Back in September I blogged about Naomi Klein (above), the Canadian author and film maker who says power hungry people use catastrophes to pave the way for unpopular social change .

I said that:

I see Naomi Klein as a “futurist” because the trends she describes in her books point the way to likely events – some of which are already beginning to take shape.

And I believe one such “likely event” is the collapse and reinvention of American society.

In “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism,”  which was published in 2007, Klein examines the global rise of “free market” democracy.

And she explains in detail how wars, terror attacks, economic meltdowns, competing ideologies, political and economic shifts, and natural disasters have been exploited to impose neoliberal fundamentalism around the world.

She calls it the “shock doctrine.”

Klein argues that it is easier to impose radical “free-market” policies when the citizens of a country are in shock. She describes this as part of a capitalist strategy called “creative destruction.”

(Click here to read the blog.)

Nobody commented on that blog so I suppose it didn’t touch a nerve.

But the way things turned out, Klein’s predictions looked even more accurate in the ensuing months, and a few weeks ago, I wondered:

Is Economic Chaos a Prelude to Social Change?

Nobody commented on that blog, either.

But now, surely you have something to say about what is so obviously happening?

Economic policies that swell the ranks of the unemployed… Ruinous tax cuts on the pretext of reducing the deficit… Busting unions, criminalizing abortion, destroying the social safety net …

What’s up?

It’s becoming crystal clear: Republican governors, legislators and congressional representatives are collaborating on a massive assault on American society.  They know Americans would never tolerate their oppressive social policies unless …

Unless the country is in such chaos that clever PR pros can herd panic-stricken voters into meek compliance.

I know it sounds like science fiction. But I am convinced it’s the shocking truth.

Listen to Ms. Klein on the Rachel Maddow show (click here) and share your thoughts. I hope you will find evidence to convince me that I am wrong, but I doubt it. And if you agree that “a vast right-wing conspiracy” is at work here, tell me what on earth can we do about it?