Episode 122: Interview with Professor Wendy Brown, author In the Ruins of Neoliberalism: The Rise of AntiDemocratic politics in the West.
May 23, 2021
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Professor Wendy Brown, a prominent political theorist at UC Berkeley and author of In the Ruins of Neoliberalism, delves into the persistent grip of neoliberalism on politics and economics. She critiques how market-driven ideologies undermine democratic values and climate action. Wendy explores the complex relationship between corporate sustainability and profit motives, urging a rethink of economic models for genuine ecological progress. The conversation highlights the need for renewed democratic engagement and collaboration to tackle the climate crisis and ensure a sustainable future.
Neoliberalism profoundly shapes societal norms and individual behaviors, often prioritizing market ideals over democratic governance and social justice.
The urgency of addressing climate and biodiversity crises requires reimagining democratic practices and collaborative efforts among diverse societal actors.
Deep dives
Democracy and Environmental Crises
The urgency of addressing both the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis is highlighted as interlinked with the current challenges faced by liberal democracies. These crises are exacerbated by the rise of authoritarian populism, which undermines democratic values and practices. The need for a sustainable future calls for reimagining how democracies operate, especially in the face of increasing authoritarian tendencies exemplified by movements like Trumpism. This convergence necessitates a robust organization of democratic principles to effectively tackle ecological issues.
The Depths of Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is understood as a transformative ideology that extends beyond mere economic policies, penetrating deeply into societal structures and individual behaviors. It aims to redefine personal responsibility and morality, distancing society from collective ideals and state provisions. Historical figures like Margaret Thatcher asserted that neoliberalism sought to reshape societal norms to prioritize individualism over communal well-being. This philosophical underpinning significantly challenges the practical execution of democratic governance, often prioritizing market ideals over democratic legislation.
Navigating Neoliberal Impacts on Democracy
The discussions reveal that the neoliberal framework discredits democratic approaches to social justice and sustainability, favoring technocratic and market-driven solutions. Right-wing forces often espouse anti-state principles under the guise of promoting freedom, which further complicates democratic efforts. This anti-democratic trend operates both in the broader societal context and through specific political mechanisms, such as gerrymandering and voter suppression. The continuous conflict between neoliberal ideologies and attempts at democratic restoration emphasizes the need for collective action focused on sustainable futures.
Potential for Transformation Amidst Corporations
Despite criticism of corporate practices, the acknowledgment of their potential role in sustainability is explored, highlighting the necessity for collaboration in addressing environmental challenges. The phenomenon of greenwashing is prevalent, as corporations strive to balance profitability with increasing demands for sustainability from investors and consumers. The interplay between shareholder value and genuine environmental responsibility suggests tensions within corporate strategy that could either facilitate or hinder progress. Hence, a collective effort involving various societal actors, including corporations, is essential to navigate the complexities of sustainable transformation.
In this fascinating interview, Professor Wendy Brown analyses the impact of neoliberal ideas on our current political economic moment, revealing how deeply entrenched neoliberalism is in our lives, that neoliberalism has not, as many believe, gone away. Wendy’s analysis of neoliberalism extends beyond the economics of privatisation and deregulation-arguing that we have all become in some sense “homo economicus.” Wendy shows how this logic extends to the ways in which we conceptualise and try to solve our environmental problems, highlighting some of the arguments at the heart of the recent Dasgupta report: The Economics of Biodiversity.
Wendy Brown is an American political theorist. She’s Class of 1936 First professor of Political Science and a core faculty member in the Program for critical theory at The University of California at Berkeley. Wendy lectures around the world and has held numerous visiting and honorary positions, including at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, the Goethe University in Frankfurt. Her work has been translated into more than twenty languages and has received many awards. Wendy's recent work focuses on neoliberalism and she is the author of numerous books including most recently Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s Stealth Revolution and In the Ruins of Neoliberalism: The Rise of AntiDemocratic politics in the West.
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