The Great Plague Scare of 1720: Disaster and Diplomacy in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World by Cindy Ermus (review).

"The Great Plague Scare of 1720: Disaster and Diplomacy in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World" by Cindy Ermus explores the political and diplomatic consequences of a plague epidemic that occurred in Marseilles in 1720. The plague spread throughout Provence and Languedoc, resulting in the deaths of approximately 100,000 people. Although the plague did not extend beyond southern France, fear of it spread across Europe. Ermus argues that this fear of the plague influenced diplomacy, politics, and trade, leading European governments to centralize and expand their powers in the name of public health. The book examines various countries' responses to the plague, including Italy, England, Spain, and the French and Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. Ermus demonstrates that governments implemented measures such as quarantines, cargo searches, travel restrictions, and the establishment of public health agencies to prevent the spread of the plague. However, they also utilized the crisis to consolidate power and achieve diplomatic and economic goals. The book highlights the parallels between the events of the 18th century and the current COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the challenges faced by political leaders in acquiring accurate information and discerning motives behind their actions. [Extracted from the article]