A Brief History of Neoliberalism

Summary

Neoliberalism - the doctrine that market exchange is an ethic in itself, capable of acting as a guide for all human action - has become dominant in both thought and practice throughout much of the world since 1970 or so.Its spread has depended upon a reconstitution of state powers such that privatization, finance, and market processes are emphasized. State interventions in the economy are minimized, while the obligations of the state to provide for the welfare of its citizens are diminished. David Harvey, authorof 'The New Imperialism' and 'The Condition of Postmodernity', here tells the political-economic story of where neoliberalization came from and how it proliferated on the world stage. While Thatcher and Reagan are often cited as primary authors of this neoliberal turn, Harvey shows how a complex offorces, from Chile to China and from New York City to Mexico City, have also played their part. In addition he explores the continuities and contrasts between neoliberalism of the Clinton sort and the recent turn towards neoconservative imperialism of George W. Bush. Finally, through criticalengagement with this history, Harvey constructs a framework not only for analyzing the political and economic dangers that now surround us, but also for assessing the prospects for the more socially just alternatives being advocated by many oppositional movements.

Author Biography

David Harvey is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

List of Figures and Tables	p. vi
Acknowledgements	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
Freedom's Just Another Word ...	p. 5
The Construction of Consent	p. 39
The Neoliberal State	p. 64
Uneven Geographical Developments	p. 87
Neoliberalism 'with Chinese Characteristics'	p. 120
Neoliberalism on Trial	p. 152
Freedom's Prospect	p. 183
Notes	p. 207
Bibliography	p. 223
Index	p. 235
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Excerpts

"David Harvey, author of The Condition of Postmodernity and The New Imperialism, here tells the political-economic story of where neoliberalization came from and how it proliferated on the world stage. While Thatcher and Reagan are often cited as primary authors of this neoliberal turn, Harvey shows how a complex of forces, from Chile to China and from New York City to Mexico City, have also played their part. In addition he explores the continuities and contrasts between neoliberalism of the Clinton sort and the recent turn towards neoconservative imperialism of George W. Bush. Finally, through critical engagement with this history, Harvey constructs a framework not only for analyzing the political and economic dangers that now surround us, but also for assessing the prospects for the more socially just alternatives being advocated by many oppositional movements."--BOOK JACKET.