Laissez-faire advocates already called for active state programs in 1934

Evidence

“There is now an imperative need for a sound, positive program of economic legislation,” announced Chicago economist Henry Simons in the opening pages of his Positive Program for Laissez-faire: “in earlier periods, [our economic organization] could be expected to become increasingly strong if only protected from undue political interference. Now, however, it has reached a condition where it can be saved only through adoption of the wisest measures by the state.” — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 716

Categorization

• DEFINE: Shows that ‘laissez-faire’ in the Chicago tradition meant state-designed positive programs, not mere non-interference — a definitional corrective to the caricature.
• XREF: Connects to the familiar trope of ‘laissez-faire means hands off’ found in many critiques of neoliberalism; this passage is the counter-evidence. — connects to: Early neoliberals rejected laissez-faire and wanted strong state action; Pro-business elites endorsed planning and rejected laissez-faire in the 1930s — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 66

Broader Connections

• Early neoliberals rejected laissez-faire and wanted strong state action #corroborates (0.85)