"The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein examines "disaster capitalism," a concept where catastrophic events are exploited to implement radical free-market policies. It highlights how economic "shock therapy," advocated by figures like Milton Friedman, has been imposed globally, often with the backing of powerful nations and institutions, leading to widespread privatization, deregulation, and cuts to social spending. The sources detail instances from Chile and Argentina in the 1970s, to post-Soviet Russia, post-Apartheid South Africa, and post-invasion Iraq, illustrating the coercive methods, including violence and torture, used to quell resistance to these unpopular reforms. Ultimately, the text reveals a pattern where crises are not merely opportunities but are sometimes manufactured or exacerbated to push through an agenda that consolidates wealth and power for a select few, often at the expense of democracy and human rights.

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