T.Elise@bookwyrm.social reviewed The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein
None
5 stars
Truly one of the best books I’ve read.
English language
Published Jan. 1, 2014 by Penguin Books, Limited.
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism is a 2007 book by the Canadian author and social activist Naomi Klein. In the book, Klein argues that neoliberal free market policies (as advocated by the economist Milton Friedman) have risen to prominence in some developed countries because of a deliberate strategy of "shock therapy". This centers on the exploitation of national crises (disasters or upheavals) to establish controversial and questionable policies, while citizens are too distracted (emotionally and physically) to engage and develop an adequate response, and resist effectively. The book advances the idea that some man-made events, such as the Iraq War, were undertaken with the intention of pushing through such unpopular policies in their wake. Some reviewers criticized the book for making what they viewed as simplifications of political phenomena, while others lauded it as a compelling and important work. The book served as the main source of …
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism is a 2007 book by the Canadian author and social activist Naomi Klein. In the book, Klein argues that neoliberal free market policies (as advocated by the economist Milton Friedman) have risen to prominence in some developed countries because of a deliberate strategy of "shock therapy". This centers on the exploitation of national crises (disasters or upheavals) to establish controversial and questionable policies, while citizens are too distracted (emotionally and physically) to engage and develop an adequate response, and resist effectively. The book advances the idea that some man-made events, such as the Iraq War, were undertaken with the intention of pushing through such unpopular policies in their wake. Some reviewers criticized the book for making what they viewed as simplifications of political phenomena, while others lauded it as a compelling and important work. The book served as the main source of a 2009 documentary feature film with the same title directed by Michael Winterbottom.
Ben Waber reviewed The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein
An Investigation into Neoliberalism's Role in Extracting Profit from War Zones
4 stars
Klein reviews the role of the Chicago School and other neoliberal acolytes in driving the privatization of public goods and functions for profit, particularly around wars. While this book might not give the most accurate/complete accounting of particular events (the role of Milton Friedman in Chile stands out as fairly embellished), its breadth helps demonstrate that for every success neoliberal backers can claim in specific countries/policies, there are numerous other examples where those exact same policies not only failed, but demonstrably harmed societies. Reading this in 2025 was depressing, as the ethical lapses of the GW Bush administration that Klein dissects (rightly) seem downright quaint compared to the current administration's bald faced corruption. Highly recommend
Klein reviews the role of the Chicago School and other neoliberal acolytes in driving the privatization of public goods and functions for profit, particularly around wars. While this book might not give the most accurate/complete accounting of particular events (the role of Milton Friedman in Chile stands out as fairly embellished), its breadth helps demonstrate that for every success neoliberal backers can claim in specific countries/policies, there are numerous other examples where those exact same policies not only failed, but demonstrably harmed societies. Reading this in 2025 was depressing, as the ethical lapses of the GW Bush administration that Klein dissects (rightly) seem downright quaint compared to the current administration's bald faced corruption. Highly recommend
