Don't despair: The essence of Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine

[BelgianMadCow]

It is very obvious that the shock doctrine's or disaster capitalism's recipe of
shock, deregulation, privatization and public spending cuts
has been applied to the US after 9/11.

This process has been perfected for over 30 years, starting in South America, through Russia and Africa, in Eastern Europe and in Asia. on edit: The evil twins Cheney and Rumsfeld, one provoking war and the other privatising it, have found the ultimate Treasury tap. The perpetual War on Terror assures that. Yes, very similar to what Eisenhower warned about, and also the original definition of Mussoline fascism. Sorry about that.


But the countries affected first are also those that give hope.
The socialist / left victories in South America prove that even in shocking conditions, the human spirit can be suppressed but NOT wiped clean as the (electro)shock doctors planned. It may take long for the tree to bend back after the storm, but it does. Chances are in this information age, the return will be swifter than that in South America.

After thirty years, the southamerican people have thrown out or plan to throw out the IMF and the World Bank (and possibly, oil dollars). They have taken control of key national industries, and show solidarity with one another. The IMF and World Bank granted loans to them based on condition of following "the Consensus of Washington", the above-mentioned Friedman/Chicago School recipe for shock profiteering. This anti-Keynesian school of economic thought always pass package laws in the murky times directly after a (manufactured) shock. Patriot Act anyone? Dare one say Benazir Bhutto?

This is exactly the state the US is in now, as proven by Katrina and Iraq. Halliburton grabbing 20 billion dollar of taxes through Iraq or Blackwater profiteering in New Orleans come to mind.
But people ultimately do not bow to fear and terror for ever. Don't despair.

bmc

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Thank you, and Ms, Klein, for encouraging us to have hope...

We must hold onto this hope and DO what we can to change things around.


:toast:

[napi21]

2. I just heard her interviewed on John Elliott's show. It was a rerun, but

well worth listening to. Extremely frightening!

[OHdem10]

3. NKlein, was a guest on CharlieRose on Friday,. Good interview

Check out CharlieRose.com.
"The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism."

[Bozita]

4. link to her one hour interview with Bob McChesney

http://www.will.uiuc.edu/am/mediamatters/default.htm

November 18, 2007 This week our guest is Naomi Klein. Klein is an award-winning
journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the international
bestseller No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies. Her latest book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, is an international bestseller and was published worldwide in September 2007.

http://www.naomiklein.org/
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