Naomi Klein's latest: The Shock Doctrine

The Shock Doctrine by Alfonso Cuarón and Naomi Klein

From The Thought Kitchen,

Naomi Klein has just published a controversial best seller entitled The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism In it she defines shock doctrine as “the use of public disorientation following massive collective shocks—wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters—to push through highly unpopular economic shock therapy.”

The metaphor of “shock” is important because her thesis stems from a contention that what works on a person also works on a nation. Think 9/11 and fear-induced politics that have eroded some of the fundamentals of what we knew as American democracy. To peer into her thinking, check out the short film by Alfonso Cuaron, who made Y Tu Mama Tambien and Children of Men. Klein was hoping he’d send her a quote for the book jacket, but instead he assembled a team of artists and this short film. Sweet indeed.

Read more about the book and film at her website.

~BT

Update: Joseph Stiglitz is fairly sympathetic to Klein in his recent New York Times review of the book, which isn't so surprising given his place within the anti-globalization movement. Definitely looks like a great read.

Update 2: Naomi Klein speaking to the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives.