In February 2018 I announced the publication of a paper on “The Political Economy of Epidemics” included in the book edited by Prof. Bernardino Fantini “Epidémies et sociétés, passé, présent et futur”. With the current COVID-19 pandemic the argument of that paper (as many other chapters of the book) may offer renewed food for thought. This is why I am happy to share the full text here.