The newer French neoliberals abandoned the state’s active role for full laissez-faire
Evidence
Their goal was not to give the state an active role in defending free enterprise, but on the contrary, to produce a full-bore reinstatement of laissez-faire economics. Whereas during the 1930s, the French neoliberals rejected the works of the classical liberals such as Frédéric Bastiat or Gustave de Molinari, because for many they meant “laisser souffrir,” these authors turned out to be central for the new generation, in conjunction with American libertarian spokesmen. — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 300
Categorization
- XREF: Connects to the broader ‘Two Opposing Neoliberalisms’ chapter theme and to the Lippmann Colloquium tradition of French ordoliberal-style state-role neoliberalism. — connects to: Early neoliberals rejected laissez-faire and wanted strong state action; French neoliberalism split into administrative and radical faces that mutually supported each other — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 301; Early neoliberalism rejected laissez-faire in favor of a state-built competitive order. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 365 (+1 more)
- DEFINE: Clarifies that ‘laisser souffrir’ was the French suspicion of classical laissez-faire, distinguishing the old from the new generation.
- corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 300
Broader Connections
- French neoliberalism split into administrative and radical faces that mutually supported each other
#expands(0.85) — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 301 - Early neoliberals explicitly distanced themselves from classical laissez-faire doctrine
#corroborates(0.85) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 117 - Early neoliberalism rejected laissez-faire in favor of a state-built competitive order.
#corroborates(0.80) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 365