Will the role of the government change after the crisis?

Al Ghad’s Fahd Kheitan said that there is a common belief that the coronavirus crisis re-established the government’s role in the Jordanian society.

Kheitan said that this is an international discussion happening within the theory of globalism falling for nationalism to rise. He said that conclusions in this regard are premature; highlighting that soon after the crisis ends, governments will return to their usual behaviour and will find no alternative to cooperation.

The writer said that the damage to international medical and food supply chains was due to measures against the pandemic and not aimed to damage globalism.

The columnist said that most countries will resort to tools of financial globalism to curb the crisis’ economic repercussions, pointing to loan requests submitted by dozens of countries to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other funds. He also said that countries will seek to increase their exports, their stock of foreign currency and their supply of basic goods that cannot be provided nationally.

The writer said that Jordan relies on the private sector in the coming phase to increase exports, stimulate the economy and curb the unemployment problem.

Kheitan said that the Jordanian government will not go back to creating goods and selling them or to building and running factories; rather it will play a regulatory role while the private sector performs its productive tasks.

He said that the government’s new role entails caring for the social groups most affected by the crisis, assisting productive sectors, securing a supply of basic goods, preventing monopoly and building a comprehensive strategy to confront future crises.