CAPITALISM IS FREEDOM
It sounds like something out of 1984, but actually, the philosophy that the free market = freedom, will always = freedom and can only = freedom is just about the cornerstone of the entire organisation of our planet. Cause it’s true, right?
Wrong. The notion that capitalism automatically equals democracy, political freedom and human rights is, as Naomi Klein bluntly exposes using nothing but hard fact in her book The Shock Doctrine, actually, fucking bollocks.
During the 1970s and 80s, ideas first developed at the University of Chicago under the economist Milton Friedman began to take hold globally: that the unregulated free market, without interfering governments and state run services, was the only way forward. Such a system of economic ‘liberty’, it was said, would inevitably lead to democracy, prosperity and jobs for all.
Did it? Haha, no! This is capitalism, remember? In fact, it turns out that the Friedmanite economics of spending cuts, privatisation and market ‘liberalisation’ had such catastrophic effects for ordinary people, that the only way it could be introduced was through shock, confusion and mass disorientation – the tactics of Shock. And. Awe.
Whether it’s a war, terrorist attack, military coup, natural disaster or state terror – all have been used as cover while mass programmes of anti-working class policies have been rammed through.
This is the basic thesis that Naomi Klein examines in The Shock Doctrine, focusing on, among others, post-coup Chile, post-Soviet Russia, post-invasion Iraq, post-Katrina New Orleans, post-tsunami Sri Lanka, post-apartheid South Africa, post-Tiananmen China… see a theme developing here?
The book has recently been adapted into a documentary by acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom, which was screened on More4 last week. It’s not nearly as in depth or as captivating as the book, and in some parts feels a bit simplistic and disjointed, but is still a decent film which gets across Klein’s arguments effectively. The 80 minute documentary can be watched on the 4OD player for the next few weeks here:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-shock-doctrine/4od
Oh, and if you want to see a bunch of Glasgow people (and me!) shouting ‘JUMP!’ at the Bank of England, better wait until erm… about 1:15:25 or so…
Alfonso Cuaran (of directing the third Harry Potter film fame!) and Klein have also made this short film on the Shock Doctrine, which actually sums up the basics of the book in about 6 minutes..
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