“In reading the history of nations…We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first.” - Charles Mackay [Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, Preface to the 1852 Edition.]
With little fanfare, the Institute of Economic Affairs has released a book-length study by prominent economist Steve Hanke and co-authors Jonas Herby and Lars Honung which provides a meta analysis of studies on the efficacy of covid lockdowns. The results are devastating to the people who did this to us. The authors find that lockdowns had a minimal impact on covid mortality- for example, “shelter-in-place” orders [something previously u…
