Shock Therapy
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:39 am
Could tools such as direct democracy, wealth redistribution, or global cooperation be a path toward a fairer and more sustainable future? Could global cooperation be the path toward a fairer and more sustainable future?
In her book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, Naomi Klein explains how extreme capitalism exploits crises and vulnerabilities to implement radical changes in economy and politics, benefiting a select few at the expense of the majority.
Over the past decades, neoliberal policies have tried to turn crises into opportunities to privatize essential services, reduce state regulations, and increase wealth.
I believe the most relevant examples include the privatization of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, the lack of action to combat climate change, the privatization of water resources in Mexico, authoritarian actions in Poland and Hungary, and the repression of protests in Hong Kong.
Why do we continue to accept this model despite the evidence of its negative effects? Could looking at alternatives to neoliberalism work in a world as connected as ours? Is it realistic to think that we can reverse these practices? How could we start?
In her book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, Naomi Klein explains how extreme capitalism exploits crises and vulnerabilities to implement radical changes in economy and politics, benefiting a select few at the expense of the majority.
Over the past decades, neoliberal policies have tried to turn crises into opportunities to privatize essential services, reduce state regulations, and increase wealth.
I believe the most relevant examples include the privatization of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, the lack of action to combat climate change, the privatization of water resources in Mexico, authoritarian actions in Poland and Hungary, and the repression of protests in Hong Kong.
Why do we continue to accept this model despite the evidence of its negative effects? Could looking at alternatives to neoliberalism work in a world as connected as ours? Is it realistic to think that we can reverse these practices? How could we start?