Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber Why Neoliberalism Won
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Nov 5, 2025 
Vivek Chibber, a sociology professor at NYU and editor of Catalyst, dives into the rise of neoliberalism as a class offensive rather than an intellectual shift. He discusses how political elites and employers exploited economic crises to redefine society. Chibber critiques the mainstream Keynesian response, emphasizing that political realities and class dynamics, rather than mere ideas, shaped policy changes. He encourages building working-class power to ensure progressive ideas can thrive, urging listeners to understand the roots of neoliberal success.
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Keynes Changed How States Stabilize Markets
- Keynes showed markets can settle into persistent unemployment equilibria without state intervention.
- That justified state demand management and made Keynes influential in mid-century policy.
Politics Drives Policy, Ideas Just Rationalize
- Ideas alone don't cause policy shifts; politicians choose policies for political reasons.
- Intellectuals are then used to justify and technicize those politically driven choices.
Capital, Not Academics, Pushed Neoliberalism
- The decisive constituency in policy shifts is capital, not academics or voters.
- Neoliberal turn occurred because business withdrew tolerance for the welfare state when class interests shifted.
