I would recommend reading the "Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein. While written from the point of view of the left, it is very thorough in the research and interviews that were done to write it. It was an eye opener for me. It definitely contains many answers to the second sentence in your post, with names and dates, and interviews with world leaders.
EDIT: I should add that the book is equally critical of communism, socialism, capitalism, etc., It points out common threads throughout the world that impact all of us, regardless of what type of government it is. I believe Brzezinski was one of the "gatekeepers" that was interviewed in the book.