disaster capitalism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “disaster capitalism” mean?
The exploitation of natural disasters, economic crises, or other shocks to advance free-market policies and private profit, often at the public's expense.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The exploitation of natural disasters, economic crises, or other shocks to advance free-market policies and private profit, often at the public's expense.
A critical concept in political economy describing how crises are used to implement neoliberal reforms, such as privatization and deregulation, while populations are distracted or vulnerable, as popularized by Naomi Klein's 'The Shock Doctrine'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; used similarly in both varieties. May appear more in American political discourse due to associated policies.
Connotations
Equally critical in both, but resonance can vary based on regional disaster experiences.
Frequency
Rare in everyday speech; higher frequency in academic, critical media, and political discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “disaster capitalism” in a Sentence
accuse of disaster capitalismbenefit from disaster capitalismcritique disaster capitalismengage in disaster capitalismVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “disaster capitalism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Some firms have been accused of disaster-capitalising on the pandemic.
- Critics say they disaster-capitalise whenever a crisis hits.
American English
- Companies often disaster-capitalize during natural disasters.
- They disaster-capitalized after the economic crash.
adverb
British English
- They acted disaster-capitalistically in response to the crisis.
- The policy was implemented disaster-capitalistically.
American English
- The company operated disaster-capitalistically during the recession.
- Measures were taken disaster-capitalistically after the flood.
adjective
British English
- The disaster capitalism approach was evident after the hurricane.
- A disaster capitalism strategy has been criticised in the press.
American English
- Disaster capitalism tactics are frequently criticized in the media.
- The disaster capitalism model exploits vulnerabilities.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used positively; appears in critical discussions about corporate ethics and crisis response strategies.
Academic
Common in political science, economics, and sociology to analyze post-crisis policy changes and neoliberal critiques.
Everyday
Very rare; mostly in informed political conversations or media critiques.
Technical
Used in critical theory and policy analysis to describe specific economic strategies during crises.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “disaster capitalism”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “disaster capitalism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “disaster capitalism”
- Mispronouncing 'disaster' as /daɪˈzæstər/ instead of /dɪˈzæstər/.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to disaster capitalism') which is not standard English.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Naomi Klein popularized it in her 2007 book 'The Shock Doctrine', though the concept has earlier roots in critical theory.
No, it is a critical concept used to describe and critique certain economic practices, not a formal theory.
Yes, it can occur wherever crises are exploited for private gain, often in contexts with weak regulations or governance.
Disaster capitalism specifically refers to the exploitation of disasters or shocks to implement policies that might not be accepted under normal circumstances, whereas regular capitalism operates within ongoing market frameworks.
The exploitation of natural disasters, economic crises, or other shocks to advance free-market policies and private profit, often at the public's expense.
Disaster capitalism: in British English it is pronounced /dɪˈzɑːstə ˈkæpɪtəlɪzəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɪˈzæstər ˈkæpɪtəlɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember 'disaster' as crisis and 'capitalism' as profit-making; disaster capitalism is profiting from crises.
Conceptual Metaphor
Disaster as a window of opportunity for capital accumulation.
Practice
Quiz
What is disaster capitalism primarily associated with?