disaster capitalism

British  

noun

1. pejorative the practice (by a government, regime, etc) of taking advantage of a major disaster to adopt liberal economic policies that the population would be less likely to accept under normal circumstances

---

Example Sentences

"These sort of almost hallucinatory plans are creating an opening for disaster capitalism that is worrying," argues Raja Khalidi, director general of the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute, an independent think tank.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2025

He was at the heart of one of the most shocking stories I’ve ever covered: the disaster capitalism free-for-all that followed Katrina and the drowning of New Orleans.

From The Guardian • Jul. 6, 2017

The concept of disaster capitalism is derived from a similar work, “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism,” an influential 2007 book by journalist Naomi Klein.

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2016

They've taken the show to Portugal, where audiences responded enthusiastically to its disaster capitalism theme.

From The Guardian • Aug. 7, 2011

The following is an excerpt from the conclusion of  The Shock Doctrine, outlining steps other groups have taken to prevent "disaster capitalism" from prevailing post-crisis.

From Newsweek • Jan. 21, 2010