Naomi Klein "The Shock Doctrine" & "No Logo" interview

In-depth interview with internationally renowned author, journalist and syndicated columnist Naomi Klein on her new book "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism". Klein is best known for her book from the year 2000, the international bestseller "No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies". It was called "A Movement Bible" by the New York Times referring to its incredible impact on the anti-globalization movement.

In this extraordinary interview, Klein discusses the key ideas behind her concept of The Shock Doctrine and its importance as an alternate economic, social and political history of the last thirty years. She describes how the free market ideas of economist Milton Friedman and the Chicago School fostered the impact of shock from the 1970s Pinochet regime in Chile to the Bush administration today.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Naomi
• Klein
• Alcove
• Mark
• Molaro
• Janet
• Lawler
• Shock
• Doctrine
• No
• Logo
• antiglobalization
• Milton
• Friedman
• politics
• economics

[psspeed]

america never had a form of 'free' market economy as described by friedman...so the whole argument attacking friedman's principles falls flat without holding any water!

[arzoyan]

Peter Joseph courageously embodies the humanistic / scientific enlightenment of the 21 st century. He has grasped the very inner structrual contradictions of the CAPITALIST/MONETARY system and his revolutionary call for a WORLD OF COOPERATION FOR OUR COMMON NEEDS AND WELL BEING should be the CONSTITUTION OF NEW HUMANI CIVIILISATION. My deepest respect to my brother P.Joseph. in Zetgeist for Venus Project, Time to make history democratically,consciously and globally

[TheNova1960]

Another Socialist....blah blah blah! 

[joejoe652]

@psspeed The closest we had ever been to a totally free market was in the early stages of the Republic. By the mid 1800's through the first decades of the industrial revolution America was a mess. Slave labor, child labor, monopolies price fixing and the like. I think you should learn a little American history instead of regurgitating the corporate propaganda you subject yourself to.

[cf40409]

@arzoyan Well, as you know, this is not a new idea. It used to be a revolutionary idea, and it sounds alright if you don't think about its history. People found out very quickly what happens when you give up economic freedom, that is, freedom to choose how to spend one's earned money: the loss of political freedom. While you appear to have good intentions, its the other people I'm worried about; human greed and self-interest will prevent this communitarian system from being desirable.

[arzoyan]

@cf40409 Employment system of the wage slavery of the working class is to perpetuate the class rule of the elite. Work as evolving ,creative interaction of our common humanity for our common needs and well being shall transform the narrow and artificial distinctions that helps to maintain the illusions of choice and freedom.

[cf40409]

@arzoyan My response may sound evasive, so I will continue. There appears to be a contradiction between the principle of freedom of choice and of equality and "harmony"; it may be impossible to have it both ways.  Do we want to live in a society in which people are free to choose to indulge in the fruits of their labor however they see fit, or should the goal of society be to restrict freedom of choice in the hopes of bringing about a more equitable share of the fruits of our collective labor ?

[cf40409]

@arzoyan I want change too, but not the kind of change you are talking about. In a free market, the price of a good/service is a direct reflection of the demand and supply of a particular good/service. This is called the market price. In a competitive free market system, it is in the material interests of the "owners" to set a competitive price, if they want to stay in business. Thus, the interests of the "owners" and of the consumers are both served by this system.

[arzoyan]

@cf40409 Its a principled stance for for a majority democratic movment for change. You should make a distinction between Artificial scarcity as a market mechanism of manipulation for the material interest of elite OWNERS/RULERS. and a Universe that Time is limited and so the resources on Earth . We have the means for plenty in harmony, CAPITALISM IS ORGANISED SUFFERING.

[cf40409]

@arzoyan Am I correct in understanding your intentions to leave me out of this final solution? If so, then I have no quarrel with you, just a difference of opinion. I am interested to hear you say that this "movement" has "no leaders no followers." Does not your strident defense of this movement make you a "follower"? What about scarcity is artificial? We live in a world with finite resources, do we not? Scarcity will be a defining feature of any system, be it "tyrannical" or otherwise.

[arzoyan]

@cf40409 A majority democratic movement of no leaders no followers to share the Earth in cooperation for our common needs and well being. Hope one day you will join us and if not hope all the best in a tyrannical MARKET SYSTEM OF ARTIFICIA SCARCITY and manipulation.

[cf40409]

@arzoyan And what do you and Peter have in store for people like me, people who don't want to "cooperate" and participate in your "revolutionary" vision? What will you do when you cannot implement this vision democratically? I'm guessing I won't like the answer...