The Klein Doctrine

21 May 2008 at 9:17 am Peter G. Klein 2 comments

| Peter Klein |

That’s the title of Johan Norberg’s new report ripping Cousin Naomi’s The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. Great subtitle: “The Rise of Disaster Polemics.” Here’s Norberg: “Klein’s analysis is hopelessly flawed at virtually every level. . . . Klein’s historical examples also fall apart under scrutiny. . . . Klein’s broader empirical claims fare no better.” Indeed, an embarrassment for Kleins everywhere. (HT: Steve Horwitz)

Update from Per Bylund: “This guy will publish a whole book on Naomi Klein later this year, published by Timbro (in Swedish only), called Naomi Klein’s Nudity Shock: Exclusive Exposure: Everything on the Empress’ New Clothes (my [quick] translation).”

Bonus libertarian material: Former guest blogger David Gordon has a nice takedown of Thaler and Sunstein’s Nudge, their defense of “libertarian paternalism.” See also this exchange between Thaler and Mario Rizzo.

Entry filed under: - Klein -, Classical Liberalism.

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2 Comments Add your own

1. REW | 21 May 2008 at 4:43 pm

I’ll have to read Thaler and Sunstein to see if they are using nudge in the colloquial English sense (a modest push) or in the Yiddish sense (to annoy persistently or pester). I find most paternalists to reflect the latter, though they may see themselves as the former.
2. Per Bylund | 22 May 2008 at 9:51 am

Actually, Johan’s new book is written together with Boris Benulic.