The Shock Doctrine

True Stories: The Shock Doctrine

Cast and Crew Information

Cast

Guest
Naomi Klein
The Shock Doctrine

The Shock Doctrine is the latest documentary from acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom, co-directed by Mat Whitecross. Based on Naomi Klein's bestselling book, The Shock Doctrine argues that America's 'free market' policies have come to dominate the world through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries.

Both the film and the book argue that governments all over the world exploit natural disasters, economic crises and wars to push through radical free market policies. Klein calls this 'disaster capitalism' and in her view, disaster capitalism is as effective as psychiatric shock therapy at wiping our collective memory.

The film concludes that the result is often catastrophic for ordinary people and hugely beneficial to big corporations. The documentary also adds to Klein's thesis - which was written before the recent market turmoil - and includes an analysis of how the financial world got into its current troubled state.

On TV

First Shown

Date Time Channel
Tuesday 01 September 2009 10PM More4

Last Shown

Date Time Channel
Tuesday 01 September 2009 10PM More4

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  1. I request that this fantastic and compelling documentary be either available online or shown on tv again. It is extremely important and almost vital that as many people see it as possible. please channel 4!!!
    Posted by jjoyce on 29/12/2009 20:31:51
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  2. I agree with everything written previously i too would love to see this again & also purchase it on DVD. It is a brilliant peice of documentary work. Brilliant & compelling. People should realise what is happening in the world. we should all become shock proof. Lets hope change is comming
    Posted by gavin on 11/12/2009 20:17:28
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  3. I really hope that this will be shown again soon. Such a good Docu. I too would like to get hold of this on DVD, or at least have the chance to watch it again!
    Posted by memem on 27/11/2009 21:24:18
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  4. Brilliant documentary. Excellent for teaching economic systems to Leaving Cert students. I would like to buty this on dvd if it is available.
    Posted by Rachel Farrell on 25/11/2009 22:21:58
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  5. Naomi Klein is an inspiration. This is a very convincing and brilliantly put together documentary. Please show it again as I keep telling friends about it and they'd love to watch it!
    Posted by Samantha on 15/11/2009 19:50:51
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  6. Please, Channel 4 programmers - you must show this programme again - so many people need to see it to wake up from this meaningless drivel we get fed! If it wasn't for More 4, there would be nothing else to watch for me and others like me. Thank you sincerely.
    Posted by Peacock Dreams on 25/10/2009 01:10:05
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  7. EVERYONE IN AMERICA SHOULD WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY.
    Posted by MARCIA DALEY on 20/10/2009 17:01:27
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  8. It's good to see the truth being shown on mainstream tv finally!however i agree that the documentary should be shown at peak hours along with heavy advertising! and why stop there when you have genuine people like... Alan Watt who can't get a look in on tv or radio, so i ask More 4 can you get this man on mainstream TV? Also if you found the shock doctrine, shocking then pls watch the zeitgeist documentary!
    Posted by Antony on 07/10/2009 19:18:42
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  9. I heard about Naomi Klein, and the shock doctrine, but i missed the documentary. Do you have plans to re-broadcast in the near future
    Posted by Ade on 02/10/2009 08:07:43
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  10. WOW!!! I can see this becoming a very important thesis. Fantastic!
    Posted by JJ on 17/09/2009 13:34:47
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  11. As one who experienced the Bean Field Trashing in 1985, witnessed pogrom of eviction and traditional site closure and the enforced highly subsideised (100K a pitch to a Registered Social Landlord) policy of incarceration I too can relate to Naomi Klines thesis. Does it not also however also resonante with colonialism abroad and enclosure at home in the 18th century. check ou link http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=114271192728782804118.00046fff3dea096e4f09d&z=17 Thanks for the programme, a great service thank you
    Posted by Tony Thomson on 10/09/2009 11:58:00
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  12. I tried to record this programme and nothing happened. Will it be shown again?
    Posted by Wendy Munday on 07/09/2009 15:07:08
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  13. Fair comments: is there something in the quest for all temporal power that requires advesaries to develope aggresive formulars whilst bidding for cultural dominance; if we don't buy it why do we promote it?
    Posted by ap on 07/09/2009 12:57:47
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  14. Unfortunately I missed the first part of this program. Will it shown again?
    Posted by Theresa on 06/09/2009 14:42:33
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  15. Quadrangle - spot on! Klein's main thesis does hold truth (disorientation of the public domain permits/eases the application of new economic policies) - let's be honest Lenin/Stalin and all their sociopathic chums would have struggled to have established the USSR without the chaos of WW1 and the Russian Civil War! The commentary on the Iraq war was extremely tendentious - does Klein really believe that the real motivation of the invasion was to hire US contractors? I enjoyed the contractor:US army ratio statistic, which conveniently omitted any reference to declining number of US troops...
    Posted by irvinewashington on 05/09/2009 23:25:00
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  16. Thank you Channel4 for once again resuming your initial mission statement of broadcasting culturally precious material that does not necessarily need to conform to populist media demands. Beside the fact that similar documentaries have already been made in the past, it is 'nice' to have this programme shown on a wider channel. The globe needs to understand that systems have to change in order to create a fairer balance in the light of increasing demands of the planet. The English-speaking world could learn a thing or two by having a closer look to their next door neighbours and the way their macroeconomy is managed. we need more programmes like The Shock Doctrine. Very well done!
    Posted by kobe on 05/09/2009 22:39:32
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  17. This programme is a shockingly naive hotch-potch of facts and half-truths selectively presented with the sole purpose of supporting a hypothesis that I actually have some time for. It basically states that politicians exploit crises - nothing too controversial (or original) there - but to somehow combine this with a fundamentally flawed criticism of Milton Friedman and free market economics was very poor journalism.
    Posted by Quadrangle on 05/09/2009 15:31:35
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  18. Thank you to More4 news. The Shock Doctrine, understanding the problem is half the solution. There is hope for the future. Unregulated capitalism (the root cause of all our problems today), is a curable economic disease. Unregulated capitalism is the real axis of evil, the Wall Street and other Bankers "money lenders" exist by stimulating a demand for luxuries uneducated people cannot afford, they profit from debt, greed, ignorance and fraud. The cure for unregulated capitalism already exists. Today's war mongering Politicians, Thatcher, Reagan, Pinochet, Bush, Blair and Brown are doing their best to conceal the truth and dumb down the English speaking world. In the interests of honesty and fairplay, of creating skilled self sustaining employment, of world peace and prosperity, it is necessary to bridge the gap between Capitalism and Socialism to everyones' satisfaction. Life is a gamble The problems caused by War, Greed and Ignorance are not new, they existed in Europe long before America was discovered. But the solution is the same, the two sided formula for consensus, the solution is in a language which can be understood globally, Mathematics. Today's Politicians, Bankers and Economists are too arrogant to learn honest mathematics, too afraid to admit to making an historic mistake. They, including The BBC, "cannot" even see let alone understand which exactly balanced, old European gambling game, attracts the educated wealthy Punters, by providing them with fairest chance to win in the world, which strictly regulated gambling game bridges the gap between Capitalism and Socialism, the gap between the Rich and the Poor, the gap between the Educated and the Uneducated. Which gambling game makes all the difference between a genuine Casino and a bogus, boom and bust, unregulated, Las Vegas style, counterfeit casino. The 1968 British Gaming Act states, "In the interests of consumer protection, The Punters (Taxpayers) should get a fair deal and be made fully aware of what they are letting themselves in for when they gamble (Vote). Misleading The Punters about the genuine original, two sided gambling game called Roulette, and the one sided counterfeit copy of Roulette, is deemed to be a serious criminal offence. The Punters should be provided with all the facts, in order for them to make an informed choice, before they gamble with their own money. In the never ending war (profitable for some) against Terrorism, it is what our Politicians "forget" to tell us, that causes war and the death and destruction of innocent people. About protectionism, protecting dishonest, unregulated, counterfeit Roulette, casino operators and drug money launderers. Please see the dishonest British casino regulations, the description of the gambling game called Roulette to be found in the "The Gaming Clubs (Bankers' Games) Regulations, Statutory Instruments 2899/1994". These bog standard regulations "forget" to include the minimum and maximum table stake limits, these limits attract, protect and provide the Punters with the fairest chances to win and enjoy an honest game. About serious organised crime, for your information. 1. All the gambling chips used to represent money on the genuine Roulette gaming tables, show their monetary value for all to see, money laundering is impossible. 2. All the gambling chips used to represent money on the counterfeit Roulette gaming tables, do not show their monetary value for all to see, money laundering is easy. Given that drug money laundering is the lifeblood of organised criminals, (Politicians and Bankers included) and provides our enemies with the money they need to buy weapons and sustain themselves, it is criminally ignorant to risk the lives of our soldiers abroad, whilst protecting the interests of dishonest casino operators and money launderers at home. The Shock Doctrine, the truth cannot be denied. I hope that this will find someone serious about winning.
    Posted by Michael Aylward on 02/09/2009 23:03:29
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  19. This truly shocking programme should be screened again at peak viewing time & heavily advertised.Thank you More4 for not letting me forget.
    Posted by The Shock Doctrin on 02/09/2009 20:30:12
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  20. Congratulations - a stunningly lucid documentary that deserves repeating again and again to a wider audience. The issues raised here are far too important to be left on the shelf. How about a follow up studio programme so that those who deny Klein's analysis and conclusions can explain themselves. I shall certainly get hold a copy of the book.
    Posted by JVMochnacz on 02/09/2009 15:49:43
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  21. Absolutely essential viewing. I wanted to broadcast this from my window. I'm no expert in economics but the film was bright and lucid like a beacon in an increasingly dark and frightening world. It surely must be time for justice for the common people! Well done on an extraordinary and brilliant piece of work.
    Posted by Marc on 02/09/2009 13:44:52
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  22. Absolutely brilliant. You have given a voice and inspiration to the most vulnerable sectors of society. And a voice to those less talented in the art of communication. Well done!
    Posted by James on 02/09/2009 10:53:10
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Tuesday 01 September

10PM, More4

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