The 2007 book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, by Naomi Klein describes sobering visions somewhat like what is happening today.
EST envisions a blend of authoritarianism and deregulated capitalism. It involves authoritarian methods to enforce rapid economic liberalization, often during times when democratic processes are weakened or suspended. The policies themselves are rooted in neoliberalism, promoting deregulation and privatization, which are hallmarks of deregulated capitalism. Implementation of these policies in a manner that bypasses democratic consent and often leads to social suffering and increased inequality. That can be seen as authoritarian in practice. Thus, while EST aims to establish a deregulated capitalist system, its methods and consequences often align with authoritarian governance.
Some critics argue that Klein oversimplifies complex political phenomena, but others praise her work for exposing the harsh realities of neoliberal policies. John Willman of the Financial Times described the book as "a deeply flawed work that blends together disparate phenomena to create a beguiling – but ultimately dishonest – argument." Well, coming from the Financial Times, a leading capitalist publication, maybe there's a wee bit of hostile bias in that account. Or maybe not.
Some critics argue that Klein oversimplifies complex political phenomena, but others praise her work for exposing the harsh realities of neoliberal policies. John Willman of the Financial Times described the book as "a deeply flawed work that blends together disparate phenomena to create a beguiling – but ultimately dishonest – argument." Well, coming from the Financial Times, a leading capitalist publication, maybe there's a wee bit of hostile bias in that account. Or maybe not.
Shock Doctrine has influenced public discourse on economic policy, disaster response, and the ethics of capitalism (now an oxymoron). It was a bestseller and won the Warwick Prize for Writing.