Neoliberal intellectuals deliberately blurred distinctions between their doctrine and classical liberalism
Evidence
Much pandemonium concerning the existence of neoliberalism derives from the fact that outsiders often confuse it with libertarianism or classical liberalism; and this, in turn, is at least partly due to the fact that many key neoliberal figures themselves often conflated one or another alternative position with their own. For instance, Friedrich Hayek notoriously pioneered the notion that his own ideas could be traced in a direct line back to classical liberals such as David Hume and Adam Smith. Combined with his statement concerning Mont Pèlerin, “I personally do not intend that any public manifesto should be issued,” we can begin to detect a concerted policy to blur the boundaries between factions, itself part of the larger move to impose détente. — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 110
Categorization
- XREF: Connects to the thought-collective theme central to this book and to Mirowski’s broader argument elsewhere that Hayek managed the MPS line deliberately. — connects to: Neoliberalism evolved by sloughing off earlier liberal doctrines without acknowledging reversals — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 143; Neoliberals rejected classical liberalism’s rationalism in favor of critical conventionalism. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 90; Neoliberal figures deliberately blurred their boundaries with rival right-wing factions (+3 more)
- corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 110
Broader Connections
- Neoliberalism evolved by sloughing off earlier liberal doctrines without acknowledging reversals
#corroborates(0.85) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 143 - Neoliberal figures deliberately blurred their boundaries with rival right-wing factions
#expands(0.80) - The term ‘neoliberal’ was adopted deliberately to distance liberalism from pure laissez-faire
#contradicts(0.80) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 279 - Neoliberalism’s public rhetoric of open liberalism contradicted its actual closed, hierarchical organization
#complicates(0.75) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 200 - Neoliberals rejected classical liberalism’s rationalism in favor of critical conventionalism.
#expands(0.72) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 90