Economics: The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

Published by Metropolitan. 558 pp. $28. Reviewed by Shashi Tharoor. Despite limitations, the book is a valuable addition to have attempted to rethink the post-Cold War age. Francis Fukkuyama's notion of the end of history - the idea that all societies would be governed by liberal democracy and free markets - started the process of reflection: Samuel Huntington's concept of the "clash of civilizations" underpinnedd mush of the anxiety that followed the realization that reports of history's demise were exaggerated. Thomas Frieddman's celebration of the flatness of the globalized world is now countered by Klein's argument that when disasters flatten societies, capitlists see opportunities to profit and spread their influence. Each thesis has its flaws, but each contributed to the contest of ideas about the shape and direction of our current Age of Uncertainty. My comment: The late Professor John K. Galbraith had such vision decades ago with his book entitled "The Age of Uncertainty." BRAVO to the late Professor Galbraith for his insights with vision,indeed! Francis Shieh aka Xie Shihao on Tuesday,Nov.27, 2007