Dismantling the ‘Neoliberalism’ Straw Man

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss the attacks on "neoliberalism," an alleged ideology that critics blame for many of today’s political, social and economic problems. They analyze the critics’ central claims and explain why the very concept of “neoliberalism” clouds, rather than clarifies, our thinking about our political landscape. Among the topics covered: The critics of “neoliberalism” and what they claim;How “neoliberalism” was coined to designate a departure from laissez-faire capitalism;Ayn Rand’s distinctive approach to questionable concepts like “neoliberalism”;How many of the charges against "neoliberalism" resemble conspiracy fantasies;How the critics of “neoliberalism” grossly misrepresent the extent of our economic freedoms;Why the UK's slight shift towards freer markets met with such backlash;How altruism biases people against the achievements of the free market;How a mixed economy unjustly benefits those with political pull. Mentioned in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and Don Watkins and Yaron Brook’s Equal Is Unfair. The podcast was recorded on October 27, 2022. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://youtu.be/OMpFNRatJPw Podcast audio: