The Shock Doctrine

You might have read the piece in Salon the other day where John Dean laments the passing of the Republican Party as a positive, or, even, a non-damaging force in American life. The party he has known for forty years, and the party he says that his friends now know, is a hateful, entirely corrupt, and self-interested body composed of those who take revenge and those who fear having revenge taken upon them. Every current candidate for the presidency is "authoritarian" in an extreme and unAmerican way that Dean thinks would have in earlier decades been "corrected" by the political system, but the Republicans, according to Dean, have broken the political system precisely so that it won't correct them. Sounds like the financial markets, doesn't it?

Personally, I would have put things slightly differently. The Republican Party now seems to work like a gang, in which the most valued qualities in members are loyalty to the gang and the leader, obedience to authority, and violence toward outsiders. The gang is constantly having to prove its dominance, and so candidates for leadership vie with one another for the most tyrannical or violent rhetoric, rhetoric which simultaneously demonizes those who don't accept the authority of the gang and the leader and removes all rules and laws for the gang and the leader. No one is exempt from the wrath of the gang. In this case, the Republican party has now separated itself fairly clearly from the general American population, and as Americans support it less, they come to seem to the Republicans to be more and more the enemy. The far away enemy is one thing, in terms of threat (think Al Qaeda, Shiites, Sunnis) but the enemy close at hand is more threatening because their enmity is seen as a "betrayal."

I don't doubt Dean. I always thought that for a Republican, he had something of a conscience. What amazes me is that Republicans who are now exclaiming at what has happened to the Republican Party (and yes, I talked to my mother this morning) didn't see this coming. Everything, every value, that the Republicans have held up for my lifetime as desirable has been pointing us in this direction. As I've said before on the HuffPost, all of this is the necessary consequence of traditional Republican values, not an accidental byproduct. Or maybe I'll put it this way -- when you reject common humanity, value profits above people, practice sectarian religion, feel contempt for the choices of others, exalt wealth, conflate consumersim with citizenship, join exclusive clubs, daily practice unkindness rather than kindness, and develop theories, such as those of free market capitalism, that allow you to congratulate yourself morally for selfishness and short-sightedness, then being a gang member is in your future.

Speaking of Free Market Capitalism, John Dean should start reading Naomi Klein's new book, The Shock Doctrine, which is being published next week, simultaneously in the US and in Britain. As Karl Marx pointed out, history and politics are not only psychological, they are also material. This week, the Guardian is running not only four excerpts from Klein's book, but also several commentaries both disagreeing and agreeing with her thesis. Her thesis is this (and if I am slightly inaccurate, blame me, not Naomi): In the fifties and sixties in the US, at least two lines of thought converged. One was about how to change people's minds without leaving marks and the other was about what was the best way of organizing a given economy. The first grew out of experiments in psychological torture (whoops, I mean electrocshock therapy) run by Ewen Cameron in the late 1940s. The theory was that patients could be rid of mental illnesses by "regressing" them to an infantile state, attaining a "clean slate" upon which new patterns of behavior and thought would be etched. Cameron used both electroshock and powerful drugs to attain his clean slate, having no actual knowledge of the chemistry of the brain or how it works -- in other words, he was operating in accordance with a metaphor. The result of Cameron's experiments, for the patients, was often considerable loss of short term and even long term memory and a subsequent lifelong feeling of "blankness" on the part of the patients (apparently, later refinements of electroshock techniques have mitigated these effects). In the 1950s, the CIA redirected these techniques toward torture of political opponents, allegedly to find out information, but really to test the techniques themselves (hello, Jose Padilla!).

At the same time, Milton Friedman was coming up with the idea that if only an economy could be purified of any kind of restraints on the free market (for example labor unions or socialized medicine or history), then the free market would be able to perfectly gauge the value of any type of good or service, and therefore an economy would balance itself, and, most importantly, inflation would be controlled (also, as you can see, a metaphor, or, perhaps, an extended analogy).

According to Klein, it soon became apparent that all powerful shocks to a system had a similar effect, whether the system was a human body or a national body, and this was to temporarily disable the system's defenses. The US government, the CIA, and the free market economists began to act on this insight, to collude in larger experiments. The first of these was the right wing coup, in Chile, led by Augusto Pinochet, in 1973. At the time, Chile had a functioning leftish government and economy, and the voters had already rejected Friedman's pure free market troika: privatization of government functions, an end to social spending, and deregulation.The new economy was dependent upon outside investors and highly profitable to them -- let's call that the allure of globalization. Pinochet set about instilling terror in the population (that's the shock therapy) using death squads, exemplary killings, and torture. Taking advantage of this, the economists installed the new free market way of doing things within days of the coup. But Friedman's ideas did not work -- inflation rose. In the eighties, the Chilean government tried again, this time by inducing a profound economic crash -- essentially impoverishing the populace in order to bring them to heel. Ultimately, the Chilean "miracle" (Friedman's term) did nothing for the population, but it did enrich the top ten per cent and put 45% below the poverty line. It turns out that as far as the economists were concerned, this was a good thing.

The Shock Doctrine traces what the US, the CIA, the economists, the Neocons, and the multinational corporations learned from the Chilean experiment and subsequent ones (Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Poland, Russia, China, England) and finally makes its way to Iraq (this is a 590 page book, and the print is small). Essentially, they learned that a small economy is easier to "regress" than a large one, that the shock has to be brutal, and that the free market doesn't work as Friedman said it would (automatically assigning appropriate value), but that it sure does make a few people rich beyond their wildest dreams, and that these people were Friedman's (and his students') benefactors and paymasters. They also learned to lie lie lie in order to sell what amounts to a program of inhuman greed to voters who have other needs, wishes, and ideas.

For our purposes, the more interesting section of Klein's book is about Iraq, where she traveled in the first year after the invasion, and this section forms part of her series of posts at the Guardian. She believes that the Iraq War was intended to not only steal Iraqi oil, but also to impose a radical free market on an unwilling populace, and that that was what was behind the installation of Bremer as the capo of Iraqi reconstruction. She believes that, thanks to the resistance of the Iraqis and their deep resentment at being used and exploited by the Americans, this effort has failed. However, a parallel effort, to shock the US economy into absolute deregulation, privatization, and an end to social spending, has been and is succeeding. What this amounts to is the fleecing of the American taxpayer in order to enrich the war making industries. The byproduct, as in Chile, is the gutting of the rule of law and the American political system as we have known it. Why did Bush and Cheney go to war? Well, where do they get their fortunes? The Shock Doctrine works perfectly for them. As for that 45% below the poverty line, well, once the globalizing manufacturers exported the well-paying US jobs, then the globalizing financiers moved in and sold the newly impoverished working class a few sub-prime mortgages guaranteed to take whatever else they had. Then the financiers screamed for a bailout, and Bernanke gave it to them. The free market, you might say, is working perfectly now, at least according to its shock principles.

So, John Dean, stop wondering what happened to your fellow Republicans. They embarked, knowingly in many cases, unknowingly in some cases, with utter indifference in still other cases, upon the destruction of the common good. They began doing this in the Cold War and kept up with it when it turned out to benefit them economically. Some of them did this because they were fearful and aggressive by nature, and hurting those outside their own families and clubs felt good, or reassuring. Some did it for money. Some did it for "patriotism." Some did it for religion and some did it out of pure cussedness, but they did it, and they did it over time.

Klein ends her book on a hopeful note -- in many places such as Chile and Lebanon, the people have learned from their experiences -- they are cannier and more resistant to the shocks administered to them by Bushco and their own ruling classes. Having endured "Disaster Capitalism" for several decades, they understand their own self-interests better and aren't as easy to fool. I would like to be as hopeful. The question, as always, with Bush and Cheney, is how far are they willing to go? And, is anyone willing to stop them? From John Dean's article, it doesn't sound as though it is going to be the Republicans.

Comments

[deminmo]

Yes, I see how all this ties into politics and the Republican party, but first and formost, is the greed of the corporate world. They are the ones making profit off of war and the shareholders are the top 45%. How many times have large companies closed operations in the US to open in the Middle East, Mexico, South America? Where do we get most of the things we use on a daily basis? China. The American worker loses a $15 an hour job and a worker in China makes $2. Most of the rest goes as profit. We have let this happen since the 40's and we continue to let it happen. We put the Republican party in charge when they already control the puppet strings.

[Pete Ross]

"loyalty to the gang and the leader, obedience to authority, and violence toward outsiders"

That's the basis of all "revealed" religions!

[booknutcase]

Jane, when I read the name Ewen Cameron in your blog, a cold chill ran down my spine. I was born in Montreal in the early 50's and grew up hearing horror stories that came out of the Allen Institue of Psychiatry in Montreal. The rumors were beyond belief, the shock therapies, lobotomies, water torture and drug therapies that caused people to hallucinate and commit suicide. This was, of course, Dr. Ewen Cameron "treating" CANADIAN patients, when in reality, he was hired by the CIA to see just how much it took to brainwash, destroy a mind. I don't think it was ever resolved legally, as most of the poor victims were too ill or dead to testify. The USA has a few ugly skeletons in its closet. We don't need any more. I'm a US citizen now, and proud of it.

[luziannagirl]

Wonder if the Republican Party would now qualify to be prosecuted under the federal RICO statutes?

Luziannagirl

[Grannysue]

The Republicans are all about telling everyone else, including the world, how we should all live our lives. Never mind that their party is overrun with perverts, pedophiles, liars, crooks and butt kissers of the biggest magnitude. And they make and attempt to cover themselves by carrying the flag and a bible and slapping another "support our troops" sticker on their cars. They are the most diengenious people, and you could tell them that Al Qaeda attacked us on 9-11 until the cows come home, but nope it's Saddam did it.
I'm surprised they haven't accused Clinton of the attacks and everything else their boy chief has done.
One can only hope that our country has had it's fill of the MORAL MAJORITY, RIGHT WING, NEOCON, spin machine. Faux News and Rush and Laura and Ann Coulterqiest, spew out their repugnant hatred, attacking the wives of men who died on 9-11, or anyone who doesn't think exactly like them. Then they tell everyone how Moral they are, ah yes all those family values.
Larry the two stepper and his family of wife beaters, and criminals hide behind the Mormons and republicons and continue to lie. What our country has been through over the past six years has been horrific. The Republicans have nearly bankrupt our country, sent our jobs overseas, we have borders still unsecured and they try and say Bush is keeping us safe! Ha, listen the day Bush keeps me safe will be the day that we have been nuked and there isn't anything left, then your decider in chief will run around saying, look SADDAM DID IT.

[deminmo]

Sorry GrannySue, it will be "Clinton did it".

[CarmanK]

And not much can be said for the Democrats who seem to be unable to get the clear message from Klein's book on the American agenda. Illegal immigration is a symptom of the massive disregard the Republicans and by their silence, the Democrats have for the real rule of law. I was always taught that if you play by the rules, obey the law and do the right thing that it would ultimately "lift everyone to a higher plain". Both parties ignore the rule of law to line the pockets of the powerful and I'll tell you, any business that builds its business on the backs of illegal immigrants and undermines US security by Oil deals are as much a traitor as the one who sells national secrets to China.

[givemycountryback]

I agree completely with your blog. But there was someone on here trying to say it is not the whole Repug party, that there were a few good apples. Crap. They are all rotten to the core. Show me a repug who is not rich and spend most of their time looking down their noses at the rest. I live in a small town, which now because of all the plant closings, is a town of the haves and have nots. We used to have a vibrant economy. Not anymore. I blame it on Raegan and the Repug congress. It started there and now all the trillions of dollars wasted on retards war. It is absolutley criminal that people in this country cant even get sick. Even if they have insurance, they will end up with thousands of dollars debt to the corrupt insurance companie. There are too many injustices to list here. But for the love of god, vote, its our only chance.

[Dansden]

G-O-P means so many things to so many more Americans these days:
G,O.P=

Grimy Old Perverts!

Guardians Of Pugnacity

Gang Of Pirates

Gang Of Puke

Gropers Of Prostitution

Genuflectors Of President

Gay Old Prostitutes

Grand Old Prodigals!

but you can make up your own...

[Rowland]

The Republican philosophy is that philosophy that requires courage and fortitude--in others.

[Dangoodbar]

The issue in regard to the Republican rank and file is: are they DUMB or EVIL.

I agree what with the article about the Iraq War. "It is inconceivable that America invaded Iraq over suspected WMDs but then failed to secure any WMD site upon taking control of the country." David Kay.

We know from Bush's actions: securing ONLY the oil ministry and oil fields and turning them over to his cronies to exploit for profit and not securing Iraq's borders to keep out terrorists or Iraq's people so they could be "free"; why Bush invaded Iraq.

To invade a nation at a cost of thousands of lives in order to plunger that nation’s national resources is evil. So we know Bush and his "GANG" are evil.

But what about the rank and file who do not profit and instead suffer from Republican policies?

The biggest SHOCK to AMERICANS was not mentioned above. The biggest shock to Americans was CIVIL RIGHTS.

THE reason for Republican electoral success since Civil Rights is RACE.

RACE explains the popularity of Friedman’s free market survival of the privileged among many who are harmed by this approach to economics. You see CLASS and RACE are forever linked in America.

Many Americans especially in what are now called RED STATES while being poor saw themselves as being of a different class then other poor people because of race. What Civil Rights attempted to do was break the link between CLASS and RACE.

It is in response to this SHOCK that many who are hurt by the Republican approach to economics became and still are Republican rank and file.

That is the SINGLE ISSUE that has allowed Republicans to take and hold power over the last 50 years in spite of following policies that hurt their own rank and file is RACE.

As the popularity of Rudy proves VALUES is merely code for RACE. That is religion, abortion, patriotism, sex and even guns are merely the “EXCUSE” for the Republican rank and file to support the most immoral policies in American history. RACE IS THE REASON.

[Tom Gerosolina]

I agree with John Dean, but I want to take it one step further the whole congress has been degraded into a gang of tugs. The same type of thugs, that brought Hitler into power. The same interpersonal relationships are beginning to look similar to that of the German Parliament before Hitler took over. The people’s wants and needs are becoming irrelevant to the Congress. The sole purpose of the people now is to support the gang.

This is why the American people must vote out every single member of congress. We have to disband the gang. It is that simple. We can do it, join the New American Revolution at www.newamericanrevolution.biz. Please remember that George Bush thinks that God wants him to have a systemic war to force the whole world to become a Christen based democracy; control by his friends. Our freedoms are on the line.

[IntegrityIntact]

Great post Jane. We all feel this.

After Bush's speech last night many of us are just left speechless. I was last night, but I found my voice this morning.

I'm appealing to the better nature of existing Rebublicans, moderate or hardline alike resisting to end this war:
Please join us, the bulk of humanity on the planet, in seriously redirecting this "WAR" into a Massive Humanitarian and Diplomatic Endeavor. Where is the REAL Christian in you?

Explain this to us, the overwhelming, vast majority of Americans.

67 VOTES to restore our Humanity and Constitution. 67. The number God-fearing Christians are praying for now.

The Overwhelming mass majority of Americans DEMAND and end to this "WAR". It is not a war. It is a far-reaching political agenda and the people of America knows this. They are not stupid. And they know, that by you not supporting a new direction in this, you are hereby supporting this political agenda that functions now as merely a machine of death, carnage and destruction.

American people demand an end to this seizure of Democracy, so that former golden republic can be reclaimed. Let's get SURGE on DIPLOMACY and a MASSIVE HUMANTARIAN EFFORT (by far the most beautiful line delivered yesterday *sorry, don't know who first quoted).

Stop giving all this damn money to these disreputable contractors pillaging our hard-eaned American Treasure.
Help us to redirect this American nightmare into a new direction.

American people demand it. You took an OATH to SERVE us, not the Political Ideology of the President. It's what you were all sworn, with your hand on God's Book, to do.

[ScreaminJ]

This is great, except for one thing. The vicious policies so brilliantly sythesized in Klein's Shock Doctrine are not the work only of Republicans. They have maintained through every US regime, Democratic or Republican, for decades.

[Vajara]

Thanks for showing the gang mentality that exists with the "R's." The gang leaders are bullies and this is evident in every department, commission, committee and venture that are represented with "R's." All one has to do is visit the Justice Department's activities and see how they have bullied congress. The "R's" can never be trusted to serve American interests, they are all corporate clones and only care about money, power and greed. And, their sexual activities are wierd and hippocritical.

[fedupwithpolitics]

Yes, maybe there are some decent Republicans and the neocons are the fringe elements, but I think the point is that the basic philosophy of the right--glorifying profits over people--can naturally lead to that radical extreme. It's like religious fanatics--they grew out of mainstream religions, but the seeds of fanaticism are in every mainstream religion.

[SublimeRage]

As opposed to basic philosophy of the left--glorifying government authority over the individual...?