Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

For decades Russia's Goulog system sent rabble rousers, elites, even just the well-educated,

to labor camps far from urban centers. At the time it was terrible for those interned,

and in the long run it's been surprisingly good for the areas near the camp.

And in many cities of the Arab world cycling is dicing with death.

That's changing as groups of young campainers from Morocco to Syria make a

really good case for more room on the road. But first, two years ago this weekend it was an

almost unbelievable step. Millions of people in Wuhan, central China's biggest city were suddenly

forced into lockdown. We begin tonight with Chinese authorities making a drastic decision,

closing all transport networks in the city that is at the heart of the corona virus outbreak that is spreading.

No trains, flights or mass transit. 25 million people effectively quarantined and nervous.

You need to have a face mask. No face mask, you can't get in. And we thought well that was pretty

serious. Then they know. At the time lockdown wasn't a word concept that was much in use,

but within weeks much of the world would be locked down in one way or another.

Fast forward to today and those kinds of curbs are really rare, except in China where the official

strategy still aims for zero COVID. Lockdowns are more targeted, but they're no less strict.

Officials have made an example of those who don't follow the rules.

Right, police paraded for alleged violators of COVID-19 rules through the streets on Tuesday in

China's Guangxi autonomous region leading to criticism. Now Beijing is set to host the winter

Olympic Games. It'll be a stark picture of how things are going in China. What won't be as clear

is just how much turmoil is going on behind the scenes in its economy and in its frantic bid to

...