Abstract
New Zealand’s Alert Level Four lockdown was one of the strictest in the world. The vast majority of New Zealanders not only approved of the restrictions, but also abided by them. We argue that in a democratic society like New Zealand, it would not have been possible for the restrictions to be enforced without there being a high degree of social capital. In this chapter, we compare New Zealand’s level of social capital to that of other countries and discuss why New Zealand having high social capital has been important in the fight against COVID-19. We also discuss some lessons from behavioural economics about the conditions under which strict lockdowns become more difficult to enforce, the longer the restrictions are in place.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | COVID-19 and Social Protection |
| Subtitle of host publication | A Study in Human Resilience and Social Solidarity |
| Editors | Steven Ratuva, Tara Ross, Yvonne Crichton-Hill, Arindam Basu, Patrick Vakaoti, Rosemarie Martin-Neuninger |
| Place of Publication | Singapore |
| Publisher | Springer Singapore |
| Chapter | 14 |
| Pages | 261-277 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9789811629488 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9789811629471 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 8 Jan 2022 |
Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms
- Global Development Institute
