Naomi Klein on Global Neoliberalism | Big Think

Naomi Klein on Global Neoliberalism
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Naomi Klein on the end of "El Modelo."
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NAOMI KLEIN:
Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the New York Times and #1 international bestseller, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. In 2008 it won the Canadian Booksellers Association’s Libris Award for Non-Fiction Book of the Year and is longlisted for the inaugural 2009 Warwick Prize for Writing (UK). The six minute companion film, created by Alfonso Cuaron, director of Children of Men, was an Official Selection of the 2007 Venice Biennale and Toronto International Film Festivals and was a viral phenomenon, downloaded over a million times.
Her first book No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies was also an international bestseller, translated into over 28 languages with more than a million copies in print. A collection of her work, Fences and Windows: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Globalization Debate was published in 2002.
Naomi Klein writes a regular column for The Nation and The Guardian that is syndicated internationally by The New York Times Syndicate. In 2004, her reporting from Iraq for Harper’s Magazine won the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism. Also in 2004, she co-produced The Take with director Avi Lewis, a feature documentary about Argentina’s occupied factories. The film was an Official Selection of the Venice Biennale and won the Best Documentary Jury Prize at the American Film Institute’s Film Festival in Los Angeles. She is a former Miliband Fellow at the London School of Economics and holds an honorary Doctor of Civil Laws from the University of King’s College, Nova Scotia.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Question: Why did you write Shock Doctrine?
Naomi Klein:It came out of reporting that I was doing in Iraq after the invasion the first year of occupation. But I guess it dates back earlier than that. I happen to have been in Argentina making a documentary film when the war in Iraq began. And it was a really amazing time to be in Latin America. This was 2002, 2003. And this was, I guess, the beginning of what we now think of as this pink tide that has swept Latin America. But it was a moment in Latin American history - certainly a moment in Argentinean history - where the economic model that Latin Americans call neo-Liberalism, Americans call the free market. But these policies of privatization; free trade . . . the so-called free trade deregulation in the interest of corporations; deep cuts to social spending; healthcare and education cuts; things like that, in Argentina they actually just call this “el modelo” - the model. Everybody knows what the model is. It’s the so-called Washington Consensus. It’s the policies that have been imposed on Latin America first through military dictatorships, then as conditions attached to loans that were needed during economic crises . . . the so-called “debt crisis” of the 1980s. When I was in Argentina the model was collapsing, and Argentineans overthrew five presidents in three weeks. So it was this moment of incredible tumult and political excitement because people were trying to figure out what would come next. But it went beyond Argentina. In Bolivia they hadn’t yet elected Evo Morales, but they had these huge protests against water privatization. And Bechtel had just been thrown out of Bolivia. And in Brazil they had just elected Lula. And of course Chavez was already in power in Venezuela, but he had successfully overcome a coup attempt. He had been brought back to power. So there were all of these things going on in Latin America that were all connected in this rejection of this economic model. So to be in Latin America when the invasion of Iraq began was a really unique vantage point from which to watch the war. I’m very grateful to have had that experience to have been able to watch that through the eyes of my Latin American friends who saw the war so differently from . . . from the way it was seen, I think, by so many of us in North America. They saw a real connection between their rejection of these economic policies and the fact that the same economic program was being imposed in Iraq through tremendous violence. And you really saw and felt those connections in Latin America. You know Bechtel just thrown out of Bolivia suddenly shows up in Baghdad with the exclusive contract to rebuild their water system. And what it felt like was that . . . was that there was a change going on; that this model that had been imposed coercively...
Read the full transcript at bigthink.com/videos/naomi-kle...

[@firefighter7494]

she was put on the no fly list for writing her book. needless to say, she told us everything they didnt want us to know.

[@C_R_O_M________]

Another conspiracy theorist!

[@SeanOCallaghan0106]

which book exactly

[@torsodesnudo]

Creo que se refiere al "Esto lo cambia todo, el capitalismo contra el clima". (Introducción)

[@clarkpalace]

Except she brings receipts , bozo

[@ryang790]

HER?? Lol this is some who believes there is absolutely NO foul play or conspiring going on in the world!

[@jeffrey18930576]

Adam Smith rightly saw the dangers of this more than 200 years ago: "The proposal of any new law or regulation which comes from [businessmen], ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention. It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the public, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public, and who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it." -Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Cause of the Wealth of Nations, vol. 1, pt. xi, p.10 (at the conclusion of the chapter)(1776)

[@bobrolander4344]

+jeffrey18930576 *Adam Smith was a socialist????!! WTF.... ;-)*

[@scottdrysdale2901]

+jeffrey18930576 - Yes... you have some good points...... but I am confused! Please explain this! www.amazon.ca/Delinquent-Teenager-Mistaken-Worlds-Climate-ebook/dp/B005UEVB8Q

[@stevebrindle1724]

Adam Smith's real views would shock many of those idiots who have just learned a few of his quotes and them repeat them completely out of context, idiots like Bob Rolander it seems. Just another intellectual dwarf

[@mattgilbert7347]

Yeah but these guys aren't even "businessmen". They are financial "managers".

[@SoulRippster]

It's funny that today's neoliberalism identifies Adam Smith as a sort of father when he was effectively against the ideology as your quote shows.

[@nk53nxg]

What she says resonates here in the UK. Trickle down economics was mentioned by our neo liberal conservative government. It has led to less taxation from the people due to severely depleted wages, and tax breaks for the super wealthy. Culminating in shrinking of the state and state services. This is frightening as workers rights are being eroded along with the quality and access of education for the common folk. The UK has never been a true democracy, you can vote but only for a narrow group of parties who represent the under laying wealthy elites. The elites of the UK only represent themselves obviously, and donate to mainstream political parties who in turn implement policies and dispose of laws to help their agenda. Any party or person with a different mind set to neo liberalism is ferociously attacked by the media as a looney bin nut job. When in actual fact they have sensible balanced ideas and policies to put forward. You cannot believe a word the main stream media tells you, facts are facts if they say they are facts never mind what your eyes and conscience tells you. Media bias is so obvious now they barely try and hide it in the media. Watching someone with Socialist ideals in an interview on tv involving a neo liberal will result in the presenter also attacking the Socialist with the neo liberal interviewee. The socialist wont even get a word in due to interuption and undermining of credibility. I agree with some right and left wing views, but everything is going turbo right wing just now. We are going to end up with complete Elite Dictatorships in the West if we do not wake up and challenge these thieves.

[@phoenixwings6441]

i have so much respect for these people who can word these gigantic complex concepts into language. If you think about it, these concepts that they are describing are HUGE and there are so many connections that they have to make. It's extremely difficult to do, kudos!

[@Lyricscorner912]

"Sociological Imagination" A concept I found to align with what your saying.

[@OMAR-vq3yb]

She wrote books on these topics which is the best way to become verbally fluent after education. Not an easy task of course.

[@kraka2oanIner]

Neoliberalism is not unlike a cancer upon our planet.

[@jakelorenz1040]

Posted 8 years ago still as relevant as ever

[@qwertyuiopzxcvbnm9890]

Yes. Unfortunately her new work now is disappointing

[@Smaniest]

I mean not really if we consider the case of Venezuela which she mentions more than once with positive terms.

[@helenamoniqueclarke8135]

We are now living in an economic model which, thanks to theoretical and technological advancement, no longer requires a middle class. There will be an endless widening of the gap between rich and poor globally, until the model itself is addressed.

[@georgeroberts613]

Advancements? You are mistaken. Feudalism has been the norm for the majority of human experience. The middle class is the result of real democracy. It's demise is the result of elitist shenanigans to destroy unions and representative democracy as big money doesn't like power in the hands of the people. The "new" economic model is reverse fascism where the corporations and deep pockets take over clandestinely through hook or crook. Trickle down is shenanigans via demagoguery and propaganda to change the narrative as required to advance the power of greed and self interest.

[@Johnconno]

The middle-classes will ALWAYS be necessary, even when they're living in slums and looking down at homeless people.

[@durgasoham970]

PERFECT.

[@nnneh1]

Or a working class. It's not neoliberalism, it's technology pure and simple. Jobs being replaced by machines at every level and in every walk of life... including the so called ruling classes in time.

[@jupitercyclops6521]

@@nnneh1 it is neoliberalism. If we had an elected, representative government, then as advances in technology made peoples jobs easier, work week would have been shortened, but salaries would not have been. Workers would get longer vacations. Everyone would benefit from these advances.

[@alexanderalexandrou]

You can add the EU to the shock doctrine. I almost had a panic attack watching TV these past few days in Greece. Apparently, I have to accept more austerity measures and massive privatizations (in a society and nation already thoroughly devastated by austerity) or else!! The possible scenarios of what will happen if we go against this system being shown on TV are literally presented as horror stories, even to the terrifying music playing during these segments and the way the presenters speak. Your ideas confirm what I've felt is true about Greeks for the past few years. People are behaving here like they are suffering from PTSD. We have literally been psychologically abused into submission through a massive campaign to scare us and ridicule us that's been going on for years.

[@TheEyeball37]

How about Greece start making taxes mandatory for a start.

[@Queen-qr9bw]

Welcome to the new reality!

[@MrOctoberon67]

@@TheEyeball37 I suppose you mean mandatory for the elite classes ,right? Because no working , middle class or else class have an OPTION not to pay their taxes, and tax evasion is a plague I agree, but the tax system never gave an option NOT to pay , on the contrary , due to loopholes, it gives the provocative prerogative to the financial powers to be , to skip their obligations to the country with off-shore companies and what not.

[@thomasholaday674]

as an american this is due to neo libs, and i'm truly angered at the global capitalists have done to europe and the rest of the world

[@AudioPervert1]

Hoodwink Klein - She never speaks of where her money comes from - THE FORD FOUNDATIONS. What an Award-winning author and activist $CAM!

[@AUTOBLIZZ]

One of the best books I've ever read. Sadly, I just got to read it recently. However, good work Naomi, you are a beacon for us social justice advocates!

[@iams34]

The shock doctrine is one of the best books that exists to understand the modern world and the causes of the majority of the problems that we have had to confront since some decades ago.

[@eottoe2001]

From a discussion on another thread: The terms liberal and conservative, as well as democratic and republican, have outlived their usefulness because their meanings have become so distorted and the alliances of all parties so entangled and fluid. We might speak now of pro-corporate politicians and their followers (by far the majority) and pro-commons politicians and their followers, who support the interests of the people and the environment. Much confusion clears up when you think in those terms.

[@danielnez2930]

LOVE your iconography, eottoe!

[@bee-vc5st]

I've given up on using the words liberal and conservatives

[@craigstephens2029]

Her book is definitely food for thought. And hard to discount when you see the evidence before your eyes....I live in Denmark and even here the state model is under threat from privatisation. The largest energy company being an example....Goldman Sachs are now the main shareholders there. Despite massive public protest.These days I consider most politicians to be nothing more than lackeys for big business. And the earlier comment here is so true...people have to stop mixing economics with morals because never the twain shall meet! We need more Naomi Kleins!

[@kev3d]

When Sweden and Australia privatized much of previously government controlled services, the economies grew.

[@kev3d]

***** And the rest of the population. Canada too, grew its economy when its government cut spending. That sort of economic growth benefits everyone. Meanwhile, Venezuela continues to struggle with repeated shortages, increasing crime and massive inflation, all due to egalitarian, socialist policies. The contrast could not be more clear.

[@lunalaflue2835]

kev3d Most Australians are barely getting by, social services have been cut in favour of military spending, our unions are being harassed, our wages are falling, food, housing, electricity and water are skyrocketing. But at least mining barons get to sleep comfortably knowing public officials are in their pockets. Don't even try to tell other people what their Countries are like, stop damn well speaking over everyone America, and stop trying to enforce your neo-liberal globalisation onto everyone. People are really fucking fed up.

[@kev3d]

Luna Laflue "Most Australians are barely getting by" That is a complete fabrication. People is Sudan are barely getting by, Australians are doing fine -an much better than ever before, thanks largely to relatively free trade. Sydney was my home for 2 years, so this is not mere theory, but demonstrable, observable fact.

[@Auggies1956]

She's a progressive/communist, and the last time I checked their record isn't so good.

[@mahlina1220]

I love her critiques. We need more broad thinking, and like-minded individuals like her.

[@Memento_Mori_Music]

Trickle down economics, my ass! More like bubble up economics.

[@matthewabbott1758]

I agree with Naomi here. Although, "mixed economies" are still capitalist and hence exploitative towards the poorer nations; the re-distribution of wealth is only occurring within the developed nations. As Naomi states the role of richer nations is to impose their power in the developing world and extract labour force and natural resources. The books aren't balanced here, the wealth doesn't flow back to the developing world, therein lies the problem or the global capitalist system.

[@vaultsjan]

're distribution of wealth is only occuring within the developed nations' really? by what measurement, could you provide some numbers?

[@Cssaarr]

wrong, I have many friends working in Argentina from home for companies located in other countries; they earn A LOT of money; also, I know a guy who paid for his musical studies workint at mcdonnalds ; now He lives in Europe and is an Orchestra director; A LOT of people here work in automobile factories, from international brands (Toyota, Volkswagen, Renault, etc); also, consider "exploitation" has been debunked a lot of time ago, is just a falacy.

I had never listened to you before, my loss of course, but as you were talking I kept day dreaming about meeting a person like you and being able to converse with you and learn from such a wonderful source. You not only have a really pleasant disposition, you also are very clear in your analysis which makes learning about these very important issues that affects all a very nice experience. Thank you for your wisdom an for sharing it with those of us interested in learning the real causes of many political events, and from now on I shall make every effort to learn all I can from you. Cheers!

[@balderdashery1]

Brilliant woman. Thank you for posting this.

[@scottdrysdale2901]

+balderdashery G Brilliantly deluded woman.... or out to deceive others before she cashes in and the Capitalist system fails..... thanks in part to her efforts.......Actually I seriously think she is punching way above her weight class!

[@david8157]

+Scott Drysdale You are kidding right? A woman makes a few insightful criticisms of neoliberal capitalism and the popular rejection of it in Latin America and you imagine she will destroy capitalism Get a grip Neoliberal capitalism is destroying itself

[@TheRishijoesanu]

Naomi klein is not an economist. Like not even close. Screw you Big Think for misrepresenting facts.

[@Wolvenreign]

Whaaaaaaaaat? Women can't be brilliant! Unless it's about fashion or cooking. (Kidding, kidding...)

[@AdmiralYoshi]

How is a woman who even supports Marxism smart? She's nothing more than an ignorant ass.

[@amyrosenold-music-healing-yoga]

Brilliant woman with extremely incisive perception.

[@Pimp-Master]

She's not legitimate because she adopts the talking points of the Left, which are mostly fantasy: Climate change and Orange Man Bad. Hey, the dumbest person alive can spout these points. I expect more from an incisive person. Her parents were radicals, so she needs an enemy to breathe.

[@fredatlas4396]

@@Pimp-Master where do you people get this bullshit from

[@Pimp-Master]

@@fredatlas4396 From the horses mouth; she's become intellectually dishonest to serve her political masters. It's no different than the other decadence happening.

[@Atombender]

@@Pimp-Master Trump is the dumbest person alive and he can't talk like that.

[@korgond]

'There is no any country which have been developed by the advices of the foreign nations. The history have not recorded such an example'. - Kemal Atatürk So, this is what happens in latin american and other same level countries. The advices of the USA and EU will take us nowhere. Each country should build up its own developing system, according to its dynamics and strengths.

[@jefflittle8913]

"Do what we do and not what we say." The point is that developed countries focus on how to retain power in existing hands while developing countries are trying to build new economic production. The prescriptions for these two are dynamic opposites.

[@SidheKnight]

She's a brilliant and gorgeous woman. Love, from Argentina ;)

[@RadioheadCentral]

SidheKnight I don't disagree with you, but I would love it if people could stop focusing on appearance. What would you have said if she were an unattractive woman?

[@SidheKnight]

kristin s I'd have said.. that she's brilliant? That's the important thing, after all.

[@RadioheadCentral]

yesssss! smiling.

[@NAIVADA]

The biggest problem of system failures is that we are taught in mass to IGNORE the failure indicators... Question : If modern science and technology allows us to overcome SCARCITY (artificially created in/for/by the model), Wonder why aren't we doing it today ?

[@NAIVADA]

THIS PLANET CANNOT SUSTAIN THIS $YSTEM

[@arkadiusztrzesniewski4237]

Not in a long term.

[@gordonbradley199]

Naomi Klein has never posed as an ' economist '. She is a journalist and author who simply observes the sufferings and catastrophies brought about by lunatic soi disant ' economists'

[@KbcBerlin]

Yes, there has been too much listening to economists who have a very narrow mentality, and awareness. That in fact is the source of most of the misery and danger today. The travesty you can see in the situation we have. Productivity multiplies, but ever more has to be saved, cut, becomes "un-affordable. Ever more produced, but the proceeds, or wealth evermore compressed into fewer hands. Then downward spiral tax competition. No money for the social purse. Did nobody work this out or is it the plan we must all be grafters or mini fascistic on the US model .? The rest to be trampled under.

[@markenolamckenney244]

She is an actual,investigative,journalist.So unlike any one connected with main stream,corporate controlled media.

[@JoEEll2233]

Well said Gordon.

[@KbcBerlin]

Nearly all government financial advisers the last 30 years or more have come through Goldman Sachs. Need we wonder where we are today. A more narrow view of life is hard to imagine. They are probably not maliciousness just ignorant, and programmed.

[@markenolamckenney244]

Oh they are malicious alright.

[@ChaseHolden]

Absolutely brilliantly well done, Naomi Klein. I have to get your book, Shock Doctrine.

[@chris66908]

Thank you Queen of wisdom ,always inspiring and educating , helping humanity overcome ignorance. Keep letting us know what is possible.

[@TipoQueTocaelPiano]

It's nice to see a woman challenging the establishment.

[@johnmoe3500]

+Ncyim Dumbest thing I've read all day, most women are complete narcissists who only care about themselves or their children. Why do women so commonly have cluster b personality disorders?

[@johnmoe3500]

You have absolutely no facts to back up those claims. Women are often psychotic and selfish, cluster b personality disorders are overwhelmingly had by women, not men. I have actual facts to back up my claims though, statistics are an amazing thing.

[@bobrolander4344]

+Ncyim *True. Motherhood is probalbly the toughest, productive and most delicate work there is. But do we give them credit for it? Instead we reward gambling psychopaths at Wall Street, who don't do anything even remotely productive.*

[@QMPhilosophe]

+Ncyim As a long-time Liberal, I can say that your little rant is a gross generalization (fallacy). It is little more than unfocused anger, directed at all men. If you see the world in such grossly simple and general terms, then you have nothing thoughtful to say.

[@markcysts]

+Paul Dirac Actually, no it's a critique on how society tends to reward the finance sector. You're seeing too much of what isn't there. Is it a little naive? Sure, but it does have a few kernels of truth to it.

[@gordonbradley199]

By the way, naomi Klein inhabits planet earth. Distinct from the lunatic sphere wherein " hidden hands" magically make everything equable, and where encouraging the most selfish poisonous exhibits to commit the most selfish sociopathic conduct will miraculously result in a paradise on earth. I observe with fascination the extended experiments in this ideology in the crucibles of somalia, Congo, Haiti, Yemen etc.

[@herzwatithink9289]

Put 1,000 random Somalians, Congolese, and Haitians on three desert islands. Then put 1,000 random Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans on three other desert islands. Ensure each of the islands is equally arable and well-equipped with the materials necessary for social infrastructure building. Come back in 200 years to see how each is progressing. The island which has attained (what our bigoted closed minds would consider) the highest civilizational level is one of those of the latter group. And the gulf in living standards experienced between the latter and former groups is huge, with far greater variation between the African (and African-descended) populations and the East Asian ones than among either of the race groupings. Or am I wrong? If I'm not wrong, and we both know it is impossible to be wrong on this, why wouldn't you incorporate these obvious and, at least somewhat, intractable differences in social policy formulation? The efficacy of resource allocation systems is incumbent largely on the make up of the populations to which they are attached. Or am I wrong?

[@KbcBerlin]

HerzWatIThink Yes. or so what. Different cultures. So if you are in a capitalist bubble you cant see the value in any other culture.

[@tixe51]

HerzWatIThink What you just said is extremely racist. But I don't blame you, the entire world has been conditioned to see black people as animals. You are basing your arguments on biases that come from 6 centuries of slavery and colonialism of Africans. You are completely conveniently ignoring that the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans were never enslaved and colonized in the same way that Africans were. You are completely ignoring that to this day Africa is still not free. Do you know about French military bases all over Africa. Have you heard of the French colonial pact still in place today? How about Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara and Cuito Cuanavale. You cannot talk about African economic progress without mentioning the significance of the 3 names above. But since you obviously have a racist mentality, I guess you will not even make any research on the significance of what I just said.

[@herzwatithink9289]

tixe51 200 years to "get over slavery" - the only people the African populations could "enslave" on their islands would be each other. Are they performing as well, better, or not as well as the East Asians at the end of this period in terms of civilizational attainment? Please, tell me they would perform better. Maybe they would. It's just an opinion. But one that I haven't been able to get anyone to commit to. Not even a black person. Which tells me that everyone is "racist". Or am I wrong?

[@KbcBerlin]

Every minimum pay job , and up to double is slavery. Old slave masters worried when their expensive purchase got sick, didn't want them badly fed because they couldn't work so well. Picture the attitude to their beloved car today. Nowadays, you have throw away, rent a slave. Sick, cant work properly, no problem get yourself a new one a younger one, a fitter one. Its just that merry old free market. Getting sick, getting old. "The State can look after that or nobody. Who cares ? " " Me pay more? " " No chance I`ve got competition". " Must pay more !?" " No way . Ill have to go elsewhere Sorry competition."

[@mottahead6464]

The problem with her citing Latin America as positive example of a rebel continent when it comes to economic policies is that Latin America is in terrible economic shape right now. Even though it refused to follow the US economic ways and demands, their left wing leaders proved themselves inefficient as economy policy makers and one factor that plays a huge part in this bleak outcome is the fact that culturally there's a tendency to always simplify and generalize policies and sell them to the public in a very populist way. Almost no specifics and a frightening lack of transparency - that's leaving Latin America with no perspective or hope for the future (they've already cast out the neo liberals, and now they're disillusioned with their more socialist leaning governments - they have no alternative but to come up with something that it is not out there at the moment. Socialists proved themselves incompetent when it comes to helping generate or create the right conditions for economic growth to take place, and that's a huge liability since the money to pay for the many social programs that those governments have put in place has to be somehow derived from revenue generating enterprises in that same society. If the economy doesn't do well, then there's a huge rupture in the foundation on which those programs' viability rests).

[@SidheKnight]

Mottahead _"a huge part in this bleak outcome is the fact that culturally there's a tendency to always simplify and generalize policies and sell them to the public in a very populist way. Almost no specifics and a frightening lack of transparency"_ I totally agree with this part.

[@danzel1157]

Mottahead Oh, I see. That must be why Chavez was elected four times by the people.

[@mottahead6464]

Anthony Matthews I'm talking about economic shape here from a neutral perspective. I hoped that Chavez would have made Venezuela a more prosperous society. And read my comment again. I think that the more socialist leaning governments in Latin America focused on part of the problem (and I never stated that that part was not important). My point is ideological polarizing actually makes it harder to solve Latin America's economic woes. If you think I'm fundamentally against a socialist approach to government, read my comment again. What I'm against is narrow mindedness and radical ideology getting in the way of pragmatism (and real pragmatism aims to solve problems at more than one level).

[@johnmoe3500]

+Anthony Matthews Venezuela is going through a huge economic crisis right now, the country is going through some rough shit right now and socialist economic policies have absolutely wrecked the country.

[@danzel1157]

I guess from a middle class Venezuelan and pro free market western standpoint what you say would be agreed upon. If you were to talk to the labouring Venezuelan masses, however, they would disagree with your statement, and with good reason too.

[@MaryRose333]

Initially did not know that Naomi Klein was Canadian, and i began to see her as a woman of wisdom and someone who could well become president of the United States, but then my hopes for this faded upon learning of her Canadian birth. But would still like to see her in televised debates with those who would also be running here in the United States as citizens. We need to haar the truth and if we stage debates featuring people like Naomi Klein, Paul Hawken, and others who are not professional politicians, but have the wherewithal to be, then We the People are going to get a well balanced view of things as they really are. And in the meantime encourage all of those who can, to get both Klein's books and Paul Hawken's books and absorb what is the truth. And as Jesus supposedly said: "The Truth Will Set Us Free".

[@claireburgess6096]

i agree. unfortunately the economists are schooled reflects this anti-poor, pro corporate approach.. with limited critical analysis of the social science discipline.. which reinforces approches that generate inequality and threaten the atempts to protect and nurture the remaining biodiverse regions in the world.

[@hinteregions]

More agreement here. I've just been learning all about Milton Friedman and I can't say I'm happy; as far as I can make out that man has an awful lot to answer for.

[@claireburgess6096]

indeed, finally the penny drops (or fails to trickle down)

[@michaelkilcommons57]

Different forms of cooperative ownership of different industries seems to produce good results. Corporate ownership of the agriculture industry could turn out to be a disaster. Sowell and Friedman were like religious fanatics. I lean toward conservatism, but I also believe that corporations must show some social responsibility or be put out of business. They can clearly amass enough power to basically loot the economy rather than being productive.

[@bobrolander4344]

Google: Mont Perlion Society. Their goal is to brainwash the entire human race into believing that *greed is good and nihilism is ethical.* Pure 2-speak!

[@Guizambaldi]

It's funny that you say that, because we economists believe other social-scientists are complete morons (except for political scientists), who lack any understanding of economics (but has a comment on it) and also fail miserably in providing any scientific rigour to their own discipline. So why don't you open the introductory economics book to get some insight, and learn some statistics to develop a more scientific mind and stop saying any bullshit that comes to your mind.

[@mauritiusdunfagel9473]

I’ve only got one life as do we all and we need to choose to be courageous in our assertion of Our natural rights. I wasn’t born in this greatest country on earth to be to be a serf to the greedy.

[@richardfinlayson1524]

sorry didnt get where you come from?

[@richardfinlayson1524]

and why is it so great?

[@adamplentl5588]

Greatest country on Earth by what metric exactly? Prison population?

[@fredatlas4396]

We have to start following the French people's example and stick together, don't put up with the crap anymore

[@CartoonManWhoo]

get rid of your nationalism. Countries impose hierarchy. Hierarchy and centralized power systems are the reason why we have all of our problems.

[@DAngelo136]

"‘Only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes politically inevitable."-Milton Friedman (1982)

[@Sandro234]

Shame that this only has 100k views after four years wherein much of what Naomi Klein spoke of has only become exacerbated and more apparent.

[@michaelmartin8285]

The Shock Doctrine is one of my favorite books on US hegemony (the history within makes all this Russian hack bullshit even more laughable), that being said, I feel like a lot of the climate change paradigm shift is crisis capitalism in action, though it's not having the shock value it was believed to.

[@maxjenkins8121]

Special special woman right here

[@Pimp-Master]

Hey, that's a 3 year old comment, but a good one. I see that the Climate bullshit is a power grab both for politicians and big business cronies.

[@annepatton8727]

She sure understood what Argentina was going through. I wonder what she thinks now.

[@DAngelo136]

Funny you should quote him, I prefer this:"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."-John Kenneth Galbraith

[@AMEENHAI]

Being an Iraqi citizen who witnessed all of America's wars against my country, i say yes thats exactly what happened in Iraq after the invasion, her analysis is perfect.

[@garymorrison4139]

The market as it turns out, is an unsatisfactory substitute for the working institutions of democracy, as is the rhetorical craft of economists an acceptable substitute for public deliberation and political decision making on matters of public concern germane to the welfare and wellbeing of society. Economics by nature, represents a familiar set of public policy recommendations amounting to a policy regime that has proven to be unsound. Those seeking to defend economics as an area of policy expertise which it is not, are the same people who blame the working majority rule for the deregulatory regime that allowed the wealthiest 10% to expropriate the bulk of the worlds wealth in the process of extracting their fortunes, Libertarians are reduced to name calling, having convinced themselves that everyone who knows anything about this upward redistribution of wealth must be a leftist. I have yet to hear a convincing philosophical justification for 2,000 families controlling capital equal to the total assets of the bottom 2.5 billion. Economics fails to deal with this reality much less the crisis of resource depletion this expropriation has produced. Finally the utopian ideal of endless growth faces built in limits. One theoretical failure of economics, as description, is shown when it attempts to transpose the micro onto its macro model which leaves economists oblivious to the unexpected realities that arise when society is collapsed into competing individuals and emphasis shifts to exchange, away from the politics of production and resource allocation. Economists rely on mathematical models that are socially, politically and biologically myopic. to defend an imaginary world, based on abstractions. It is little wonder this practice has led them to expunge from the "data" any evidence that acknowledges that poverty has a supporting structure characterized by social stratification and exclusion, Economics simply has no empirical basis for its belief in a self-regulating market or its utopian vision of a classless society free of political conflict.

[@wakatene75]

exactly! well said

[@RobinEvans1234]

Yes ... very well said

[@bobrolander4344]

+gary morrison *Please support BERNIE SANDERS. Let's end the rule of the top 0.1%.*

[@amabitsapiens]

...except Mark Blyth.

[@david8157]

Excellent presentation Thank you

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

Secondly I work in healthcare as a Personal Care Assistant and Diversional Therapist (and am currently studying further to be a Div1 nurse). I currently work in a privately owned facility but I have also worked in centres run by the state. The private sector offers a far superior work environment, better pay & better handling of client ratios than that offered by the state . If healthcare workers aren't able to earn a decent wage they WILL burn out & then their own health is adversly effected.

[@lunarmodule6419]

2023... And Argentina is again stuck with a neoliberal. Crazier even. Let's see what he does in 2024.

[@williampierce7188]

I love the carefully reasoned argumentation, but I have to avert my gaze or I get distracted. ....she's purty!

[@yardh]

Interesting.

[@DAngelo136]

You were aware that Friedman had been employed during the Great Depression by some of the programs of the New Deal, right? As an employee of the Treasury Department he advocated FOR Keynesian policies, you were aware of that, weren't you? His fame rose during the '70's when conservative politicians needed academic cover for their policies which we now know were horribly wrong.

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

To answer your two questions Yes I am aware of this fact and indeed I do know whom they are. Maybe you can explain how this factors into whatever point you're trying to illustrate, yes?

[@rogggggerful]

People still dont get it.. to criticize neoliberalism is not a critique to capitalism.. neoliberalism is a vicious form of lassaize fare economic theory that exacerbates the disturbances in capitalistic economies that will ultimately bring societies to collapse due to extreme inequality. People need to reread keynes

[@C_R_O_M________]

YOU NEED TO REREAD KEYNES! Moreover, do yourself a favour and read the work "Keynes vs the Keynesians" by T.W. Hutchison. Keynes would have never advocate for a person like Sanders centrally planning the economy. His ideas were meant to be implemented on times of crisis and by no means considered a panacea!

[@C_R_O_M________]

…and WHAT capitalist economies? Capitalism doesn't mean gains for powerful capitalists and losses for everyone! That's state capitalism aka applied socialism and fascism!

[@supermanXL]

I was feeling her untill she said she was okay with some inequality and violence. we can't be free till we are all free.

[@veranochick]

So you are a utopian idealist.

[@michaeltsegaye4630]

That is a given man! A given.

[@Smaniest]

Humans and animals have forever lived in hierarchies. There is no such thing as a completely equal society, as individuals are very different.

[@supermanXL]

@@Smaniest there's a difference between unjust rule and organization

[@Smaniest]

@@supermanXL Hierarchies have rarely been based on democratic organization, and even when they have been, they still were hierarchies where some people were better off than others. There have been attempts during history of creating equal societies but there is little doubt they always failed.

[@all2031]

Ms. Klein should be the model for all women for her brain, intent, knowledge and personality. What a refreshing departure from only physical beauty for which most women are appreciated.

[@jaskarvinmakal9174]

Why is China's richer India by a factor of 4? It seems that it's clearly a difference between Kensian redistribution models vs Austrian growth based one (statisticstimes.com/economy/china-vs-india-economy.php). There's obviously more to it but this is the clearest trend difference that can be observed.

[@thomasjackson2737]

I would love to listen to her follow up today... the world has changed so much in the past years.

[@analyticalmindset]

She like many intellectuals have most likely been battered down by the utter ignorance of the world. Imagine being that smart and watching the world run and be supported by everyone around you like a bunch of 5 year olds. You either just try and escape to your little slice of life or keep screaming on the mountain like a "crazy " person while everyone ignorantly walks towards more wealth inequality

[@julianaraimundazugasti4282]

I'm so so proud of us Argentinians and our history and the awareness of it with which we face our present political issues, it makes me very happy that our fight inspired Naomi. I was barely a little girl back then in 2003 and I grew up in a family environment in which we weren't supposed to talk about politics and I was used to being frowned upon just for having an opinion, but nothing makes me prouder now than being peronista and fighting for La Patria Grande. Latinoamérica Unida gente, we owe it to Nestor who gave us young people our voice back. THANK YOU NESTOR, THANK YOU CRISTINA, VIVA PERÓN, NAOMI YOU'RE A F***ING GENIUS!

[@Cssaarr]

Argentinian here ! "the model" during the 90´s with minister of Economy Cavallo, was the only thing that could finally fix hiperinflation and produced a massive growth in gdp; before that, you had to wait one year or more to get a telephone connection from the public telephone company; it was a nest of corruption and had 10 times more people than needed as employees, earning sallaries far above those of the market, for doing nothing; after privatization you had your phone connection after days; same happened with all the other sectors; "the model" failed because politicians didn´t want to make structural reforms of the state and went back to spending like maniacs; a set of international crisis went on near 2001 and there was a rather normal liquidity problem at banks that could have been fixed by a small loan from IMF; however, we didn´t get the money on time because of political reasons between USA, Europe and Turkey, and local oposition took advantage to say we were not gonna pay our debt, and to destroy monetary convertibility, without a real need to do so; we went back to socialist stupidity and now we have 50% a year of inflation again (and growing), 38% poverty and growing, a totally devaluated currency, etc. Really this "intellectuals" should do serious research before doing uninformed claims like this based on purely ideological grounds

[@Kath-N]

Nepalese here! Nice to see a Latin American who understands how free market works. This lady is clueless. To understand why socialism doesn't work, all you have to do is look at Venezuela.

[@Cssaarr]

@@Kath-N absolutely ! sad that even very smart people like chomsky fall for the romanticism of "we will make poor people rich by decree" ! to be clear I think pure economic liberalism has its own problems too (because in the end, humans have problems), like it ends up with 3 or 10 megacorporations that buy senates, presidents, etc., eliminate competition by criminal means, and establish rules that make normal people dance to the rythm of very parcial valueless interests; but at least with economic liberalism you have the option to vote moral politicians who don`t want to sell out, and the posibility of new companies trying to outcompete old ones via innovation, tech, efficiency, etc. ; in socialist regimes every normal person becomes engangled with political favours as the only way to succeed, and political power becomes even more centralized and corrupt than private power

[@Kath-N]

@@Cssaarr No system is perfect because humans are not perfect. Socialism is ultimately about giving power to the government. When the government can't interfere with the market, firms will have to compete. They have to deliver quality products and services to ordinary masses. That is the only way they can survive in the market. Free market is the system where greed does least damage.

[@Cssaarr]

@@Kath-N absolutely agree !

[@tuckerbugeater]

@@Cssaarr Argentina doesn't care about the rights of the individual. They should be a first world country.

[@DAngelo136]

Milton stated "Chile is not a politically free system, and I do not condone the system. But the people there are freer than the people in Communist societies because government plays a smaller role." He also said "free markets would undermine political centralization and political control." So what was his his answer to the abuses by the Pinochet regime? What did he say about the crisis in 1982? Again, politicians are hanged, not economists.

[@eboulter]

Wow Chavez was such a saviour!!

[@CrowdPleeza]

I wonder what Naomi thinks of the mess Cristina Kirchner is making with Argentina's economy?

[@CrowdPleeza]

Or the mess Nicolas Maduro is making in Venezuela?

[@steppenwolf3252]

Why not write and ask her, Crowd? I'm sure she'd tell you.

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

That's an excellent summation of the Cato institute but what of the Koch brothers? You envoked their names as if they backed up your point in some enlightening way! As I've said I'm studying nursing to upskill my existing professional skills as a health worker (in my opinion we need more people involved in industries like this rather then government). I'm assuming you're keen on political science but I don't have the time between work and study (while maintaing a social life).

[@REZZA2020]

A + + + WELL DONE !

[@xxcrysad3000xx]

On what planet is Naomi Klein considered an economist?

[@herzwatithink9289]

I know she has her critics, but calling her an economist is a low blow by anyone's standards.

[@steppenwolf3252]

Who said she was considered an economist? She's an intelligence journalist who has studied these topics. What's wrong with that?

[@GreggTO]

She's not an economist, she never even went to university, not that I think that really matters, at least in her case.

[@ttrons2]

She dropped out of UofT in third year to write for the Globe and Mail.

[@davesingh4099]

This can't be more relevant than it is today. A great read!

[@sophiecomer635]

if anyone can help me, can you explain this message in a nutshell for me? i understand the basic idea behind this but if someone could explain in easier terms to understand, i would be grateful. x

[@mattgilbert7347]

Her old nemesis Milton Friedman's theories have been shown to be quite wrong. Personally, I blame Hayek.

[@GraemeMarkNI]

She is formidable

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

In 1984 Friedman stated that he had "never refrained from criticizing the political system in Chile." For me to comment as to what the beliefs of a dead man were, at a time before I was born is ridiculous! "You can't fatten the pig on market day in politics." - John Winston Howard

[@juliavanschalkwyk9321]

One can clearly see how the google algorythm threw this video at a nottom to listen video, 6 years ago and where did i find it, you will not believe me...

[@michaelberta3153]

Extremely smart and attractive in equal parts is Ms. Klein. The Shock Doctrine is a book everyone with a desire to learn, should read.

[@lightswitchvideo]

Worldwide poverty and inequality have been falling for three decades precisely because of the policies you dismiss, so my question is, "Why do you hate poor people?"

[@earthtoned]

doesn't matter to the left. actual results and facts are dismissed and replaced by what people "feel" is happening.

[@buzoff4642]

Farce, to justify "record profits"

[@jefflittle8913]

"Worldwide poverty and inequality have been falling for three decades precisely because of the policies you dismiss, " Your sentence is incomplete. The complete version is, ""Worldwide poverty and inequality have been falling for three decades at less than half the rate of the decades before...". Context is important.

[@michaelkilcommons57]

Worldwide poverty has been falling for three decades because of the rise of China and China has anything but a laissez faire capitalist system. China has recently been implementing some social reform recently because they are very concerned about wealth and income inequality. Naomi Klein very much understates the concern of the Chinese. They are not worried at all about social unrest. They are worried about a full fledged revolution such as the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution or more recently, their own revolution in 1949. The country that comes closest to corporatism is the USA where wages are stagnant, poverty is growing, violence is growing and overall social unrest is growing. We are armed to the teeth down here and when things reach a tipping point it will get very ugly very fast.

[@blackpuppy5645]

you ignore well researched facts because you believe you are not affected by neoliberal economics

[@DAngelo136]

"The U.S. taxation system is extensively larger in relative comparison to my country (FYI Friedman loathed taxes)" I don't know what country you're in so I'll say this: In terms of tax revenues as a percentage of GDP the US ranks lower than Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom even though the GDP of the US is larger than those countries combined. So we produced more and we paid less in taxes at all levels than than 4 other industrialized nations. So Friedman's gripe was what?

[@valeriekeefe8898]

The moment you contend with Social Neoliberalism is the moment everything starts getting better, Ms. Klein.

[@paulisaac1726]

So how's that "Keynesian model" and "mixed economy governance" in Venezuela going now?

[@rogggggerful]

Have you even read keynes? You sound ignorant if you use venezuela as a example of keynesianism

[@canguian]

Paul Isaac Venezuela is not socialist...is just a bunch of criminals robbing ...try to compare it with another socialist nation as Norway or Sweden, where you have free healthcare and education and they don’t have private prisons

[@mickhills5270]

Crazy Capitalist attacks fairness, what do you expect from spokespeople for the robbing greedy?

[@phillynch4971]

So insightful. I mean look how amazing and wonderful Venezuela is now because of their rejection of the free market. Everyone is just trying to live there. It's incredible!

[@snoopy_peanuts_77]

"Mixed economies work better than fundamentalist methods" you dont get that do you...it's not either or......

[@earthtoned]

she specifically singled out chavez programs in this video as being sensible. They destroyed the country.

[@dickhamilton3517]

nonsense. The oil price destroyed the economy. Ask the Saudis. They are in trouble too. But both are getting better now.

[@TheChrisneitoffer]

Venezuela is very dependent on oil, indeed. Over 95% of export earnings in the country comes from oil. But the same also applies to Nigeria. In Nigeria nearly 95% of export earnings comes from oil, and although the country has experienced a reduction in economic growth after oil prices fell, it is possible to buy toilet paper in the country, and the shops are full of goods, and there is no rationing of electricity and water. Furthermore, Venezuela has the world's best topsoil, which is particularly suitable for coffee production. The country is in fact close to the equator and is rich in both sun and rain, yet is quite high above sea level and the temperature is not tropical. In fact, Venezuela has historically been one of the world's largest coffee exporters, and their coffee is world famous for its good quality. When Hugo Chavez came to power, the coffee production plunged and today, it is the coffee shortages in a country with the world's best topsoil! It is almost as incredible as that there should be sand shortage in the Sahara. But it was well bad luck, we learn. And it's not just coffee production that plummeted since Chavez came to power. The same applies to the oil production: cdn.oilprice.com/images/tinymce/James%207/AE3023.png Was this also just bad luck? Well, of course! I am sure. One may well understand that certain things such as computers and mobile phones must be imported because it is difficult to produce competitive in Venezuela, but toilet paper? Venezuela is covered by forest. There is nothing in the way that Venezuela would have had a huge toilet paper production, and even exported dopapir to other countries. Power shortage? In a country awash with oil, they fail to produce enough electricity. Really? Here's a hint: diesel generators. And water shortages? Venezuela has a long coastline and has direct access to seawater with simple technology can be converted into drinking water. The price for this is under not even 50 cents/under half a dollar per tonne (Israel). Nevertheless, there are water shortages in the country awash with water and energy. In addition to oil and topsoil also Venezuela abundance of a number of other natural resources such as gold, iron ore, bauxite, nickel, diamonds and coal. But I guess it was just bad luck with those oil prices, yeah?

[@tommyzhang123456]

sarcasm ?

[@Bastiat90]

As Keynes once said: a remorseless logician, starting with an error, can end up in chaos. Klein simply ignores the enormous decrease in poverty that has occured because of free capital movements: lots of capital flowed into poor countries to ''exploit'' the reserve army of unemployed. Now there isn't that mass of unemployed anymore, wages are shooting up. China, India and Sub Saharan Africa have seen poverty reduced amongst billions of their people

[@Boardwoards]

Hahahaha propaganda

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

And thank-you for backing-up my position! Your consistant drive to continue coming back to debate me by defending your views and exerting your ego are all the hallmarks of someone whose driven by the survival mechanism of selfishness (the primary principle upon which my "fantasy market system" exists upon). As much as you rail against this system you seem to be unaware as to how instinctively wired you are to it. Peace to bro ☮

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

"that's the point Ms.Klein reporting" LMFAO! I'll listen to the Cato Institute anyday of the week over Ms. Klein's platitudes! Any step closer towards Friedman's economic, political and social policies is a good thing in my opinion! I enjoy the benefits, opportunities and prosperity brought about by unbridled free markets, free trade, individual rights and property rights!

[@Theraccoonfinder]

Cringe

[@cullenkline6893]

@@Theraccoonfinder its like he didnt even watch the video

[@ineshvaladolenc6559]

Lol, Cato institute. The Koch brothers send their regards.

[@kevnar]

Ideally, the role of government should be to stop people from being greedy, selfish, exploitative assholes. If they don't regulate those human flaws, hell on earth is inevitable.

[@SimGunther]

It's already been a thing for a loooong time (since at least the advent of Neoliberalism in 1971).

[@Cheretruck_]

"But what controls the controller?"

[@coopsnz1]

Poltical class in government is greedy

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

I agree!

[@MrSaxojes]

Small business and entrepreneurship coupled with shared economic interest the great equalizer in income inequality. It starts with innovation of ideas, learning trades, and the ability to change the market. Distributing wealth happens by market supply and demand. Injecting millions of people with no skills in an economy lowers wages for all.

[@JoEEll2233]

Capitalism brings out the worst in humanity. Case in point, I present John Cantor below.

[@Lysanderfication]

yes but if you had any birth complications, capitalism is also the reason you're alive.

[@GrieferOhhai]

bryan macdonald A lot of medical research is done through government funding, and my country like most first worst countries has a national health service.

[@SquareWaveHeaven]

bryan macdonald Do you mean that if monetary gain wasn't on the line, people wouldn't bother developing technologies to combat illness? Because I don't think that's true.

[@drewrobertwinter7648]

PokerFace46 Look up the RSAnimate video on motivation. Linux, Apache, and lots of other prominent projects are just a few examples of things that people do, not for money. The tie between innovation and money is actually a myth.

[@drewrobertwinter7648]

PokerFace46 Yes, people will continue to innovate without being paid for it. They will do that if they are already getting what they need in the form of food, shelter, healthcare, education, and can have a good life, then they will pursue innovation. I recommend David Graeber's book "Debt: The First 5,000 Years" for the long version, but basically the model in which companies give someone as little money as possible to get them to do things for them is a very particular (and relatively new) labor paradigm, and a lot of other current societies do it differently. Thanks for the discussion!

[@JimGardner]

I want to marry Naomi Klein.

[@igspal]

If I was a guy, I WOULD TOO! :]

[@Ferelmakina]

mmm...

[@philipwoodgate9555]

u bet, I would love to be with a woman this smart

[@steppenwolf3252]

So do I, Jim, and I'm a heterosexual woman!

[@omegapointil5741]

Shock -- it can be likened to Stephan Jay Gould's, "Punctuated Equilibrium" where Evolution takes quantum leap strides during cataclysmic events; not running smoothly as might be the conventional perception. It may be where she got the inspiration to apply it to socioeconomic events. A point I'd like to make is how its often passed over that its the payroll department and who tells it what to do with revenues that controls distribution of wealth and where trickle down is actually effected ...or not. That relieves politicians of the accountability for their promises not coming into fruition and its out of reach of legislation. Consider how much of the morale of a society depends on the kindness of the hearts of employers and that there's nothing that can be done to nudge it towards sharing the wealth. With the demise of Unions esp. any leverage for "...concentrating their minds wonderfully" is hopeless. It really is pivotal.

[@SwiperNoSwiping19]

it's pretty telling who is asking for the loans and who is in the position to give them.

[@Aeshir2]

"totalitarian communist state" naomi can u not pls

[@muslimmetalman]

yeah, she is a massive socdem gatekeeper

[@jhugo83]

I can't wait for her sequel "Disaster Socialism".

[@aramagoo]

The increase in the disparity between rich and poor is always the result of government action ,and no government is ever on the side of its working class.International organizations view working people as chattel[kaffir] .People drawn into government programs sometimes become dependent and try to make the best of it,but are consigned to permanent underclass status.

[@OCCUPYTVTO]

There are those who do, and those who tell others what to do.

[@martymakeupartist]

:-) me likey Naomi Kleiny

[@steppenwolf3252]

Me love Naomi

[@chutiagiri]

So Post-disaster reconstruction... sounds like COVID is a well-designed shock then.

[@yogayantra]

the same thing is happening right now in France. And the majority of French deny it because you can't touch the dogma named European "Union". Under the cover of a so-called 'union', politicians are implementing the toughest neo-liberalism in france, destroying all our parents and grand-parents had created: social security, a strong public service, etc. etc.

[@OakhillSailor]

thumbs up!!!

[@fahayek8179]

Capitalism is the best path to prosperity for all.

[@eleanorcm7033]

+Fa Hayek She very eloquently outlined how it isn't. Capitalism provides wealth to the capitalist - the one who controls resources and expropriates the products of society's labour. There is no mechanism in capitalism whatsoever to deliver wealth to the worker. The worker receives the means to survive, and anything more than this is wrenched from the capitalist by the labour movement. "Let yourself be exploited and you'll eventually be rich." Haven't they been telling you that for a while now?

[@fahayek8179]

+Eiléanóir CM Yea, yea, yea. Evil big businessmen blah, blah, blah. But I am free to chose for who I work and if I'm not happy I can go elsewhere. You can't say the same thing when it's big government in control. Oh, and by the way, good old hard work plus saving and investing has given me wealth. I don't feel exploited when I go to work.

[@eleanorcm7033]

+Fa Hayek I'm not talking about big business, you ineloquent moron, I'm talking about the market. It contains no mechanism to ensure that anyone benefits but the capitalist. Why do you think you get paid enough to have savings? Do you think your bosses do it out of the kindness of their hearts? Because they feel you "deserve" it? The minimum wage exists as a baseline because workers fought for it, and it really doesn't matter whether you "feel" exploited or not - factually, you are. Every penny you contribute to the value of your company, above the fixed wage you receive, subsidises the capitalist at the helm of your organisation. This is the reason for the legions of American workers in poverty. But don't worry, keep your head down, keep squirreling away, and no doubt one day you'll be a millionaire too. It really doesn't matter until poverty happens to you. Ass.

[@fahayek8179]

+Eiléanóir CM It may take me awhile to unravel your logic.

[@discodirk48]

+Fa Hayek That is absolute nonsense! Why do 62 people own over half the worlds wealth!? That means the other half are scrambling for the less than half a pie. It's unsustainable in its current form!

[@DAngelo136]

Then explain the economic crash.There was little regulation of the derivatives market, steady privatization, no external enemies (U.S.S.R), low taxes, yet aggregate demand fell causing a recession. It seems that Keynes was more predictive than Friedman.

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

Pinochet's free market policies eventually led to substantial GDP growth, in contrast to the negative growth seen in the early years of his administration. These neoliberal policies lead to Pinochet being succeeded by Patricio Aylwin who was the first president of Chile after democracy was restored in 1990. Friedman stated “They (the Chilean people) would be still better to get rid of the junta and to be able to have a free democratic system”.

[@Alex-qs8ig]

I Think we should contemplate our current condition and after a extensive review of all our history take a new direction. I think American needs a sort of renaissance on every aspect of its culture,,

[@Anna-rb6rg]

21 century and we still talk that it cannot be longterm efficient pure unregulated capitalism or pure centralized communism((

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

I would concur with that quote!

[@MrRockstar1968]

Keep up the good work Naomi.

[@manaomoments]

Hi Naomi: So, if "capitalism" is the enemy to climate control, then, what economic system are you exactly suggesting?

[@patrickmccarron5059]

The worst environments are in communist and socialist countries. Just look at the Gulf of Venezuela and let's not forget Chernobyl.

[@charliedavis340]

@@patrickmccarron5059 you know Venezuela’s economic collapse was do to American organized coup their economics are really authoritarian capitalism

[@DAngelo136]

"In 1984 Friedman stated that he had "never refrained from criticizing the political system in Chile." Really? So let's look at this: "Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless." Wow, he certainly pulled no punches on that one, did he? No equivocation there. Only when his ideas were tied to the political actions of a dictator did he try to keep his ideological skirts clean.

[@roushanam]

Naomi mentions education and health as areas that should be beyond the purview of the market economy in Canada, Scandinavia, etc. Then she says these mixed econony, anti-neoliberal movements are treated differently by the First World when they occur in Third World countries. But these countries nationalize major industries such as oil. Big difference, and same reason why Bernie Sanders is a social democrat but not a democratic Socialist. Naomi and/or he video editors, shouldn't exacerbate this confusion. Big line in the sand between nationalizing industries and socializing services.

[@whoisspeaker4truth]

Explain how "the fantasy market system" which emphasizes free markets, free trade, individual rights and property rights are inferior to "libertarian socialism". The system I advocate empowers the individual to be responsible for his/her own economic security (personal, financial, employment, health, property, ect.) and social needs (i.e. physiological, love / belonging. esteem, self-actualization). The system you advocate emphasizes self-transcendance, which sacrifices personal survival.

[@DAngelo136]

as much as Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot are used as cudgels to "discredit" Marxisim. Even though Marx writings are in direct opposition to their actions, it is still considered a "failed" ideology, to which other Marxists reply that the failure was not by the ideas but by the interpretation. The same thing occurs with the adherents of Friedman; it wasn't the ideas that failed, it was Pinochet. But you can't separate the one from the other, they are symbiotic.