It has been many years since your lead editor has come across information, which is so shattering, and important, as to fully capture my attention for many days. And which requires sharing, to as wide an audience as possible. Not just through this article, but in my day to day life, interacting with friends, and other interested people.
What is this information? It is a book, published in 2007, The Shock Doctrine-The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, written by a Canadian, London-trained economist, Naomi Klein.
Here are what a few leading progressive voices have to say about it:
"Naomi Klein is an investigative reporter like no other. She roams the continents with eyes wide open and her brain operating at full speed, finding connections we never thought of, and patterns which eluded us. This is a brilliant book, one of the most important I have read in a long time." HOWARD ZINN
"Naomi Klein is one of the most important new voices in American journalism today. She has turned globalism inside out, and given us all a new way of looking at our seemingly unending disaster in Iraq, and a new way of understanding why we got there." SEYMOUR M. HERSH
Here is the book description, from the publisher:
"At the most chaotic juncture in Iraq's civil war, a new law is unveiled that will allow Shell and BP to claim the country's vast oil reserves. Immediately following September 11, the Bush administration quietly outsources the running of "The War on Terror" to Halliburton and Blackwater. After a powerful tsunami devastates the coasts of Southeast Asia, the pristine beaches are auctioned off to tourist resorts. New Orlean's residents, still scattered from Hurricane Katrina, discover that their public housing, hospitals, and schools, will never be reopened.
These events are examples of what Naomi Klein calls "the shock doctrine": the use of public disorientation following massive collective shocks-wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters-to push through highly unpopular economic shock therapy. Sometimes, when the first two shocks don't succeed in wiping out all resistance, a third is employed: that of the electrode in the prison cell or of the Taser gun.
Based on breakthrough historical research and four years of on-the-ground reporting in disaster zones, The Shock Doctrine explodes the myth that the global free market triumphed democratically. Disaster capitalism-the rapid-fire corporate reengineering of societies that are reeling from shock-did not begin with September 11, 2001. In this courageous new book, Klein traces the intellectual origins of disaster capitalism back to the University of Chicago's economics department under Milton Friedman, whose influence is still felt around the World. The Shock Doctrine draws new and surprising connections among economic policy, "shock and awe" warfare and the covert CIA-funded experiments in electroshock and sensory deprivation [begun in the 1950's, eds.] that shaped the torture manuals used today in Guantanamo Bay.
As Klein shows how the deliberate use of the shock doctrine produced World-changing events, from Pinochet's coup in Chile in 1973 to the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, she tells a story radically different from the one we usually hear. Once again, Naomi Klein has written a book that will reframe the debate."
When I was in Mr. Wilson's fourth grade class, at Euclid Elementary, in San Diego, in September, 1973, we had a "current events" per
iod every friday, for an hour. Each student was required to bring a newspaper or magazine article, read parts of it aloud, and moderate a discussion with the rest of the students about it. I always liked that part of our school day. On 12 September, 1973, I brought in a very small, one-column article, of about three paragraphs, from the San Diego Union, our main newspaper. It was entitled "Coup in Chile", and bri
efly described the chaotic and terrifying events of the previous day, which occurred, in that poor country (and which Naomi Klein documents in great detail, in The Shock Doctrine).
iod every friday, for an hour. Each student was required to bring a newspaper or magazine article, read parts of it aloud, and moderate a discussion with the rest of the students about it. I always liked that part of our school day. On 12 September, 1973, I brought in a very small, one-column article, of about three paragraphs, from the San Diego Union, our main newspaper. It was entitled "Coup in Chile", and bri
efly described the chaotic and terrifying events of the previous day, which occurred, in that poor country (and which Naomi Klein documents in great detail, in The Shock Doctrine).
I was too young to really understand then what had happened there, and why, and my mother, who for many years was an anti-war/peace activist, tried to explain to me. Over the course of the years to come, as I grew into adulthood, my mother kept me abreast of what was happening in South and Central America. How vicious, fascist, right-wing governments took and maintained power, with aid and support from the U.S., in the 1970s and 1980s. These governments tortured and murdered hundreds of thousands of suspected "leftists" in their respective countries, people whose only "crimes" were that of supporting trade unions, worker's rights, ending torture, and working for basic human rights (or even just being indigenous). She used to give me copies of Amnesty International reports from people who had survived imprisonment and unspeakable torture, in these countries.
Particularly vicious were the governments of the "Southern Cone" of Latin America, in the 1970s and '80s, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina. Many movies and books have appeared since then, documenting the tragedies that occurred in those countries, and throughout this hemisphere. I had always assumed, from the articles/reports I had read, that pressure from U.S.-based multi-national corporations was the reason our government supported these murderous governments (who can forget the murders of Catholic priests, archbishops, and nuns, in El Salvador in the late 1970s/early 1980s, because they spoke out). But Naomi Klein's research documents that this was not the full story. That not only were these governments aided by ours to keep and maintain power so that corporate-friendly policies would be maintained, this was done with the expectation that these countries would be re-made, with completely unregulated, free-market-based economies. By any means necessary, including torture, and murder, to intimidate the peoples of these countries to accept policies that would never have been allowed under a democracy.
What kind of policies were these? Complete de-regulation of all sectors of the economy, complete privatisation of all formerly-government-controlled sectors such as power generation, water purification/distribution, mining, social services, and transportation. Which when undertaken by these countries, led to massive unemployment, inflation and extreme hardship. Poverty rates increased greatly in all these countries when their repressive governments forced these policies upon their terrorised populations. The repression was not just confined to their respective countries either. A vicious terrorist attack occurred on the streets of Washington D.C. in 1976. Orlando Letelier had been Chile's ambassador to the U.S., under Salvador Allende's administration, from 1970-73. When Gen.
Augusto Pinochet led the right-wing coup there, and took power, after 11 September, 1973 (the first 9/11!), he fled the country, and eventually wound up in Washington D.C., working for a human-rights organisation, and began writing articles and giving speeches to expose the repression under Pinochet's regime.
On 21 September, 1976, as he was driving through the heart of the embassy district of Washington D.C., a bomb planted under his car seat exploded, severing his legs, and killing instantly his 25 year old passenger, Ronni Moffit, a colleague of his. Orlando died before reaching the hospital. The FBI investigated and traced the bomb to a member of the Chilean secret police, who was convicted and imprisoned for the attack. The assasination team had been admitted to the U.S. on false passports, with the knowledge of the CIA.
Particularly vicious were the governments of the "Southern Cone" of Latin America, in the 1970s and '80s, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina. Many movies and books have appeared since then, documenting the tragedies that occurred in those countries, and throughout this hemisphere. I had always assumed, from the articles/reports I had read, that pressure from U.S.-based multi-national corporations was the reason our government supported these murderous governments (who can forget the murders of Catholic priests, archbishops, and nuns, in El Salvador in the late 1970s/early 1980s, because they spoke out). But Naomi Klein's research documents that this was not the full story. That not only were these governments aided by ours to keep and maintain power so that corporate-friendly policies would be maintained, this was done with the expectation that these countries would be re-made, with completely unregulated, free-market-based economies. By any means necessary, including torture, and murder, to intimidate the peoples of these countries to accept policies that would never have been allowed under a democracy.
What kind of policies were these? Complete de-regulation of all sectors of the economy, complete privatisation of all formerly-government-controlled sectors such as power generation, water purification/distribution, mining, social services, and transportation. Which when undertaken by these countries, led to massive unemployment, inflation and extreme hardship. Poverty rates increased greatly in all these countries when their repressive governments forced these policies upon their terrorised populations. The repression was not just confined to their respective countries either. A vicious terrorist attack occurred on the streets of Washington D.C. in 1976. Orlando Letelier had been Chile's ambassador to the U.S., under Salvador Allende's administration, from 1970-73. When Gen.
Augusto Pinochet led the right-wing coup there, and took power, after 11 September, 1973 (the first 9/11!), he fled the country, and eventually wound up in Washington D.C., working for a human-rights organisation, and began writing articles and giving speeches to expose the repression under Pinochet's regime.On 21 September, 1976, as he was driving through the heart of the embassy district of Washington D.C., a bomb planted under his car seat exploded, severing his legs, and killing instantly his 25 year old passenger, Ronni Moffit, a colleague of his. Orlando died before reaching the hospital. The FBI investigated and traced the bomb to a member of the Chilean secret police, who was convicted and imprisoned for the attack. The assasination team had been admitted to the U.S. on false passports, with the knowledge of the CIA.
The Shock Doctrine, besides describing the sad and terrifying repression that occurred in Chile and Argentina, during the "Dirty Wars" of the 1970s/80s, then also describes how governments in other countries were forced to enact massively unpopular deregulation and privitisation policies, which impoverished their populations.
I had never fully understood what had happened after the Soviet Union collapsed, in 1990-91, and how they made the transition to a capitalist economy in the years following. Klein describes in detail how Mikhail Gorbhachev, while he was still in power in 1989-90, actually had wanted to have his country transition to a benevolent social democracy, in the model of Norway, Sweden, or Finland. But, because of great economic difficulties, and the need for emergency loans from the World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF), he was forced to rapidly enact shock doctrine policies in his country. The results are plaguing Russia to this day, the highest death-rate from alcoholism in the World, massive unemployment, and a decreased life-span, especially for men. This was very sad to read, as Russia is a country rich in history and natural resources, and if it had been allowed and encouraged to develop a Social Democratic government, it could have become an inspiration to the World, and it's 200 million people would have had much better living conditions.
Klein also describes what happened in South Africa after Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1990, to lead the African National Congress in it's peaceful transition to majority rule, ending the apartheid minority white-ruled regime. Mandela and the ANC had wanted to enact massive public-works programs to build housing for the millions of impoverished blacks living in shanty-towns outside the major cities, as well as to increase government spending on other employment-creating programs. But, because their economy was facing collapse at that critical time, they were forced by the IMF and World Bank in the early
1990s to enact massively unpopular and destructive economic policies, aka, the shock doctrine. The results continue to this day. There are actually fewer households with electricity now, in South Africa, than in 1994, and none of the promised millions of new, modern, housing units with basic sanitation, have been built for the millions of shanty-town residents.
The Shock Doctrine spends the greatest amount of time documenting the immoral and illegal attack on Iraq by this country, expanding upon the ideas presented by Greg Palast, in his ground-breaking expose, Armed Madhouse.
http://www.amazon.com/Armed-Madhouse-Baghdad-Orleans-Sordid-Secrets/dp/0452288312/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256873012&sr=8-1
In this book, Palast, after posing as an oil industry spokesman, and interviewing numerous people in the US government and in powerful positions in major oil companies, lays out the reasons for the Iraq invasion. Namely, that it was undertaken, not for the direct acquisition and control of Iraq's oil, but to remove Sadaam Hussein's control over it, with Saudi Arabia's blessing. Because Sadaam Hussein had been manipulating Iraq's oil production and exports against the wishes of OPEC, and was causing turbulence in the oil market price.
Klein goes further though, documenting that another important goal was to create a "free-market" paradise in the Middle East, where unregulated capitalism would allow foreign corporations to get in on re-developing Iraq's infrastructure, and aiding in restoring and maintaining it's oil industry and production (which under Hussein's government had been nationalised).
So, the illegal, and immoral invasion and occupation of that sovereign nation, which posed no threat to this one, or it's neighbours, an
d led to the deaths of at least a million innocent civilians, and caused 3-4 million more to flee to neighbouring countries, was also undertaken to enforce a "shock doctrine" upon it. Klein describes in great detail the policies of deregulation and privitisation which were rapidly enacted in 2003-04, after the US began ruling the country. Hundreds of thousands of government employees in Iraq were fired, local corporations and construction companies were shut out from providing supplies and labour for the country's reconstruction, and attempts (ultimately unsuccesful) were made to privatise it's national oil company.
These were the policies that led to the resistance movements there, and which continue to this day, and are why there is still unemployment of 5
0 percent or more there, along with only sporadic access to power and clean water in most of it's cities. It's heartbreaking reading, because the suffering in Iraq is so palpable, and un-necessary. And the criminals that caused it are walking around free and prosperous, in this country, because our corporate-controlled media will not allow information like this to appear.
So, we at A.P.R. urge you all to get a copy of The Shock Doctrine, read it, and spread the word (and the book).
http://www.amazon.com/Shock-Doctrine-Rise-Disaster-Capitalism/dp/0676978010/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256873896&sr=1-1
Your understanding of our capitalist system, and how it is maintained and spread will be greatly enhanced. Only by opening our eyes to the causes of the massive social, economic, and political injustice that are present in this world, can we begin the process of changing it. Cheers.
I had never fully understood what had happened after the Soviet Union collapsed, in 1990-91, and how they made the transition to a capitalist economy in the years following. Klein describes in detail how Mikhail Gorbhachev, while he was still in power in 1989-90, actually had wanted to have his country transition to a benevolent social democracy, in the model of Norway, Sweden, or Finland. But, because of great economic difficulties, and the need for emergency loans from the World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF), he was forced to rapidly enact shock doctrine policies in his country. The results are plaguing Russia to this day, the highest death-rate from alcoholism in the World, massive unemployment, and a decreased life-span, especially for men. This was very sad to read, as Russia is a country rich in history and natural resources, and if it had been allowed and encouraged to develop a Social Democratic government, it could have become an inspiration to the World, and it's 200 million people would have had much better living conditions.
Klein also describes what happened in South Africa after Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1990, to lead the African National Congress in it's peaceful transition to majority rule, ending the apartheid minority white-ruled regime. Mandela and the ANC had wanted to enact massive public-works programs to build housing for the millions of impoverished blacks living in shanty-towns outside the major cities, as well as to increase government spending on other employment-creating programs. But, because their economy was facing collapse at that critical time, they were forced by the IMF and World Bank in the early
1990s to enact massively unpopular and destructive economic policies, aka, the shock doctrine. The results continue to this day. There are actually fewer households with electricity now, in South Africa, than in 1994, and none of the promised millions of new, modern, housing units with basic sanitation, have been built for the millions of shanty-town residents.The Shock Doctrine spends the greatest amount of time documenting the immoral and illegal attack on Iraq by this country, expanding upon the ideas presented by Greg Palast, in his ground-breaking expose, Armed Madhouse.
http://www.amazon.com/Armed-Madhouse-Baghdad-Orleans-Sordid-Secrets/dp/0452288312/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256873012&sr=8-1
In this book, Palast, after posing as an oil industry spokesman, and interviewing numerous people in the US government and in powerful positions in major oil companies, lays out the reasons for the Iraq invasion. Namely, that it was undertaken, not for the direct acquisition and control of Iraq's oil, but to remove Sadaam Hussein's control over it, with Saudi Arabia's blessing. Because Sadaam Hussein had been manipulating Iraq's oil production and exports against the wishes of OPEC, and was causing turbulence in the oil market price.
Klein goes further though, documenting that another important goal was to create a "free-market" paradise in the Middle East, where unregulated capitalism would allow foreign corporations to get in on re-developing Iraq's infrastructure, and aiding in restoring and maintaining it's oil industry and production (which under Hussein's government had been nationalised).
So, the illegal, and immoral invasion and occupation of that sovereign nation, which posed no threat to this one, or it's neighbours, an
d led to the deaths of at least a million innocent civilians, and caused 3-4 million more to flee to neighbouring countries, was also undertaken to enforce a "shock doctrine" upon it. Klein describes in great detail the policies of deregulation and privitisation which were rapidly enacted in 2003-04, after the US began ruling the country. Hundreds of thousands of government employees in Iraq were fired, local corporations and construction companies were shut out from providing supplies and labour for the country's reconstruction, and attempts (ultimately unsuccesful) were made to privatise it's national oil company.These were the policies that led to the resistance movements there, and which continue to this day, and are why there is still unemployment of 5
0 percent or more there, along with only sporadic access to power and clean water in most of it's cities. It's heartbreaking reading, because the suffering in Iraq is so palpable, and un-necessary. And the criminals that caused it are walking around free and prosperous, in this country, because our corporate-controlled media will not allow information like this to appear.So, we at A.P.R. urge you all to get a copy of The Shock Doctrine, read it, and spread the word (and the book).
http://www.amazon.com/Shock-Doctrine-Rise-Disaster-Capitalism/dp/0676978010/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256873896&sr=1-1
Your understanding of our capitalist system, and how it is maintained and spread will be greatly enhanced. Only by opening our eyes to the causes of the massive social, economic, and political injustice that are present in this world, can we begin the process of changing it. Cheers.
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