How Temporal Dimensions Of Disaster Are Reinterpreted Under This Perspective

Disaster Capitalism
Name
Institution
Disaster Capitalism
Explain the disaster capitalism thesis and how temporal dimensions of disaster are reinterpreted under this perspective.
Every year, the world gets to deal with a disaster which ends up claiming lives and restructuring the norm. From the Japan earthquakes to the Puerto Rico hurricane that ended up being the worst to ever hit Dominica and Puerto Rico, to the events in Iraq, disasters have indeed become commonplace. But how does the world deal with them? Who stands to benefit from the restructuring of not just the cities but also of the bodies and parastatals? All the above will be discussed under the umbrella name of disaster capitalism. Disaster capitalism can be explained as the action of advancing an agenda during or after the occurrence of a crisis or disaster. Apparently, with each passing disaster, governments and private investors have found ways to mint money and drive their agendas while further condemning the public to poverty. Every time disaster strikes, new initiatives are taken up, or new agendas are acquired by the government which aim to ‘better position’ cities and countries for any future disasters. But in the event of positioning cities and countries better, public amenities change hands, and they become the focus of private sectors. The ultimate effect is the fact that disaster capitalism further condemns the public to more problems and transforms the society to one that benefits the 1% of the world and this thus forms the core of this article.
A quick look at how governments end up profiting from disasters takes one straight to the United States government. For years, the American government has reiterated its mission of fighting the flow of illegal drugs from South America to North America and other parts of the world. However, as noted by Ackerman, “an obscure Pentagon office designed to curb the flow of illegal drugs has quietly evolved into a one-stop shop for private security contractors around the world, soliciting deals worth over $3 billion.” The mission of cutting the flow of illegal drugs is indeed noble, and while hiding behind this mission, the U.S. government remains or maintains its angelic reputation. However, on the other hand, it continues to benefit off this endeavor to end the flow of illegal drugs. In the end, the public continues to find itself deeply engrossed in the neighborhood fights as gangs try to control the flow of drugs in more areas so as to turn in more profits. People lose their lives and loved ones while the government maintains its image and also pockets billions of profits. While reviewing Antony Loewenstein book, Disaster Capitalism, Hatherley notes that the victims of disaster capitalism are many and they include Greece, Haiti, Afghanistan, and Papua New Guinea. All these apparently are victims of the US and UK’s goals of expanding their influence and reaching their economic goals. In the end, these countries find themselves answering to or as subjects to the U.S. and the U.K. These two countries have indeed made it a point to use disasters to turn countries into their subjects while smiling all the way to the bank.[Ackerman, Spencer. 2011. "Wired." PENTAGON'S WAR ON DRUGS GOE...