Depoliticizing economics is how the capitalist order sustains itself

Evidence

But is it really so? Or is this ability to “depoliticize” the economy—that is, the ability to deny our participation in economic decision-making—precisely the key to the success of a system that ties our hands and silences our voices? The language economic experts use compels us to think that we don’t have the knowledge or authority to partake in fundamental economic decisions that affect our lives. However, when we examine their actions closely, we see that they are engaged in a deeply political project: preserving our economic system—which they regard as the only one possible. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 21

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: This is the thesis statement of the book in compressed form: that the ‘technical’ inaccessibility of economics is itself a political technology. Worth sitting with.
• XREF: Directly articulates the reader’s key idea of ‘the invisible order’ — capitalism requires its arrangements to appear as natural/political fact rather than choice. — connects to: Consumer society bred depoliticization even as welfare states strengthened democracy — Jürgen Habermas, A New Structural Transformation of the…, 27; State-capitalism theory downgrades the economic base in favor of direct political domination — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 600; Governments conflate capitalist economic rationality with rationality itself. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 369 (+3 more)