Socialism, Capitalism, and the COVID-19 Epidemic: Interview with Victor Wallis

ABSTRACT

In the context of coronavirus raging around the world, in April 2020 Dr. Mingliang Zhuo interviewed Prof. Victor Wallis, former editor of Socialism and Democracy, on some important issues via email. Wallis points out in the exclusive interview that the US response to the pandemic has triggered a disastrous economic depression. The United States has not done well in dealing with the epidemic. However, China, Cuba, and other countries applying socialist principles have done well by achieving a combination of administrative decrees and popular initiatives and participation. The quality of universal services would be more dependably assured within a fully socialist framework.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• US system
• capitalism
• China
• socialism

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on Contributors

Victor Wallis is a professor in the Liberal Arts Department at the Berklee College of Music (in Boston), former editor of Socialism and Democracy, and the author of Red-Green Revolution: The Politics and Technology of Ecosocialism (Political Animal Press, 2018), Democracy Denied: Five Lectures on U.S. Politics (Africa World Press, 2019), and Socialist Practice: Histories and Theories (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020).

Mingliang Zhuo, PhD, is a lecturer in the School of Marxism at the People's Public Security University of China.