The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Steve Koss, Top 100 Amazon Reviewer', 'N')aomi Klein's THE SHOCK DOCTRINE is a stunning indictment of American corporatism and institutionalized globalization, on a par with such groundbreaking works as Harrington's THE OTHER AMERICA and Chomsky's HEGEMONY OR SURVIVAL. Comprehensive in its breadth and remarkable for its well-researched depth, Klein's book is a highly readable but disturbing look at how the neoliberal economic tenets of Milton Friedman have been implemented across the world over the last thirty-plus years.
The author's thesis is simply stated: that neoliberal economic programs have repeatedly been implemented without the consent of the governed by creating and/or taking advantage of various forms of national shock therapy. Ms. Klein asserts that in country after country, Friedman and his Chicago School followers have foisted their tripartite economic prescription - privatization, deregulation, and cutbacks in social welfare spending - on an unsuspecting populace through decidedly non-democratic means. In the early years, the primary vehicle was dictatorial military force and accompanying fear of arrest, torture, disappearance, or death. Over time, new organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank were employed instead, using or creating impossible debt burdens to force governments to accept privatization of state-owned industries and services, complete removal of trade barriers and tariffs, forced acceptance of private foreign investment, and widespread layoffs. In more recent years, terrroism and its response as well as natural disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis have wiped clean enough of the slate to impose these Friedmanite policies on people too shocked and focused on recovering to realize what was happening until it was too late.
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The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
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The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by Carlhole » Wed 17 Oct 2007, 16:29:02
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')s. Klein argues that from its humble beginnings as an economic philosophy, the neoliberal program has evolved (or perhaps devolved) into a form of corporatism. Particularly in America, government under mostly Republican adminstrations has hollowed itself out, using private sector contractors for nearly every conceivable task. Companies ranging from Lockheed and Halliburton to ChoicePoint, Blackwater, CH2M Hill, and DynCorp exist almost entirely to secure lucrative government contracts to perform work formerly done by government. They now operate in a world the author describes as "disaster capitalism," waiting and salivating over the profits to be made in the next slate-wiping war or disaster, regardless of the human cost. In an ominous closing discussion, Ms. Klein describes the privatization of government in wealthy Atlanta suburbs, a further step in self-serving and preemptive corporatism guaranteed to hollow out whatever is left of major American cities if it becomes a widespread practice...
It must be difficult for someone to simultaneously hold in his/her head two counterpoised notions: (1) The utter superiority of the capitalist, free market values trumpeted by both Democrats and Republicans as demonstrated by their unqualified support of NAFTA, globalization, outsourced manufacturing to China, etc., and (2) The growing awareness that capitalism is the most efficient resource depletion/eco-destroying economic paradigm ever devised.
Of course, humanity's ability to extract and utilize petroleum resources (to take just one example) has been the paramount driver of global capitalism. Nothing happens without energy and big things happen when you have it.
If only Pemex had been able to discover another Cantarell. If only the North Sea weren't plummeting in production. If only the Canadian Tar Sands were easier and cheaper to produce... then the Middle East would't remain such a fabulous prize to be won and dominated. But, unfortunately, the ME will only increasingly become "the only game in town" - and that's where Klein's "Disaster Capitalism" comes in again.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DMX', ' ')...What is the main thesis of the "Shock Doctrine" ? That the US neoliberals and imperialists are using perceived shocks as tools to erase and rebuild societies on grounds favorable to private interests, mainly theirs. This is the definition of fascism/corporatism. This thesis is becoming very popular. Why ? Because it provides an excuse for the left (which nowadays should be understood as the antifascists) for having been impotent in preventing the rise of fascist America. They were under "Shock" after 9/11, like everybody else (the Cheney gang being strangely immune to the 9/11 shock). And that is what NK tells you in her book: the Bush administration has used the shock of 9/11 (and other event) to implement radical changes in the American society (and elsewhere), not only in US foreign policy...
I browsed Klein's book and it takes the position that Bush/Cheney merely "capitalized" on the luck of 911 but she doesn't make any inferences about why those attacks were so unbelievably fortunate for the prospects of disaster capitalists. So you needn't be afraid the book.
After all, that would possibly mean having to hold yet another counterpoised notion in your poor head...
...maybe not.
- Carlhole
Re: The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by americandream » Wed 17 Oct 2007, 18:18:18
Contrary indicators...the dialectic of capitalism...it carries within it, the very seeds of its own destruction.
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Re: The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by simontay78 » Sun 21 Oct 2007, 11:01:41
I had read this book partially and it indicated the shock and awe doctrine and make changes during disasters while most people are still awestruck.
The problem with this is when people wake up from this temporary paralysis of reasoning and resistance to change...they might have lost everything from their homes at New Orleans, the lively hoods of fishing in the beaches devastated by the Tsunami, Freedom after 9/11 and oil after invasion of Iraq.
These capitalism effects given much "advantages" to Haliburton and Blackwater...and many similar corporation indeed!
Great book! Recommended!
The problem with this is when people wake up from this temporary paralysis of reasoning and resistance to change...they might have lost everything from their homes at New Orleans, the lively hoods of fishing in the beaches devastated by the Tsunami, Freedom after 9/11 and oil after invasion of Iraq.
These capitalism effects given much "advantages" to Haliburton and Blackwater...and many similar corporation indeed!
Great book! Recommended!
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Re: The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by Kingcoal » Sun 21 Oct 2007, 12:45:40
I think that the turning point was the creation of the Federal Reserve. The government contracted out one of its duties, that to "coin money," to a private institution. The owners of the Fed are a who’s who list of the illuminati. These super rich bankers control the world through the control of the respective governments' money. Whenever a government wants to spend money, they have to pay their master's interest. If that isn't corporatism, I don't know what is.
Another milestone was the removal of the gold standard. After that, the Fed could create money out of thin air without having to actually invest anything extra of value. Countries that don't comply by paying interest, i.e., don't participate in the world economy, are dealt with harshly. You will borrow Monopoly Money and pay interest on it and you will do so with a smile on your face!
Privatization, shock and awe, all foreign and domestic policy is based on expanding debt, which is owned by the Masters. The USA, which happens to be the biggest debtor, is in great favor with the masters, who use it as their “enforcement division.” From the world banker standpoint the worst thing that a country or individual could do is get rid of their debt to them. Thomas Jefferson predicted all this and even wrote about it:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '"')I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."
Another milestone was the removal of the gold standard. After that, the Fed could create money out of thin air without having to actually invest anything extra of value. Countries that don't comply by paying interest, i.e., don't participate in the world economy, are dealt with harshly. You will borrow Monopoly Money and pay interest on it and you will do so with a smile on your face!
Privatization, shock and awe, all foreign and domestic policy is based on expanding debt, which is owned by the Masters. The USA, which happens to be the biggest debtor, is in great favor with the masters, who use it as their “enforcement division.” From the world banker standpoint the worst thing that a country or individual could do is get rid of their debt to them. Thomas Jefferson predicted all this and even wrote about it:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '"')I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."
Amen
"That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money
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