Neoliberal development thought predated and coexisted with left-wing theories rather than countering them
Evidence
Contrary to widely held convictions about the neoliberal “counterrevolution,” I will argue that neoliberal development discourse emerged together with modernization and radical paradigms, and thus also preceded more comprehensive left-wing theories (dependency theory, world systems theory), which appeared in the 1960s (Leys 1996, 8–11). … Ascher observes the “rise and dominance of a diluted neoclassicism in methodology and epistemology, and an antistatist doctrine that nonetheless is still pursued by and through state institutions” (Ascher 1996, 313; emphasis added). … Partly because of the common failure to better identify and recognize the neoliberal critique of neoclassical economics, his account does not explain the noted paradox of an alleged “antistatist” doctrine underpinning policies “nonetheless” pursued by and through state institutions. — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 1266
Categorization
- XREF: Mirrors the revisionist historiography on neoliberalism’s origins in other chapters of this volume and the wider Mont Pèlerin literature. — connects to: Conservative foundations funded unorthodox ideas decades before the think tank boom — Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free…, 322; Neoliberal core ideas mutate to fuse with both left and right worldviews. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 31; Neoliberalism crystallized partly as opposition to scientists promoting planned socialism (+8 more)
- DEEPTHINKING: The core paradox — an ostensibly antistatist doctrine pursued through state institutions — is a dense historiographic claim that overturns the standard counterrevolution narrative and repays prolonged reflection.
Broader Connections
- Neoliberal development economics emerged parallel to, not after, mainstream development theory
#corroborates(0.85) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 1269