Neoliberalism treats freedom as an absolute moral principle divorced from religion

Evidence

The neoliberals have struggled from the outset to have their political/economic theories do dual service as a moral code. First and foremost, it would appear that the thought collective worshipped at the altar of a deity without restraints: “individual freedom, which it is most appropriate to regard as a moral principle of political action. Like all moral principles, it demands that it be accepted as a value in itself.” However, Hayek in his original address to the first MPS meeting said, “I am convinced that unless the breach between true liberal and religious convictions can be healed, there is no hope for a revival of liberal forces.” The very first MPS meeting reflected that wish, and held a session called “Liberalism and Christianity”; but it revealed only the antagonisms that percolated just below the surface. As a consequence, the neoliberals were often tone-deaf when it came to the transcendental, conflating it with their epistemic doctrines concerning human frailty: “we must preserve that indispensable matrix of the uncontrolled and non-rational which is the only environment wherein reason can grow and operate effectively.” — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 181

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Philip Mirowski’s broader ‘thought collective’ framing and to other work on how the MPS managed internal religious tensions, e.g. Angus Burgin. — connects to: Neoliberals treated individual freedom as a moral principle yet sought reconciliation with religion — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 2135; Early neoliberals split over whether freedom served dignity or stood alone — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 354; Neoliberal theorists valued Christianity instrumentally for enforcing market submission, not from faith. — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 123 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Neoliberals treated individual freedom as a moral principle yet sought reconciliation with religion #contradicts (0.90) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 2135
• Early neoliberals split over whether freedom served dignity or stood alone #contradicts (0.75) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 354