Neoliberalism is all about maximizing individual freedom and freeing individuals from all manner of constraints.
So why, then, do authoritarian regimes like neoliberalism so much? China, Russia, and now the illiberal Left in Canada, the UK and the US are all really into neoliberalism. Why?
Neoliberalism convinces us that every problem is a result of our individual failings. COVID spread because individuals didn’t “mask up” (what a horrid expression) actively enough. An unemployed former miner in West Virginia is poor because he failed to learn how to code. Russia is a mess because individuals engage in corruption. What an easy argument for any authoritarian regime to use to excuse its failings. It’s not me, it’s you! You are imperfect. Absolutely nothing is wrong with our political system. The economy is amazing. If you can’t see that and turn it to your advantage, it’s because you are a loser.
Humans are, indeed, imperfect. We all know extremely well exactly where our imperfections lie. This argument works because it speaks to our intimate understanding of how massively imperfect we are. We feel a pang of guilt and immediately let the authoritarian regime off the hook. Yes, it’s me, I must have caused this somehow. What’s not to like if you are a politician eager to establish authoritarian rule? You can do absolutely anything you want to the people and they’ll just blame themselves for not having superhuman capabilities.
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