The irony of The Shock Doctrine: it could push the progressive agenda

[Auggie]

I believe Disaster Capitalists, with the backing of the Bush Administration, led us to the brink of economic chaos to usher in a wave of privatization programs on federal, state and local levels for services like Social Security, Medicare, public safety and water management and delivery, to name a few.

Except one thing happened that's going to backfire on them big time -- their presidential candidate lost.

"The Shock Doctrine" is a book by Naomi Klein (the Nation) that examines how “free market” policies advocated by the late economist Milton Friedman have come to dominate the world through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries.

An excerpt:

"In one of his most influential essays, Friedman articulated contemporary capitalism's core tactical nostrum, what I have come to understand as "the shock doctrine". He observed that "only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change". When that crisis occurs, the actions taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. Some people stockpile canned goods and water in preparation for major disasters; Friedmanites stockpile free-market ideas. And once a crisis has struck, the University of Chicago professor was convinced that it was crucial to act swiftly, to impose rapid and irreversible change before the crisis-racked society slipped back into the "tyranny of the status quo".

"Friedman first learned how to exploit a shock or crisis in the mid-70s, when he advised the dictator General Augusto Pinochet. Not only were Chileans in a state of shock after Pinochet's violent coup, but the country was also traumatized by hyperinflation. Friedman advised Pinochet to impose a rapid-fire transformation of the economy - tax cuts, free trade, privatized services, cuts to social spending and deregulation."

Isn't it ironic that the current chaos and disorientation set in motion by BushCo can be used (and perhaps already is) by the incoming administration to push through counter, and more progressive, programs? More regulation, tax increases (for the very wealthy), and more social spending that otherwise might face a tougher battle with the American people and Congress?

Hopefully, the incoming administration has a few good ideas lying around.


The Shock Doctrine link: http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine

[lostnotforgotten]

1. The Pressure To Govern From the Center Will Be So Intense That One Should Not Expect Much!

eom

[crazylikafox]

2. Well, we know Obama has read this book, and I think he will take it to heart.

I believe that even more after watching Raum on Stephanopolous this AM. Barack is NOT backing down on his push to raise taxes on the wealthy in order to spend money on other programs like education, infrastructure jobs programs.

[Auggie]

3. What an opportunity to "impose rapid and irreversible change" for the common good!

[lostnotforgotten]

4. Yes Maybe - But What About The Fact That The US Is Virtually Bankrupt

No amount of taxes on the wealthy will fix that problem.

We are deeper in the hole than most understand or believe.

[Auggie]

5. No one is implying that tax increases alone will solve the problem

The point of my post is that there may never be a better time to enact programs that support the progressive agenda and actually help people, just as what happened after the Great Depression with better banking regulation, the WPA, and social security.

[lostnotforgotten]

6. I Fully Expect A WPA Program To Get People Back To Work

Still does not solve the fundamental problem that the US is broke.