Neoliberalism denies any harmable self, dissolving all positive freedom
Evidence
Radin builds upon this observation to argue in favor of imposition of spheres of “incomplete commodification,” and to prohibit some markets altogether, such as the selling of human infants. The Rosetta Stone of neoliberalism rejects the basic premise of this version of liberalism, not only by denying that any such spheres should exist, but more important, insisting there is no self that is harmed by the creation and alienation of private property. Indeed, one might reasonably wonder if there is much of any Archimedean Self whatsoever in the neoliberal game plan. Absent such a self, there is nothing left of a “positive” notion of freedom to preserve and protect. — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 308
Categorization
- XREF: Directly opposes Radin’s ‘incomplete commodification’ — a sharp conflict of frameworks worth carrying forward. — connects to: Neoliberalism has no answer for subjects who use liberty against it — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 1873; Neoliberalism framed itself as a defence of individual freedom against all collectivist systems.; Neoliberalism’s ultimate ideal self is the autonomous self-made individual — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 430 (+9 more)
- SEED: An article angle: commodification critics keep arguing about which markets to ban, but the deeper battleground is whether any self exists to be harmed at all.
Broader Connections
- Freedom that withdraws into self-interest denies its own nature
#complicates(0.80) - Neoliberals restrict freedom to negative freedom to shield market epistemology from scrutiny
#expands(0.78) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 169 - Neoliberalism’s ultimate ideal self is the autonomous self-made individual
#expands(0.75) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 430 - Neoliberal ‘freedom’ is internally redefined to mean market autonomy, not political liberty
#complicates(0.75) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 166 - Neoliberalism framed itself as a defence of individual freedom against all collectivist systems.
#qualifies(0.72) - Neoliberalism’s social theory is fundamentally epistemological, recoding freedom as instrumental to independent orders
#corroborates(0.72) - Leading neoliberals defended restricting political freedom to preserve economic freedom
#corroborates(0.72) — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists, 500 - Neoliberalism transformed even the criteria for individual self-evaluation
#expands(0.72) — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos, 747 - Neoliberal freedom culminates in radical solipsism that denies the economy’s existence
#complicates(0.70) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 431