in this iteration of three-minute theory we bring you a concept that you might not know by name but have surely felt by its far-reaching effects neoliberalism simply neoliberalism is the idea that Society should be shaped by the free market and that the economy should be deregulated and privatized or even simpler what works in the private sector will also work in the public sector but it doesn't stop there neoliberalism also involved the idea that the public sector should not only follow the private sector's rules but it should also subsidize the private sector which we know is
now owned by fewer and fewer Global capitalists while neoliberalism began to reach its current Heights in the late 1970s it has its roots in Enlightenment liberal humanism or Classical liberalism the belief that people were free to live their lives without a great deal of interference from the government so what does neoliberalism have to do with Classical liberalism and why does it matter well neoliberalism isn't really new itself but is a new take on Classical liberalism neoliberalism uses the language and tenants of Classical liberalism in ways that now benefit large corporate interests for example many of
the tenants of liberalism were enacted in the name of equality meaning that free market policies were supposed to allow people an equal chance into the marketplace under neoliberalism however the free market loses its ties to democratic ideals and instead allows corporate capitalists to open up previously unavailable markets basically the free market becomes increasingly free for wealthy corporate capitalists and less free for everyone else although neoliberalism is a discourse that we cannot necessarily see it has real material effects on many aspects of Our Lives let's take the American public education system as an example of how
business interests have infiltrated public systems in the past Public Schools were set up to offer a free education to promote the liberal humanist ideas of Liberty and equality but with the rise of neoliberalism and in turn education reform movements the lines between public and private education have been blurred what we now see is heavy private investment from private individuals and corporations in the name of Liberty neoliberals use the business Laden language of choice free market and deregulation to dismantle and then reconstruct public schools in a corporate image this this all happens through the use of
language that sounds lovely and freeing But ultimately doesn't prompt too many questions from the general public as corporations take a stronghold in the public sector we also see the reciprocal investment of public school dollars into private companies not familiar with the education system that's okay you don't have to look far to see neoliberalism at work remember neoliberalism is everywhere and it isn't limited to one political party it's both right and left and conservative and liberal which makes it very hard to work against so next time you hear a politician or CEO talking about the greater
good take a moment to wonder who's good more often than not the good being held up as Liberty for all might really just be more money for some
