Reinforcement of Economic Inequality and Extra Economic Power—Law and Political Economy of the US Pandemic Policy Response

In this chapter, by adopting a Law and Political Economy (LPE) approach, we show that the US policy response resulted in increased inequalities. Moreover, economic policy was the main tool used by the federal government to tackle the pandemic and it was used in a manner reflective of existing power structures. As policy measures assisted the private sector and the owners of capital before workers; and big business and the stock market were prioritized, the existing power structures were entrenched. Additionally, major contradictions plagued the balance of powers and representation by democratically-elected individuals. Declarations of emergencies within individual States granted excess powers to governors and the emergency circumstances allowed experts great decision-making powers. State governments partnered with the private sector for surveillance and control measures, often with the state outsourcing the enforcement of these measures to the private sector. The pandemic allowed for an unprecedented rise in the surveillance of private citizens, by state and local governments and employers.