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Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

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Page 1: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation
Page 2: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

RecapRecap

Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the consensus, also called the neo-liberal neo-liberal doctrinedoctrine (or (or neo-liberalismneo-liberalism). It puts great ). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation of trade and emphasis on liberalisation of trade and finance, privatisations and the supremacy of finance, privatisations and the supremacy of markets. This system praises the markets. This system praises the rationalisation of all activities and services, rationalisation of all activities and services, but it generally leads to the concentration but it generally leads to the concentration of money within the hands of a small of money within the hands of a small minority.minority.

Page 3: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

Neo-liberalismNeo-liberalism Neo-liberal doctrine is decided by the government Neo-liberal doctrine is decided by the government

of the USA (backed by the UK) and the various of the USA (backed by the UK) and the various financial organisms that the US control in great financial organisms that the US control in great part (Noam Chomsky, part (Noam Chomsky, Profit over PeopleProfit over People, 1998. , 1998. p.19). The participants in neo-liberalism are p.19). The participants in neo-liberalism are mostly large corporations.mostly large corporations.

The aims of the neo-liberal doctrine is to remove The aims of the neo-liberal doctrine is to remove obstacles to its own development: state obstacles to its own development: state intervention, protectionism, workers rights, public intervention, protectionism, workers rights, public services, regulation, trade unions etc. services, regulation, trade unions etc.

(Florian Grandena, PhD dissertation, 2005)(Florian Grandena, PhD dissertation, 2005)

Page 4: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

More precisely…More precisely…

1. Neo-liberalism aims at getting 1. Neo-liberalism aims at getting gouverments ‘away from controlling or gouverments ‘away from controlling or intervening in the affairs of business’;intervening in the affairs of business’;

2. ‘…each goverment’s reforms 2. ‘…each goverment’s reforms involved the reasonably predictable involved the reasonably predictable neoliberal goals of downsizing or neoliberal goals of downsizing or privatizing public institutions, services privatizing public institutions, services and utilities such as airlines and and utilities such as airlines and telecommunications’telecommunications’

Page 5: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

3. ‘…a failure to embrace the 3. ‘…a failure to embrace the imperative to ‘reform’ bureaucracies imperative to ‘reform’ bureaucracies could involve negative consequences could involve negative consequences for those failing to comply’ (37).for those failing to comply’ (37).

Page 6: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

First way: Marxist uses of history First way: Marxist uses of history (Monday)(Monday)

Today:Today:

Second way: cultural theory and Second way: cultural theory and historyhistory

Third way: globalist perspectivesThird way: globalist perspectives

Page 7: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

EmpireEmpire

Hardt and Negri argue that ‘the various Hardt and Negri argue that ‘the various practices, institutions and discourses practices, institutions and discourses associated with globalization can be associated with globalization can be understood as a machine-like grid of understood as a machine-like grid of power which incorporates and power which incorporates and transforms politics, economics and the transforms politics, economics and the social (and its many aspects such as social (and its many aspects such as culture, civil society and subjectivity)’ culture, civil society and subjectivity)’ (31-2)(31-2)

Page 8: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

Empire is different from other forms Empire is different from other forms of state-driven imperialism.of state-driven imperialism.

In Empire, there is no traditional / In Empire, there is no traditional / territorial centre of power.territorial centre of power.

Empire is a move beyond state Empire is a move beyond state sovereignty.sovereignty.

Page 9: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

‘…‘…the inability of nation-states to the inability of nation-states to control or manage their economic, control or manage their economic, political, social and cultural affairs is political, social and cultural affairs is a symptom of the more or less a symptom of the more or less terminal decline of state sovereignty, terminal decline of state sovereignty, and the ascent of Empire’ (32).and the ascent of Empire’ (32).

Globalization = Empire.Globalization = Empire.

Page 10: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

Empire has four main characteristics:Empire has four main characteristics:

1.1. Empire is Empire is a system and a hierarchya system and a hierarchy. It . It has its own logic.has its own logic.

‘‘Sovereignty has taken a new form, Sovereignty has taken a new form, composed of a series of national and composed of a series of national and supranational organisms united under a supranational organisms united under a single logic of rule’ (Hardt and Negri).single logic of rule’ (Hardt and Negri).

‘‘The declining sovereignty of nation-The declining sovereignty of nation-states and their increasing inability to states and their increasing inability to regulate economic and cultural regulate economic and cultural exchanges is one of the primary exchanges is one of the primary symptoms of Empire’ (Hardt and Negri). symptoms of Empire’ (Hardt and Negri).

Page 11: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

2. 2. ‘Empire processes cultures, crises, ‘Empire processes cultures, crises, resources and power formations in resources and power formations in order to reproduce and extend order to reproduce and extend itself’ (33).itself’ (33).

‘‘Empire is both a universal form of Empire is both a universal form of reason… and an ineluctable, and reason… and an ineluctable, and therefore uncontestable, grid of therefore uncontestable, grid of power’ (33). power’ (33).

Page 12: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

‘‘The rule of Empire operates on all-The rule of Empire operates on all-registers of the social order extending registers of the social order extending down to the depths of the social down to the depths of the social world. Empire not only manages a world. Empire not only manages a territory and a population but also territory and a population but also creates the very world it inhabits’ creates the very world it inhabits’ (Hardt and Negri). (Hardt and Negri).

The object of Empire’s rule is social The object of Empire’s rule is social life in its entirety.life in its entirety.

Page 13: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

3. Empire is 3. Empire is decentred and boundlessdecentred and boundless. .

Power is now diffused throughout Power is now diffused throughout different apparatuses, organizations, different apparatuses, organizations, agents…agents…

4. ‘Empire is constituted by, and 4. ‘Empire is constituted by, and constitutive of, the constitutive of, the imbrication of the imbrication of the economic, political and cultural economic, political and cultural aspects of contemporary lifeaspects of contemporary life’ (34). ’ (34).

Page 14: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

Also…Also…

‘‘Empire presents its rule not as a Empire presents its rule not as a transitory moment in the movement transitory moment in the movement of history, but as a regime with no of history, but as a regime with no temporal boundaries and in this temporal boundaries and in this sense outside of history or at the end sense outside of history or at the end of history’ (Hardt and Negri). of history’ (Hardt and Negri).

Page 15: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

‘… ‘… although the practice of Empire is although the practice of Empire is continually bathed in blood, the continually bathed in blood, the concept of Empire is always concept of Empire is always dedicated to peace’ (Hardt and dedicated to peace’ (Hardt and Negri).Negri).

Page 16: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

Cultural theory and historyCultural theory and history

French intellectual Pierre Bourdieu French intellectual Pierre Bourdieu rejects the ‘fatalism’ of Marxism and rejects the ‘fatalism’ of Marxism and examines other aspects located examines other aspects located outside the economic sphere (the outside the economic sphere (the state, the art, the media, education state, the art, the media, education etc.) in order to explain domination etc.) in order to explain domination and the exercice of power. and the exercice of power.

Page 17: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

For Bourdieu, domination and power For Bourdieu, domination and power can partly be explained by the effects can partly be explained by the effects of of doxadoxa..

(Doxa is a ‘set of core values and discourses which (Doxa is a ‘set of core values and discourses which a field articulates as its fundamental principles and a field articulates as its fundamental principles and which tend to be viewed as inherently true and which tend to be viewed as inherently true and necessary’ 215)necessary’ 215)

These discourses, ideas, values… are These discourses, ideas, values… are simply accepted, but are not debated.simply accepted, but are not debated.

Page 18: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

For Bourdieu, one of the most influential doxa For Bourdieu, one of the most influential doxa is neo-liberalism. is neo-liberalism.

Neo-liberalism has been established and Neo-liberalism has been established and imposed as a doxa through language and imposed as a doxa through language and media. media.

‘‘the process of naming that brings about this the process of naming that brings about this taken-for-grantedness is based on taken-for-grantedness is based on euphemisms which direct attention away euphemisms which direct attention away from the negative social effects of economic from the negative social effects of economic competition and the goal of maximum profitcompetition and the goal of maximum profit, , and which is consequently difficult to critique’ and which is consequently difficult to critique’ (35) (35)

See example p.35 (boldness and flexibility).See example p.35 (boldness and flexibility).

Page 19: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

(Euphemism is a polite word or (Euphemism is a polite word or expression that people use when expression that people use when they are talking about something they are talking about something which they or other people find which they or other people find unpleasant or embarassing).unpleasant or embarassing).

E.g.: ‘social plan’. E.g.: ‘social plan’.

Page 20: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

‘‘Many locate the ultimate authority Many locate the ultimate authority that rules over the processes of that rules over the processes of globalization and the new world order globalization and the new world order in the United States. Proponents praise in the United States. Proponents praise the United States as the world leader the United States as the world leader and sole superpower, and detractors and sole superpower, and detractors denounce it as imperialist oppressor. denounce it as imperialist oppressor. Both these views rest on the Both these views rest on the assumption that the United States has assumption that the United States has simply donned the mantle of global simply donned the mantle of global power that the European nations have power that the European nations have not let fall’.not let fall’.

Page 21: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

‘‘The most damning charge critics can The most damning charge critics can level… is that the United States is level… is that the United States is repeating the practices of old repeating the practices of old European imperialists, while European imperialists, while proponents celebrate the United proponents celebrate the United States as a more efficient and more States as a more efficient and more benevolent world leader, getting right benevolent world leader, getting right what the Europeans got wrong… ‘.what the Europeans got wrong… ‘.

However, ‘…a new imperial form of However, ‘…a new imperial form of sovereignty has emerged [and] sovereignty has emerged [and] contradicts both these views’.contradicts both these views’.

Page 22: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

‘‘The United States does not, and The United States does not, and indeed no nation-state can today, indeed no nation-state can today, form the center of an imperialist form the center of an imperialist project. Imperialism is over. No project. Imperialism is over. No nation will be world leader in the way nation will be world leader in the way European nations were.’European nations were.’

(Hardt and Negri). (Hardt and Negri).

Page 23: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

Third way: Globalist Third way: Globalist perspectivesperspectives

Globalists too make use of history to Globalists too make use of history to explain globalization.explain globalization.

History confirms the existence of History confirms the existence of globalization as a long term globalization as a long term phenomenon but also shows that it phenomenon but also shows that it has different effects on different has different effects on different groups at different times (40).groups at different times (40).

Page 24: Recap Neo-liberalism is based on the Washington consensus, also called the neo-liberal doctrine (or neo-liberalism). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation

One must not ignore the role of One must not ignore the role of technology and informationalism in technology and informationalism in globalization (see following globalization (see following slideshow…).slideshow…).