The Neoliberal Toolbox

The difference between capitalism and neoliberalism, is. Traditional capitalists like Andrew Carnegie, who made their millions smashing unions and serving the war machine at least near the end of his days, opened a few libraries, established some parks and handed out a few grants here and there, that can still be applied for today. Not that that makes Andrew Carnegie, or capitalists wonderful people, far from it. But neoliberalism, on the other hand, some describe as capitalism on steroids,  has one simple strategy regarding others. "Everything for us and nothing for you". Your only right to survive under neoliberalism is in your ability to survive in the market economy. Other wise you should perish. If you only need to know one thing about the neoliberal project, it is that. 

Under this prospect the idea of this project is to help towards building solidarity, finding common ground and connecting in some way/ways with the masses of people we will need if we are to change the political, socio economic and environmental conditions we are living under, due to the policies of the above. Most of us who are not bankers or hedge fund managers would agree conditions are not great for the vast majority of people?

So the bankers are having a great time after diligently working with their comrades in arms, to building the neoliberal project over the last 50 years or so. And part of that development work, which is the main concern of us here, was, what some call the Balkanisation of the left.

A major strategy of the neoliberal counter revolution of the 1960s, was to break-up the left into as many of its component parts as possible. The mass struggles of the 60s are just the same as the mass struggles now, in as much as the same tools are deployed now as they were developed then. The destruction of  unionisation to the development of the self, the positive thinking industry, single issue politics, public relations industry, destruction of local news infrastructure, and so on.

This work to change the public mind was industrial, global and cost billions. It was designed to smash the youthful revolution of the 60s and was so successful and lucrative to those who financed it (with our money) that it has persisted in not only smashing unions and destroying any notion of democracy but people became so used to it that the conditions become part of our day to day. We Watch as the banks melt down the global economy and instead of going to jail are rewarded ten fold? Watch as our youth of the global change movement at vilified by media climate deniers. Watch as our political system melts in front of our eyes daly. Watch the character assassination of anybody who may have something useful to say about anything that hasn't been through the news filter. This is not an overnight sensation, this is the product of 50 years of the neoliberal project and its continued development to maintain its authority. And it can be summarised in the words of Chris Hedges "We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals, and our banks destroy the economy.”

This is Neoliberalism.