Introduction: Manufactured Chaos
We are living through a moment of extraordinary political upheaval. From the United States to Europe, leaders who present themselves as defenders of “common sense” are reshaping societies in ways that benefit the wealthy while dismantling protections for the vulnerable.
At first glance, many of these policies seem chaotic: reactive, rushed, even incompetent. But what if the chaos itself is the point?
In The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein described how moments of crisis are exploited to force through radical economic changes that would otherwise be politically impossible. Now, as Pope Francis has warned from his hospital bed this week, we are witnessing a growing polycrisis – a convergence of global challenges, from wars and climate change to economic instability and mass migration. These crises, real or manufactured, create the conditions for policies that widen inequality and leave the poor even more vulnerable.
This trend is not confined to Donald Trump’s America. We see echoes of it across Europe, including in Ireland. Economic uncertainty, housing shortages, and the erosion of public services are all real problems – but they are also being used as opportunities for policies that benefit the powerful while leaving communities more divided and unstable.
The Shock Doctrine in the Context of Polycrisis
Klein’s Shock Doctrine outlines a pattern where crises – whether partially natural or entirely manufactured – are used to push through radical economic and social policies that would otherwise face significant opposition. This approach often leads to increased inequality and the erosion of social safety nets.
In the current polycrisis, we observe similar tactics:
- Economic Exploitation: Financial challenges are leveraged to impose austerity measures, disproportionately affecting the poor and enriching the elite.
- Erosion of Rights: Security threats are used to justify the curtailment of civil liberties and the expansion of surveillance states.
- Environmental Degradation: A moment of crisis can become an opportunity for deregulation, allowing corporations to exploit natural resources with minimal oversight.
If we take the most prominent example, some of Donald Trump’s decisions since beginning his second term a couple of months ago seem baffling on the surface. Appointing a vaccine-denier to head the Federal Healthcare system seems perverse. Installing someone who dabbles in conspiracy theories at the top of the FBI appears… unwise. Whether it is attempting to humiliate a highly regarded world-leader on live television or installing vertiginous tariffs on his closest neighbours, the US President seems careless to a reckless degree. This is not an exhaustive list!
But what if the apparent recklessness is deliberate? What if the chaos is the strategy?
Klein’s thesis is that “orchestrated raids on the public sphere in the wake of catastrophic events” is established enough to warrant its own title: Disaster Capitalism. In the absence of a tsunami or an invading enemy or some other external crisis, leaders can always generate their own.
If we read Trump’s actions (or even Elon Musk’s interventions in public discourse) through Klein’s almost 20-year-old book, we find a new clarity. Disaster Capitalism has in the past typically been a pretext for a full implementation of neoliberalism. Back before the Global Financial Crisis, Klein described that as: “the elimination of the public sphere, total liberation for corporations and skeletal social spending.” But even then, she seemed to recognise that the definitions she was offering fell short. She immediately followed it up with the confession that “none of the various names for the ideology seem quite adequate.”
Regardless of the technical definitions of the ideology that are deployed (a topic in which I am over-invested), it seems reasonable to conclude that Trump and his merry band of partners are not accidently confusing us as they pursue their aims. Rather, our confusion is their aim. Whether that is moving funding from State bodies to private corporations or some (fringe) cultural concern, lots of activity can take place while we are stumbling from one mystifying spectacle to another. Might Trump’s second term be bringing us a political reality far worse than neoliberalism? Might the “Disaster” stage be all there is?
A Gospel-Centered Response to the Polycrisis
In an address released this week, from his hospital bed, Pope Francis names neoliberalism as part of the challenge that faces us.
In his message to the General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Francis insists that we must engage in a profound examination of our worldview and a serious analysis of our resistance to change, both personally and societally.
A key theme of his message is his critique of neoliberalism, which he warns has fostered a “utilitarian deregulation” that privileges the powerful while dehumanising the vulnerable. He argues that the uncritical embrace of free-market logic has led to an economic system that imposes “the law of the strongest,” exploiting people and the planet in the pursuit of profit. He cautions against the illusion that technology alone can save us, emphasising instead that true progress must be guided by ethical discernment and a commitment to the common good.
What this demands is attentive listening to scientific knowledge and a transdisciplinary dialogue that integrates theology, philosophy, and social sciences. He encourages a dynamic understanding of nature. Nature, for Francis, is not a static resource to be exploited but something continuously unfolding within God’s creation.
Conclusion: Transforming Crisis into Opportunity
The convergence of global crises presents a critical juncture for humanity. By rejecting the exploitation of crises for unjust gain and instead embracing a Gospel-centred approach of reflection, listening, and solidarity, we can transform these challenges into opportunities for profound societal and spiritual renewal.
Pope Francis calls us to resist confusion and distraction, to see through the deliberate manufacture of crisis, and to build a more just and compassionate world—one where the poor and the vulnerable are protected, rather than exploited, in times of upheaval.
