Early ordoliberal and Austrian critiques of parliamentarism harbored authoritarian leanings

Evidence

Reading the early critiques of parliamentarian democracy in the oeuvre of German ordoliberals and Austrian school neoliberals reveals the obscure authoritarian tendencies that were operating just beneath the surface of many neoliberals. These tendencies have reemerged time and again in eras of perceived danger to the neoliberal cause. These weaknesses for repressive regimes recur in the history of neoliberalism, as evidenced by Hayek’s and Friedman’s support of “free market economic policies” under the leadership of Pinochet in Chile, for example (see Fischer, Chapter 9 in this volume). — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 543

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s broader study of how the Mont Pèlerin network rationalized Pinochet’s Chile and other repressive regimes — a recurring thread in neoliberalism historiography. — connects to: Early ordoliberalism demanded a strong independent state to counter organized interests — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 524; Ordoliberal founders blamed parliamentary democracy for weakening state authority — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 527; Ordoliberalism entailed an authoritarian skepticism toward democracy — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 557 (+1 more)
• QUESTION: Which specific early critiques of parliamentarian democracy by ordoliberals and Austrians are being pointed to? Worth tracing the primary texts to see whether the authoritarianism is explicit or inferred.

Broader Connections

• Ordoliberalism entailed an authoritarian skepticism toward democracy #corroborates (0.92) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 557
• Key ordoliberal and Austrian thinkers were funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and League #expands (0.72) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 376