What is Neoliberalism? Dag Einar Thorsen and Amund Lie
Department of Political Science University of Oslo
Abstract: The concept of „neoliberalism‟ has, during the past twenty years or so, become quite widespread in some political and academic debates. Several authors have even suggested that neoliberalism is „the dominant ideology shaping our world today‟, and that we live in an „age of neoliberalism‟. The overshadowing importance accorded by some to the phenomenon of neoliberalism does not signify, however, that it is a clearly defined concept. We suggest in this article that while the concept itself has become an imprecise exhortation in much of the literature, often describing any tendency deemed to be undesirable, it might still be given a more precise definition, which we attempt below. If this is done, then the concept could become a useful analytical device in order to describe some recent economic and political trends, even if it is an ever so slight overstatement to say that we live in a neoliberal age or a neoliberal society.
Table of contents: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................2 LIBERALISM .......................................................................................................................................3 NEOLIBERALISM: CONCEPTUAL HISTORY AND DEFINITIONS ........................................7 DO WE LIVE IN ‘THE AGE OF NEOLIBERALISM’? ............................................................... 16 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................... 17