What is the relationship between capitalism and freedom? How do ideas matter in politics? How should intellectuals, policymakers, and dissidents navigate violent regimes? Can policies implemented without democratic processes nonetheless contribute to the common good? These questions come into sharp focus through the case of Chile, which was forcibly converted to capitalism during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s and 1980s. The economists who came to power in this regime, the "Chicago Boys," have been denounced by some as architects of a vicious "shock doctrine" and celebrated by others for transforming Chile into one of the region's most prosperous countries. This course will bring students into these contested questions with a thorough grounding in primary sources, including the founding documents of Chile's economic advisors, film and art, and interviews with participants. We will start with a quick overview of Chile's history after World War 2 and the economic ideas that defined its development; cover the coup and its aftermath; immerse ourselves in the neoliberal ideas adopted in the late 1970s, and follow how these ideas played out in politics and politics. All primary sources will be available in English translation; there is no prerequisite for this course.
4 units · Letter (ABCD/NP) · GER: WAY-ER, WAY-SI
What is the relationship between capitalism and freedom? How do ideas matter in politics? How should intellectuals, policymakers, and dissidents navigate violent regimes? Can policies implemented without democratic processes nonetheless contribute to the common good? These questions come into sharp focus through the case of Chile, which was forcibly converted to capitalism during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s and 1980s. The economists who came to power in this regime, the "Chicago Boys," have been denounced by some as architects of a vicious "shock doctrine" and celebrated by others for transforming Chile into one of the region's most prosperous countries. This course will bring students into these contested questions with a thorough grounding in primary sources, including the founding documents of Chile's economic advisors, film and art, and interviews with participants. We will start with a quick overview of Chile's history after World War 2 and the economic ideas that defined its development; cover the coup and its aftermath; immerse ourselves in the neoliberal ideas adopted in the late 1970s, and follow how these ideas played out in politics and politics. All primary sources will be available in English translation; there is no prerequisite for this course.
Offered in Spring 2026 at Stanford University.