• A photograph of green flatbed trucks with blue flashing lights attached parading down the street. In the truck beds are Taliban members - men in combat fatigues, some with flags and guns, some with hats, headscarves or sunglasses. THe mood is celebratory, with one or two in the closest vehicle smiling for the camera. Photograph: Callum Darragh. Source: Flikr via Wikipedia (public domain).

The Politics of Debt and Disease

Even before COVID-19, unprecedented levels of public and private borrowing placed debt at the centre of academic and public debates. If access to credit at this stage of the pandemic is crucial for keeping alive economies across the globe, the health crisis has further exacerbated our reliance on borrowing. Massive efforts are expected of states and central banks to support not only individual financial institutions but the financial system as a whole.