Neoliberalism distinguishes achievement competition from impediment competition where rivals block market access.

Evidence

Carl J. Freidrich, “The Political Thought of Neo-Liberalism” American Political Science Review 49, 2 (1955): 511. A contemporary example of achievement versus impediment competition is to compare the competition on products that occurs between BMW and Mercedes. This competition betters both products such that both firms sell more cars. Now, compare this to the patent battles between Apple and Samsung, which is impediment competition. It is designed to keep the other firm out of the marketplace regardless of the quality of the product. — Mark Blyth, Austerity, 899

Categorization

• XREF: This distinction between productive competition and rent-seeking/blocking competition connects to Milgrom on institutions and to broader market-failure debates; useful addendum to the grafting/sacrifice essays’ theme of institutional design. — connects to: Neoliberalism differs from laissez-faire liberalism by using state intervention to create competition; Neoliberalism makes competition rather than exchange the essence of the market — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s…, 59; Neoliberal competition is a constructed formal game, not a natural state. — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s…, 110 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Neoliberalism redefined liberty as economic rather than political. #expands (0.72) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 380