The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of fascism and wartime violence.

Klein describes how Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher used the Falklands War (1982) as a catalyst for the shock doctrine in a democracy, the United Kingdom. Prior to this, the shock doctrine had only been used in authoritarian regimes. As shock doctrine policies are unpopular, they are difficult to implement in democracies.

War to the Rescue

In 1982, Argentina invaded the Falklands, an archipelago and vestige of the British Empire off the southeastern coast of Argentina. In response, Thatcher sent the British military to secure the islands. In the aftermath of the British victory, Thatcher’s approval rating soared. 

In 1984, the British coal workers went on strike. Thatcher used her popularity and the militaristic framing of the Falklands victory to connect the two battles, stating, “We had to fight the enemy without in the Falklands and now we have to fight the enemy within [the coal workers]” (138). 

Thatcher sent thousands of riot police to attack the picket lines and by 1985 the strikers were broken. In 1984, Thatcher used her popularity and anti-labor stance to implement the shock doctrine policies of privatization and cuts to public services, which showed that these policies could be implemented in the wake of crises in democracies.