Plagues and wars alter economic policies: but not for ever | William Keegan

Coronavirus has changed Britain's social and political orthodoxies. But not every crisis results in a revolution

As a classical scholar, our prime minister will be all too aware of some uncanny parallels between the onset of coronavirus and the plague that beset Athens in 430BC.

The immortal historian Thucydides wrote: "At the beginning the doctors were quite incapable of treating the disease because of their ignorance of the right methods " In fact, mortality among the doctors was the highest of all since they came more frequently in contact with the sick."

The end of capitalism? I doubt it. The Tories suddenly becoming fully paid-up Keynesians? For how long, I wonder