Sociological anti-reductionism was instrumental to neoliberalism from its start

Evidence

Michel Foucault clearly identified this core element in the neoliberal theory but attributed it mainly to the social theory of Gary Becker. The postulate of a sociological anti-reductionism within neoliberalism was instrumental from the beginning. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 724

Categorization

• QUESTION: Foucault attributed the anti-reductionist core to Becker — worth chasing how far back this postulate really goes and whether Foucault under-located it in earlier thinkers.
• XREF: connects to: Neoliberalism fused philosophy of science and political economy against totalitarianism — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 53; Early neoliberalism emerged partly from a critique of laissez-faire and naturalist philosophies of history — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 379

Broader Connections

• Neoliberalism fused philosophy of science and political economy against totalitarianism #expands (0.82) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 53
• Early neoliberalism emerged partly from a critique of laissez-faire and naturalist philosophies of history #corroborates (0.78) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 379