Independent Study/Research

[nybrian]

Hello,

So, I'm thinking about doing an independent study/research class on a country that had undergone change in favor of neoliberalism. One that has strongly accepted the freemarket, etc, and has done it with American help. Any suggestions on countries, and papers, books, etcetera on the country's change and it's outcomes would be much appreciated.

[Lola Wants]

One of the best books I have read about the implementation of "pure" free market policies in countries outside of the U.S. is called the The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. A substantial portion of the book focuses on these policies in different South American countries and how Milton Friedman was responsible for influencing the leaders who conformed to these free market standards. The book also describes the role that the Ford Foundation and institutions such as the University of Chicago played in training Latin American students who would eventually enact these strategies under some of the most brutal authoritative rulers in their home countries because without force they were not accepted by the general populace. Klein contends that these free market policies were pushed through only because of the "shock" citizens experienced during events of social upheaval. The book also gives snippets into free markets in Asian countries and other parts of the world as well. Be aware that Klein's book, while supplying a litany of sources, heavily focuses on the damaging effects of the implementation of these policies on citizenry, their economies and how it eroded democratic practices. In other words, be aware of the bias although it is thoroughly supported with sources. Finally, Klein is not considered an "academic" so I don't know if that will influence whether you use it or not.

[jeffster]

You might also check out some work by Jeffrey Sachs. He's a development economist at Columbia that consulted directly with Boliva in the 1980s after they were dealing with hyperinflation, then consulted with the Solidarity government on reforms in Poland after the fall of communism there. He also did some consulting in Russia after 1991 that didn't turn out as well, which is interesting to hear him talk about what went wrong.

His books are highly approachble for non-economists, and might address the area you're interested in. I know one of his big causes was debt forgiveness from the US for these countries, and he also talks about how countries like Poland benefited from their proximity to the "west" - in Poland's case specifically Germany - but it should be more broadly applicable.

[nybrian]

Lola Wants, I am in middle of reading "The Shock Doctrine."

Jeffster, I decided to do the paper on Chile.

All books about neoliberalism in Chile is welcome, whether it be how the CIA, Ford Foundation, State Department, Nixon, or the Chicago Boys helped or anyone and anything else.

Also, if someone could tell me where I could get declassified documents that deal with this that would be great.