Naomi Klein, author of the 2007 book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, takes on "coronavirus capitalism" in a new video from The Intercept. (Image: iStock/GettyImages/With overlay)
'We Know This Script': Naomi Klein Warns of 'Coronavirus Capitalism' in New Video Detailing Battle Before Us
"We know what Trump's plan is: a pandemic shock doctrine... But the end of this story hasn't been written yet."
In a new video from The Intercept, author and activist Naomi Klein explains how the Trump administration and other governments across the globe are "exploiting" the coronavirus outbreak "to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks," and urges working people worldwide to resist such efforts and demand real support from political leaders during the ongoing crisis.
Klein, author of the 2007 book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, notes that President Donald Trump has pushed for a payroll tax cut that could bankrupt Social Security; promised help to major polluters like airlines, cruise companies, and fossil fuel firms that are driving climate disruption; and met with executives of private health insurance companies--in the words of Klein, "the very ones who have made sure that so many Americans cannot afford the care they need."
Watch:
"Look, we know this script. In 2008, the last time we had a global financial meltdown, the same kinds of bad ideas for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts carried the day, and regular people around the world paid the price," says Klein. "We know what Trump's plan is: a pandemic shock doctrine featuring all the most dangerous ideas lying around, from privatizing Social Security to locking down borders to caging even more migrants. Hell, he might even try canceling elections. But the end of this story hasn't been written yet."
"Instead of rescuing the dirty industries of the last century, we should be boosting the clean ones that will lead us into safety in the coming century," Klein says, pointing to the Green New Deal. "If there is one thing history teaches us, it's that moments of shock are profoundly volatile. We either lose a whole lot of ground, get fleeced by elites, and pay the price for decades, or we win progressive victories that seemed impossible just a few weeks earlier. This is no time to lose our nerve."
Klein also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Tuesday episode of Intercepted, a podcast hosted by The Intercept co-founder Jeremy Scahill.
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
In a new video from The Intercept, author and activist Naomi Klein explains how the Trump administration and other governments across the globe are "exploiting" the coronavirus outbreak "to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks," and urges working people worldwide to resist such efforts and demand real support from political leaders during the ongoing crisis.
Klein, author of the 2007 book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, notes that President Donald Trump has pushed for a payroll tax cut that could bankrupt Social Security; promised help to major polluters like airlines, cruise companies, and fossil fuel firms that are driving climate disruption; and met with executives of private health insurance companies--in the words of Klein, "the very ones who have made sure that so many Americans cannot afford the care they need."
Watch:
"Look, we know this script. In 2008, the last time we had a global financial meltdown, the same kinds of bad ideas for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts carried the day, and regular people around the world paid the price," says Klein. "We know what Trump's plan is: a pandemic shock doctrine featuring all the most dangerous ideas lying around, from privatizing Social Security to locking down borders to caging even more migrants. Hell, he might even try canceling elections. But the end of this story hasn't been written yet."
"Instead of rescuing the dirty industries of the last century, we should be boosting the clean ones that will lead us into safety in the coming century," Klein says, pointing to the Green New Deal. "If there is one thing history teaches us, it's that moments of shock are profoundly volatile. We either lose a whole lot of ground, get fleeced by elites, and pay the price for decades, or we win progressive victories that seemed impossible just a few weeks earlier. This is no time to lose our nerve."
Klein also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Tuesday episode of Intercepted, a podcast hosted by The Intercept co-founder Jeremy Scahill.
In a new video from The Intercept, author and activist Naomi Klein explains how the Trump administration and other governments across the globe are "exploiting" the coronavirus outbreak "to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks," and urges working people worldwide to resist such efforts and demand real support from political leaders during the ongoing crisis.
Klein, author of the 2007 book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, notes that President Donald Trump has pushed for a payroll tax cut that could bankrupt Social Security; promised help to major polluters like airlines, cruise companies, and fossil fuel firms that are driving climate disruption; and met with executives of private health insurance companies--in the words of Klein, "the very ones who have made sure that so many Americans cannot afford the care they need."
Watch:
"Look, we know this script. In 2008, the last time we had a global financial meltdown, the same kinds of bad ideas for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts carried the day, and regular people around the world paid the price," says Klein. "We know what Trump's plan is: a pandemic shock doctrine featuring all the most dangerous ideas lying around, from privatizing Social Security to locking down borders to caging even more migrants. Hell, he might even try canceling elections. But the end of this story hasn't been written yet."
"Instead of rescuing the dirty industries of the last century, we should be boosting the clean ones that will lead us into safety in the coming century," Klein says, pointing to the Green New Deal. "If there is one thing history teaches us, it's that moments of shock are profoundly volatile. We either lose a whole lot of ground, get fleeced by elites, and pay the price for decades, or we win progressive victories that seemed impossible just a few weeks earlier. This is no time to lose our nerve."
Klein also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Tuesday episode of Intercepted, a podcast hosted by The Intercept co-founder Jeremy Scahill.