The Shock Doctrine

Book Review # 109494

Economics
Literature > American

The Shock Doctrine

A summary and review of Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism".

1,421 words () | 4 sources | APA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper summarizes the book "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" by Naomi Klein. The paper reviews Klein's claim
that the significant importance of the free market policies of the Chicago School of Economics in certain nations, and Iraq's economic privatization under the rule of the Coalition Provisional Authority must not be credited to their democratic popularity. Rather, the prominence of their policies was an effect of them being forced on the citizens of such nations at a time when they were suffering from a state of shock brought about by the misfortunes or instabilities they endured. The paper discusses the Klein's major themes, her discussion about psychiatric shock therapy and the comparisons she makes with economic distress therapy. The paper concludes with a discussion of criticisms aimed at Klein's book.

From the Paper:

"The idea that changes take place in the face of misfortune is not controversial. In any case, in the absence of misfortune, the need for pressing changes is uncalled for. The conflict is on the repercussions that neoliberals hence yearn for and even encourage misfortune and tension to advance their scheme."

Sample of Sources Used:

Klein, N. (2007). The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism: New York: Macmillan.
Klein, N. Naomi Klein. (2007, October 25). The Business Press and Me: A Case of Unrequited Love. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2007/10/business-press-unrequited-love.
Moffatt, M. About.com. (2007, October 4). Tyler Cowen on Naomi Klein. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://economics.about.com/b/2007/10/04/tyler-cowen-on-naomi-klein.htm.
Norberg, J. CATO Institute. (2008, May 14). The Klein Doctrine The Rise of Disaster Polemics. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://www.cato.org/pubs/bp/bp102.pdf.