection, while others see it as a threat to freedom. It showed how new technologies have changed what governments can do, and hence what we believe they should or shouldn’t do.
