Neoliberal sociologists held that free markets curb war-like passions

Evidence

Although Rüstow, and his closest neoliberal colleague Röpke, are generally – and rightly – understood to have been more concerned than many of their fellow MPS members with the negative impacts of competitive markets on social integration, when it came to imperialism these ‘sociological liberals’ were great exponents of the ‘sweetness of commerce’. Echoing earlier arguments that the virtue of commerce lay in checking the violent passions, Röpke portrayed war as a matter of ‘instincts, feelings and passions’, while the ‘atmosphere created by free market economics, i.e. the principle of economic organisation inherent in “capitalism”, serve[d] rather to curb and suppress atavistic, bellicose emotions than to stir them up’. — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market, 281

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reading purpose on market ethics — the claim that markets pacify is a core causal assertion in debates over market effects on rights and welfare. — connects to: Major neoliberal theorists all held that markets convert conflict into harmony — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 35; Neoliberals argued political meddling, not markets, causes war — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 256; Neoliberals pathologised political struggle by framing the market as peaceful and politics as violent — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 64 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Neoliberals depicted markets as peaceful information processors and politics as violent friend-enemy coercion. #corroborates (0.95) — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market, 403
• Neoliberals pathologised political struggle by framing the market as peaceful and politics as violent #corroborates (0.90) — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market, 64
• Market competition was framed by neoliberals as guarantor of rights and peace #corroborates (0.88)