Deconstructing COVID: The Rise of an Authoritarian State

Abstract

Deconstruction purports to analyze language, identify its instabilities, and expose authoritarian power relationships. In practice, it often does the opposite: it creates instability, obscures power relationships, and promotes authoritarianism. This was made clear by the COVID phenomenon, which was driven by an ‘official public health narrative’ that used deconstructive language to promote a nascent authoritarian state. This paper will deconstruct the COVID narrative to expose the rise of a ‘uniparty’ authoritarian state that spans traditional political parties.