Early neoliberalism emerged partly from a critique of laissez-faire and naturalist philosophies of history

Evidence

Critical of a liberal paradigm rooted in laissez-faire and in a philosophy of history based on the interpretation of the concept of nature, Aron, perfectly in tune with fellow early neoliberals (see Martin Beddeleem’s contribution to this volume), argued for a conscious development of values on which society might be built as a consequence of the critique of earlier liberal epistemologies and understandings of the science of history. The CDS was the perfect place for this kind of research and it is another good example of the funding strategy Rockefeller had at the time. Initially financed by the banker Albert Kahn, Rockefeller took over the CDS’s financial support following the financial crisis of 1929. The grant allowed the employment of research assistants, and the foundation had certain ideas regarding the nature of the research to be carried out at the center. Sociology had been identified by Rockefeller as one of the disciplines able to develop “methods for social control” and he was particularly supportive of research in the vein of “inductive sociology.” — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 379

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the book’s core thesis of fracturing the neoliberal caricature — early neoliberals actively rejected laissez-faire rather than championing it, aligning with other chapters on the CDS and Rockefeller funding networks. — connects to: Interwar liberal revivalists saw laissez-faire itself as a dogmatic mystique — Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free…, 177; Early neoliberals explicitly distanced themselves from classical laissez-faire doctrine — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 117; Early neoliberalism distinguished itself from laissez-faire by championing competition. (+17 more)
• DEFINE: Defines early liberalism as rooted in laissez-faire plus a naturalist philosophy of history, and shows early neoliberalism as the conscious critique of both.

Broader Connections

• Early neoliberalism drew on mathematical conventionalism, not naturalism or empiricism #qualifies (0.80) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 52
• Early neoliberals rejected laissez-faire and wanted strong state action #expands (0.80)
• Neoliberals marketed the market as natural by borrowing early evolutionary science metaphors #contradicts (0.72) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 2127