Post-Crash Neoliberalism in Theory and Practice

Whitham, Ben

Abstract

Despite the massive state interventions into financial markets following the crash of 2007, the academic literature on the political-economic theory and practice of neoliberalism – a phenomenon often (mis)identified as equivalent to ‘free market’ fundamentalism or a second wave of laissez-faire – has continued to flourish, rather than decline in the post-crash era. This article discusses three recent books that offer insights into the resilience of neoliberalism in theory and practice. While all three books were published shortly before the onset of the new political crisis in the West, represented by Brexit, Trump and the rise of the far right, it is argued, here, that their analyses of post-crash neoliberalism in theory and practice offer useful clues as to what may lie ahead.

Citation

Whitham, B. (2017). Post-Crash Neoliberalism in Theory and Practice. Political Studies Review, 16(4), 252-264. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478929917720430

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 17, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Oct 9, 2017
• Publication Date: Oct 9, 2017
• Deposit Date: Sep 29, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 29, 2021
• Journal: Political Studies Review
• Print ISSN: 1478-9299
• Electronic ISSN: 1478-9302
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 252-264
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1478929917720430
• Keywords: neoliberalism, financial crisis, post-crash economics, nationalism, right-wing populism
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1478929917720430