The complexity of Naomi Klein\’s portrayal of the rise of disaster capitalism, The Shock Doctrine, has won its author the inaugural £50,000 Warwick prize for writing.
The complexity of the argument in "The Shock Doctrine" being that the argument was entirely wrong.
Anyone can see that in times of crisis we have an extension of the State, not the market. Just look around you and see what they\’re doing to us….
It must be some sort of Art prize, I cannot believe it would be anything to do with economics.
Maybe her postmodern rage caught the eye?
and we will also begin to understand that disaster socialism is a tautology.
Why so surprised? Life is full of both brilliance and stupidity and sometimes it’s not only the relatively knowledgeable who can tell the difference.
The awarding of prizes and honors is an exercise or show (think Bearded Lady) to glorify and aid the careers of the awarders, not particularly of the awardees; if “getting it right” were important, they’d wait 20 years or so–to “let the dust settle”–before making any awards. Many would still make the grade but quite a few would not.
The best illustration of award nonsense I can recall is when Joe Theismann was a contender for the Heisman Trophy. Whoever was the other frontrunner of the time, the competition was so intense that Joe’s supporters and even his family started pronouncing the name “Thighs-man” to rhyme with Heisman (it had, until then, always been “Tees-man”). Joe was good and I can’t remember who the other guy was but I sometimes wonder what would have been the outcome had his name been “Brophy.”
“Chair of judges and author of “weird fiction” China Miéville”
And former Socialist Workers Party parliamentary candidate. They neglected to mention that.
Is the prize actually paid for by Warwick university? If so why exactly are public institutions giving money to far left activists to give to a simpleton like Klein as a reward for coming up with an imbecilic conspiracy-like theory that panders to the far left but makes no coherent sense?
I’m quoted in it!!
And you’re not!!
Here’s Johan Norberg on the subject:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9384
Here’s Tyler Cowen on the same sorry ground:
http://www.nysun.com/arts/shock-jock/63867/
China Mieville is a raving lefty. His novels are too.
Strangely the BBC also neglects to reveal Mieville’s politics.
Ross
” . . but makes no coherent sense”
Obviously the panel, when not blinded by political prejudice mistook incoherence for the chosen theme for this year’s prize which was “complexity”.
Congratulations to Ms Klein on winning £50k. Quoting from the Tyler Cowan article:
the latest anti-capitalist best seller
…
With “The Shock Doctrine,” Ms. Klein has become the kind of brand she lamented in “No Logo.”
These anti-capitalists seem to be rather good at making money for themselves. How much tax will she pay on the prize money?
“How much tax will she pay on the prize money?”
Nothing – in the UK anyway. Prizes are tax-exempt.
“How much tax will she pay on the prize money?” But if she’s a Yank she’ll have to pay tax, unless she plans to join Mr Obama’s administration.
“But if she’s a Yank she’ll have to pay tax, unless she plans to join Mr Obama’s administration.”
Good one, but she’s Canadian.
“she’s Canadian”: mind you, so’s Mr Obama, for all anyone knows.