Soviet-born author and political analyst Michael Malice has asserted that the United States experienced a troubling shift toward Soviet-style informant tactics during the COVID-19 pandemic, as some citizens reported their neighbors for violating lockdown rules.
Speaking on the "Planet Tyrus" podcast, Malice suggested that authoritarian regimes do not solely depend on military force but also on the active participation of their civilian population. He described the pandemic as the first instance where Americans witnessed civilians reporting and even bragging about their neighbors for infractions. "I think the first time Americans realized the nature of evil was during COVID. Because COVID was the first time we saw in this country, people were turning in their neighbors and were bragging about it," Malice stated, adding, "They were happy: 'I got this cashier fired.' That was very Soviet."
Malice, author of "The White Pill," a book detailing the Soviet Union's history and methods, drew parallels between the pandemic response in the U.S. and the practices of authoritarian states. He contends that dictatorial control often manifests not through overt villainy but through the actions of minor officials and the instigation of neighbor-against-neighbor enforcement.
"So that was the first time I think Americans realized that these systems, which are dictatorial, it's not through force. It's the fact that small-minded people are tripping over themselves to implement these dictatorships and turn in their neighbors," Malice explained. He further commented, "There's so many people who have that little bit of power, and they will hold onto it with every bit of fiber in their being," adding that such citizen-led enforcement historically felt "alien to the American psyche."
Recent scrutiny of pandemic-era policies has intensified following the congressional testimony of Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key public health official during the COVID-19 pandemic. During his appearance before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination multiple times when questioned.
Following Fauci's testimony, some Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators criticized the prolonged lockdown measures. Representative Lance Gooden posted on X, "Dr. Fauci isn't the only guilty one. Democrats went as far as filling outdoor skate parks with sand to enforce their draconian COVID-19 lockdowns. Americans should never forget what they did."
In his opening statement, Dr. Fauci defended his actions during the pandemic, stating his belief that the committee appearance was intended to elicit a statement that could support Senator Rand Paul's public assertions that Fauci should face imprisonment.