Neoliberal Civilization: Definition, Evaluation and Trends
JUUTINEN, MARKO (2013)
2013
Valtio-oppi - Political Science
Johtamiskorkeakoulu - School of Management
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2013-04-17
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:uta-1-23459
https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:uta-1-23459
Tiivistelmä
This master’s thesis is about neoliberal civilization – a complex and comprehensive social phenomenon that appears to be able to spread its influence all over the world, and that effectively monopolizes the right to define social relations and transformations in most areas of social life.
This is a theoretical study which includes a definition, an evaluation, and a discussion of neoliberal civilization and its future trends. It provides an interpretation of the financial and debt crisis, and the solutions employed to manage the crisis. It provides an evaluation of the epistemological foundations of this system, on its nature and purposes.
As a conceptualization, neoliberal civilization refers to the discursive practices of neoliberal international political economy (IPE). It refers to a system that is being represented as an ideal, and which forms a set of discursive rules and practices that define most areas of social life and that subject most people to roles defined by it. It is an attempt to dominate social relations and the destiny of the world from a particular perspective of vested interests. Globalization, interdependences, democracy, and economy are concepts set up from the perspective of dominant market actors, and that serve the dominant interest of the global market place. In order to be free individuals, we need to rethink freedom, individualism and political economy with other tools than those of neoliberal civilization.
Major sources of neoliberal theory include Friedrich von Hayek’sRoad to Serfdom(1956 [1944]), Constitution of Liberty(2006 [1960]),Fatal Conceit(1988), Ludwig von Mises’Theory and History(1957), and Milton and Rose Friedman’sFree to Choose(1979). Other sources for neoliberal IPE include the internet pages of IMF, WTO, World Bank, policy agency groups, and major corporate interest groups.
I have approached the analytical conceptualization of neoliberal civilization from a normative perspective, based on a theocentric cognitive systematization, the Universal System of Love, and an interpretation of Adam Smith’s System of Natural Liberty. The first of the two perspectives is based on Emanuel Swedenborg'sDivine Love and Wisdom(2009a [1763]), the second on Smith’sTheory of Moral Sentiments(2006 [1759]), andWealth of Nations(2005, [1776]). Both perspectives led to a rejection of neoliberal epistemology, and a reformulation of the concept of freedom. Neoliberal civilization appears to have perverted the ideas of freedom, individualism and markets to a form that is inimical to freedom, not coherent with the natural laws, and that deprives self-interest its materially progressive and morally beneficial features exposed by Adam Smith.
The purposes of this study required only an outline of these two perspectives, to be used for evaluative analysis. I find that the Swedenborgian perspective can be used for transforming the philosophy of science, and the Smithian perspective for uniting the liberal and Marxist traditions, and the movement of another and better world. I ground this claim on the ability to unthink, rethink, systematize and unite that these perspective seem to offer.
Asiasanat:neoliberalism, civilization, international political economy, discourse, epistemology, morality, freedom, liberty, Smith, Hayek, crisis, debt
This is a theoretical study which includes a definition, an evaluation, and a discussion of neoliberal civilization and its future trends. It provides an interpretation of the financial and debt crisis, and the solutions employed to manage the crisis. It provides an evaluation of the epistemological foundations of this system, on its nature and purposes.
As a conceptualization, neoliberal civilization refers to the discursive practices of neoliberal international political economy (IPE). It refers to a system that is being represented as an ideal, and which forms a set of discursive rules and practices that define most areas of social life and that subject most people to roles defined by it. It is an attempt to dominate social relations and the destiny of the world from a particular perspective of vested interests. Globalization, interdependences, democracy, and economy are concepts set up from the perspective of dominant market actors, and that serve the dominant interest of the global market place. In order to be free individuals, we need to rethink freedom, individualism and political economy with other tools than those of neoliberal civilization.
Major sources of neoliberal theory include Friedrich von Hayek’sRoad to Serfdom(1956 [1944]), Constitution of Liberty(2006 [1960]),Fatal Conceit(1988), Ludwig von Mises’Theory and History(1957), and Milton and Rose Friedman’sFree to Choose(1979). Other sources for neoliberal IPE include the internet pages of IMF, WTO, World Bank, policy agency groups, and major corporate interest groups.
I have approached the analytical conceptualization of neoliberal civilization from a normative perspective, based on a theocentric cognitive systematization, the Universal System of Love, and an interpretation of Adam Smith’s System of Natural Liberty. The first of the two perspectives is based on Emanuel Swedenborg'sDivine Love and Wisdom(2009a [1763]), the second on Smith’sTheory of Moral Sentiments(2006 [1759]), andWealth of Nations(2005, [1776]). Both perspectives led to a rejection of neoliberal epistemology, and a reformulation of the concept of freedom. Neoliberal civilization appears to have perverted the ideas of freedom, individualism and markets to a form that is inimical to freedom, not coherent with the natural laws, and that deprives self-interest its materially progressive and morally beneficial features exposed by Adam Smith.
The purposes of this study required only an outline of these two perspectives, to be used for evaluative analysis. I find that the Swedenborgian perspective can be used for transforming the philosophy of science, and the Smithian perspective for uniting the liberal and Marxist traditions, and the movement of another and better world. I ground this claim on the ability to unthink, rethink, systematize and unite that these perspective seem to offer.
Asiasanat:neoliberalism, civilization, international political economy, discourse, epistemology, morality, freedom, liberty, Smith, Hayek, crisis, debt