Liberalism vs Neoliberalism

It might be confusing to some of you when someone who seems progressive, goes on a ranty post about hating liberals. 

Ninety percent of the time that person isn’t talking about you.

One of the first uses of the term liberal in regards to the political economy appears in 1776.

“Were all nations to follow the liberal system of free exportation and free importation, the different states into which a great continent was divided would so far resemble the different provinces of a great empire.” —Adam Smith

Economic liberalism is birthed from the idea that free markets (free trade, open borders, no tariffs…)enhance society and the social welfare of individuals of society à la Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations. It is a political and economic ideology that supports a market (buying and selling of goods and services) economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. This translates into the political program known as “laissez-faire.” 

Definition via Oxford: Laissez-faire in economics is abstention by governments from interfering in the workings of the free market.

The government provides minimal forms of legal regulation and protection, such as property rights, contract law, and some collective goods such as national defense, but otherwise allows markets to regulate themselves. So in essence protects the rich and leaves you to fend for yourself, BUT you could become rich, if you tried harder. and the social welfare of individuals of society à la Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations. It is a political and economic ideology that supports a market (buying and selling of goods and services) economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. and the social welfare of individuals of society à la Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations. It is a political and economic ideology that supports a market (buying and selling of goods and services) economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. 

But who are these neoliberals? Is liberal just short for neoliberal? No.

Neoliberalism involves the belief that greater economic freedom leads to greater economic and social progress for individuals. It supports freedom of private business to organize and operate for profit in a competitive system without interference by government beyond regulation necessary to protect public interest (lol) and keep the national economy in balance, it stresses deregulation, AND the importance of individual responsibility.

That sounds a lot like liberalism, oh it is, but slightly different. I am borrowing from Michel Foucault. In neoliberalism there is a lot less laissez-faire and a bit more constructivism. Liberalism has a sort of separation between the market and the state, neoliberalism goal is for the state and market to work in partnership and to turn everything into a market in order to maximize capitalism’s greatest feature —competition. 

Business, business business, but they realized there was an area that lacked competition, which means it lacked efficiency. So they invented grants so you could stay alive! Genius! It is how they maximize the public and market’s potential. This is also known as economic development which is the salve to help neighborhoods in the inner city US and developing country that the military, police, and banks bombed and destroyed. 

“Sorry I destroyed your life, here is a grant and a class on writing a business plan.”

This is why we compete for grants to feed our children. We compete for contracts to care for seniors. Neoliberal will make you compete for virtually anything that can be turned into a type grant—block grant, categorical grants, and general revenue sharing grant…they are doing it for YOUR benefit. 

Hunger Games is efficient to the neoliberal, but fair —if you are talented regardless of your social standing, your culture or gender or sexual orientation in neoliberalism the only limit you have is the one you place on yourself. We aren’t racist, but we are assholes, with objective standards! Though…

This sounds like sarcasm, it isn’t.

In short, neoliberalism believes in meritocracy, so of course this is all completely fair and above board.

Where do conservative land in here, well they are liberal when in more white areas and more neoliberal in less white areas, but they call themselves conservative to remind you they are racist. That isn’t even a joke, that is real. Does anything they do look even kind of what the definition of conservative means? No.

So that is just a brief explanation of your weird friend who doesn’t seem like a Klan or QAnon member, but keeps talking about how they hate liberals. They are discussing a different kind of liberal, and chances are you don’t like them either.

Liberal means individualism and free enterprise. It’s imperialism with (faux) meritocracy instead of peerage (heritage). When “Democrats” tell you they are liberal, they don’t mean they care about you, they might, but that is not what it technically means. It means they believe in an open global market and deregulation. You know liberal economic policies for corporations and neoliberalism is turning public good institutions into corporations under the guise of competition and meritocracy.