The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

Rusty Idols · #1 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 05:59 PM

Naomi Klein the author of No Logo has a new book out and it looks like its just as good as her last one.

In The Shock Doctrine Klein discusses the use of disaster to impose fundamentalist 'Chicago school' economics on populations.

Quote:

Give me the attributes of fundamentalist capitalism.
They're almost the attributes of every fundamentalist: the desire for purity, a belief in a perfect balance, and every time there are problems identified they are attributed to perversions, distortions within what would otherwise be a perfect system. I think you see this from religious fundamentalists and from Marxist fundamentalists, and I would argue that [Austrian economist Friedrich] Hayek and [University of Chicago economist Milton] Friedman shared this dream of the pure system. These are brilliant mathematicians, in many cases, so it looks perfect in their modelling. But I think anyone who falls in love with a system is dangerous, because the world doesn't comply and then you get angry at the world.

So you have these economists advocating for this pure form of capitalism -- what is the attraction of disasters to these people?
Well, disasters are moments where people are blasted out of the way, where they are in a state of shock, whether they're scattered -- as after a hurricane hits in New Orleans -- or just picking up the pieces after having been bombed, or their entire world view has just been shattered -- as after Sept. 11. These are malleable political moments. And there is an awareness that disasters create these opportunities, so you have a whole movement -- much of it standing at the ready within the think-tank infrastructure. I think of these think tanks as sort of idea-warmers -- they keep the ideas ready for when the disaster hits. Milton Friedman said that only a crisis, real or perceived, produces real change, and when that crisis hits, the change that occurs depends on the ideas that are lying around.

Examples include post Katrina New Orleans where Klein quotes a Republican congressman saying, "We couldn't clean out the housing projects but God did."

Alfonso Cuarón the director of the stunning Children of Men and one of the Harry potter movies did an excellent short film about the book.

Quote:

Milton Friedman went twice to China to tutor the Communists on privatization, and they followed his advice. Tiananmen Square was largely a protest against the resulting higher prices, lower wages, and unemployment. Workers, not students, were the majority of those executed and imprisoned by a government that was defending capitalism, not communism.

Klein repeatedly notes that Friedman was absolutely right: A crisis is essential because no democratic country freely chooses a free market. (They may elect a free-marketer like Reagan or Mulroney, but they support him only if he runs a huge deficit to keep people working.)

Thoughts?

bluedog · #2 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:03 PM

I see that even the mention of capitalism and its net benefit to any nation has sent you on a "global" world wide search to parrot some left wing blogs in an attempt to prove the projected superiority of SOCIAL COMMUNISM over the mean old capitalist system....and see how many nibbles that you get on this fishing excursion. Please continue. BD

wvpeach · #3 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:05 PM

One of Hitlers right hand men is quoted as having said Hitler used the following mind set to convince the German people to wage war

" It is a easy task to get the people to agree to war. Just say it often and long enough that somebody wants to kill them or take what they have. It doesn't matter that its a lie. If said often enough the people will start to believe it and be glad for a war to keep them safe"

Sound familiar?

What I have a hard time with is the fact that people are really stupid enough to fall for this over and over again down through history.

wvpeach · #4 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:06 PM

Bluedog

What is it with people? Why does it have to be all or nothing?

How about capitalism with a little humanitarian socialism mixed in?

Would that be too hard to wrap peoples minds around?

Fine then don't tell the masses just do it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedog

I see that even the mention of capitalism and its net benefit to any nation has sent you on a "global" world wide search to parrot some left wing blogs in an attempt to prove the projected superiority of SOCIAL COMMUNISM over the mean old capitalist system....and see how many nibbles that you get on this fishing excursion. Please continue. BD

bluedog · #5 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wvpeach

Bluedog

What is it with people? Why does it have to be all or nothing?

How about capitalism with a little humanitarian socialism mixed in?

Would that be too hard to wrap peoples minds around?

Fine then don't tell the masses just do it.

Because there are in fact....Absolute rights and absolute wrongs. One can not be luke warm...unless he/she wants to be spit out. When have you in fact seen or even heard me post anything that is contrary to any social programs that actually work? I am a Blue Dog...not a hard nut. There are in fact many and various programs that do in fact work and deserve to be funded via our taxes....Social Security....Medicare....as long as we act physically responsible with the funding thereof and do not rob it to pay for proven useless programs that are used only to garner political power such as medicad...a proven wasteful and often abused program that generates more crime than help. BD

Sam · #6 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty Idols

Naomi Klein the author of No Logo has a new book out and it looks like its just as good as her last one.

In The Shock Doctrine Klein discusses the use of disaster to impose fundamentalist 'Chicago school' economics on populations.

Thoughts?

I think when many Americans face a healthcare "crisis" they do not have the choice of a free market to choose their physician and their physician does not have choices in their recommendations and orders for diagnostic tests and treatment.This is an example of where a "crisis" imposes conditions by corporations and takes away consumer choice and corporations dictate denying or prolonging care to increase their bottom line as opposed to the best decision for the patient. Corporations pay off polliticians so they are beholden to insurance and pharmaceautical companies instead of trying to improve quality of care and allowing a free market system with competition for the optimal healthcare be the driving force. I am not sure if this type of crisis applies to the topic you have introduced.

Rusty Idols · #7 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Because there are in fact....Absolute rights and absolute wrongs. One can not be luke warm...unless he/she wants to be spit out. BD

Ah an objectivist. That explains a lot. Sorry to have distracted you from wanking over The Fountainhead. Carry on.

bluedog · #8 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty Idols

Ah an objectivist. That explains a lot. Sorry to have distracted you from wanking over The Fountainhead. Carry on.

No you again are trying to "deflect" the suggested topic approached by you, not me.....for you fail to address the fact that this retort was made at the query of another and are attempting to suggest that I am a religious fanatic....when indeed religion has nothing to do with the facts of COMMUNISM V. CAPITALISM...your attempted deflection is volleyed back to your side of the court....Please continue on your fishing expedition. BD

wvpeach · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:23 PM

Okay bluedog I will bite!

Lets take both principals per biblical standards.

Capitalism- Make all the money you can , while spending the least amount of money to do so. Which translates to stepping on people as you climb that capitalist ladder. Paying as little as possible to produce the product or service you hope to make capitalist rewards on.

Or

Socialism- The belief that all citizens should have certain basic needs met. And that all should share in the wealth created as a nation.

Now which of the above two definitions sounds more biblical to you bluedog?

Maybe your right, there is no in between. Maybe the fact we put money before the lives of people will mean as a nation we get spewed out. ( Spit out- same thing)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedog

Because there are in fact....Absolute rights and absolute wrongs. One can not be luke warm...unless he/she wants to be spit out. BD

bluedog · #10 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wvpeach

Okay bluedog I will bite!

Lets take both principals per biblical standards.

Capitalism- Make all the money you can , while spending the least amount of money to do so. Which translates to stepping on people as you climb that capitalist ladder. Paying as little as possible to produce the product or service you hope to make capitalist rewards on.

Or

Socialism- The belief that all citizens should have certain basic needs met. And that all should share in the wealth created as a nation.

Now which of the above two definitions sounds more biblical to you bluedog?

Maybe your right, there is no in between. Maybe the fact we put money before the lives of people will mean as a nation we get spewed out. ( Spit out- same thing)

So you are confirming the position of communism.....an ideology that does not even accept the possibility of faith being of any use at all...by historical example. When in fact money is not the root to all evil....but the love of money is. Money is a tool, and can be used to provide much good in this would with the proper use thereof. Just as a shovel, a hoe, a hammer, or even a gun....when used properly it provides its intended use and helps mankind...but when mis-used...it can and does become a weapon. True religion rests within the soul of the believer not in any man made political ideology....any system can and is abused for the purpose of power and greed, but again it can be and is used to help the less fortunate also. BD