Naomi Klein’s newest offering, The Shock Doctrine, focuses on ‘Shock Therapy’, a particularly wide-spread economic policy. To put it simply, it is the idea that an economy needs a good jolt to 'right itself' and let the natural market forces take hold.

A belief held strongly by those who adhere to Milton Freidman's Chicago School ideology. Klein traces the origins of this school of thought, stating that it has influenced several events in recent history. For example, she explains the way in which this policy was a driving force behind Chile’s bloody coup in the 1970’s. She also examines it in relation to the war in Iraq and the 2004 tsunami. Klein talks about state-sanctioned physical torture and makes the connection between the development of torture inflicted on the human body and the economic shocks inflicted to the economies of ‘developing’ nations or nations experiencing times of conflict. Her contention is that these shocks are deliberately placed to take advantage of governments and people who are in times of dire stress, and might not necessarily have other options but to accept help from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Her arguments are thorough and well-researched, if honed to prove a very specific point. She has faced criticism for skimming over certain issues that an economist might have highlighted, but it is an educational and disturbing read. It is well worth picking up.

The Shock Doctrine
by Naomi Klein
ISBN: 978-1-84614-028-0 | RRP: $32.95 | Penguin, 2007

REVIEWED BY: Candace Petrik