Neoliberalism And The Discontented

Abstract

It was Gramsci who noted that in a crisis the 'ruling class, which has numerous trained cadres, changes men and programmes and, with greater speed than is achieved by the subordinate classes, reabsorbs the control that was slipping from its grasp. Perhaps it may make sacrifices, and expose itself to an uncertain future by demagogic promises; but it retains power, reinforces it for the time being, and uses it to crush its adversary and disperse his leading cadres'. Neoliberalism has entailed just such changes of cadres and programmes, demagogic promises and exercises of power. It continues to register an astonishing political resilience in the centres of political and economic power; it has become institutionalized in the apparatuses of the state; it forms the economic calculus of financial and industrial capitalists; and it has also become internalized in the behavioural norms and strategic responses of unions and civil society organizations. The programme of neoliberalism may well be discredited and the numbers of discontented growing. But, as far as the balance of political power is concerned, this has not yet shifted in a way that allows anyone--least of all political militants--to speak honestly about a period 'after neoliberalism'.