Neoliberals--who are they and do we have any here?

[Skidmore]

NAFTA, CAFTA, and such are gifts of the neoliberals, so I understand. Are the DLC neoliberals, then?

[johnaries]

1. Neo-liberal is as liberal as Neo-con is conservative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism

[joemurphy]

2. Unregulated freemarketeers

Wikipedia says they're libertarians.

"Neoliberalism is widely used as a pejorative description of the revived form of economic liberalism that became increasingly important in international economic policy discussions from the 1970s onwards. Its meaning is similar in essence to the more value-neutral terms Libertarianism or free market economy. The term Neoliberalism proper is usually used by opponents and critics of the so-called Neo-liberals, who never use this term to describe themselves but prefer libertarian, free marketeer or small-c conservatives."

[Warpy]

9. Wikipedia is correct. They have nothing liberal about them

and as far as I can tell, they're just old fascists trying to masquerade under a new name. Strauss is their hero and Strauss was as anti democratic as anyone could possibly get. He firmly believed all government should be in the hands of the wealthy elite, that the rest of us were just parasites, like lice.

I refuse to use the neologism "neoliberal." It's obfuscative at best.

Call them FASCISTS.

[Skidmore]

3. Thanks. They sound just like neocons. I'm really

confused now.

[joemurphy]

4. Neocons and libertarians are two different things. n/t

[jdelullo]

5. Diddo

Maybe someone could give an example of a widely known person who is a Neoliberal? Not sure...

[Skidmore]

8. Good idea! That would be helpful.

[rodeodance]

6. --No, neoliberal and liberal are not the same thing,.......

http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories//index.php?ntid=82057
UW prof takes neoliberalism fight to streets

By Aaron Nathans
April 29, 2006
........

No, neoliberal and liberal are not the same thing, and it isn't a very new concept. Peck has made it his life's work to examine the effects of the economic theory on the populace.

Peck said conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute guard the philosophy of neoliberalism: low-taxation, low-spending, anti-welfare, anti-union, and minimal government intervention. That "laissez-faire" approach to economic markets began in the 1970s and has grown to become both the Republican and, lately, Democratic governing economic philosophy, he said.

........



Peck said the postwar, pre-1970s era was a time of stable markets, when the U.S. government would spend its way out of a recession by building roads and bridges and pumping money back into the economy. Between 1945 and 1973, the average family saw its income double, he said. Many consider them "the 30 golden years," a time of relative social equality, he said.

But neoliberalism began finding a niche under President Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Peck said. Even under President Bill Clinton, there was welfare reform, NAFTA and a balanced budget. These days, in order to be elected, even Democrats must spurn tax increases and go neoliberal, even if they also have liberal social impulses, he said.

[rodeodance]

7. ---neoliberalism causes social inequality and an unstable economy.----

......Peck believes neoliberalism causes social inequality and an unstable economy. He said he favors programs that "place a floor under the labor market," such as socialized health care, requiring employers to pay a living wage, and incentives for corporations to invest in the environment.