Neoliberal theories succeed as policy rhetoric despite having scant evidence

Evidence

What would have once been, without these ideas, simply the old-fashioned musings of cynical policy makers and their ancient economic advisors was now given a firm, and very liberal, theoretical foundation. Their evidentiary basis, however, was another matter entirely. The fact that these theories rest upon incredibly narrow operational premises and have scant evidence going for them is beside the point. That they are highly effective policy rhetorics that only narrow the menu of choice for governments is what matters. — Mark Blyth, Austerity, 425

Categorization

• APHORISMS: A sharp claim that policy doctrines win as rhetoric, not evidence — an insight about how ideas govern.
• XREF: Connects to Blyth’s overarching 2013 argument that austerity was never evidence-based, and to Mattei. — connects to: Neoliberalism’s deliberate epistemic inconsistencies enabled its long-term success; Neoliberal policies produced experiments whose results fed yet more neoliberal projects — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 1983; Neoliberalism persists through pervasive cultural imagery, not popular political theory — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 246 (+11 more)

Broader Connections

• Neoliberalism’s deliberate epistemic inconsistencies enabled its long-term success #expands (0.75)
• Neoliberal policies produced experiments whose results fed yet more neoliberal projects #exemplifies (0.72) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 1983
• Neoliberalism persists through pervasive cultural imagery, not popular political theory #corroborates (0.72) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 246