The anti-quarantine protests that erupted across China last month highlight the gulf between the Chinese people and Communist Party leaders regarding the necessity of the strict zero-Covid policy. Given the obvious disconnect, it is worth examining how and why the authorities and the public have grown so far apart in their assessment of the policy's costs and benefits.
One important difference seems to be the value that the two sides assign to liberty. While the public may prioritise freedom over severe pandemic restrictions, the government asserts that sacrifices are necessary to save lives.
