The document discusses neo-liberalism as a political ideology and policy framework emphasizing minimal state involvement and market efficiency, influenced by key figures like Thatcher and Reagan. It outlines how neo-liberalism reshapes governance and individual citizenship, particularly highlighting its impact in New Zealand and Bangladesh, where reforms led to increased inequality and privatization of public services. The text also critiques the paradoxes and contradictions present in neo-liberal practices and their societal implications.

1. Neo Liberalism: Policy,
Ideology, Governmentality-
Wendy Larner

2. By
A.K.M. Zaid Uddin

3. Introduction
 Neo-liberalism: new forms of political
economic governance premised on
market
 Special political projects:
 Thatcherism
 Regeanomics
 Rogernomics
 Jane Johnson used neo-liberal as a general
descriptor for post-welfare state citizenship
regimes.

4. Neo-liberalism
 Neo-liberalism: preference for a minimalist
state
 Markets as a better way of economic
activity:
 Competition
 Economic Efficiency
 Choice
 Neo-liberalism as a policy framework
portray it as:
 Neo-liberalism as an ideology &
 Conceptualizing Neo-liberalism through the
lens of Governmentality

5. Neo-liberalism as Policy
 Neo-liberalism as a shift from:
Keynesian Welfarism Market
 The ideas of Neo-liberalism is understood on 5 values
 The Individual
 Freedom of Choice
 Market Security
 Laissez Faire &
 Minimal Government
 The agenda of Neo-liberalism:
 popularized by think tanks + corporate decision makers
 backed by World Bank and IMF
 The adoption of this system is influenced by key politicians; such as-
Thatcher and Reagan.

6. Neo-liberalism as Policy
 Neo-liberalism: (to a large extent)
emasculated state control over national economies
Increased social and spatial polarization
exaggerated swings in business cycle
 Janine Brodie observed:
“changing public expectations about citizenship
entitlements, the collective provision of social needs and the
efficacy of welfare state has been a critical victory of neo-
liberalism.”
New Zealand: Despite the unpopularity of “free market
revolution”
Political Claims are framed in the language of
choice, flexibility and market.

7. Neo-Iiberalism as
Govemmentality
 The most influential post-structuralist theorization of
neo-liberalism is that associated with the neo-
Foucauldian literature on governmentality
 They showed a distinction between government and
governance. Neo liberalism has less government but
not less governance
 On one hand, neo-liberalism problematizes the state
and is concerned to specify its limits through the
invocation of individual choice
 On the other hand it involves forms of governance
that encourage both institutions and individuals to
conform to the norms of the market which can be
termed as ‘market governance’.

8.  Social policy reform is linked to a new specification
of the object of governance which resulted from
innovative analyses of welfare state restructuring,
was inspired by governmentality
 Neo-liberal strategies of rule, found in diverse
realms including workplaces, educational
institutions and health and welfare agencies,
encourage people to see themselves as
individualized and active subjects
 Concept of ‘Active Society’ and ‘Work on
ourselves’.
 In association with this "degovernmentalization“ of
the welfare state, competition and consumer demand
have supplanted the norms of "public service.“

9. Theorizing New Zealand
Experience
 There was a significant reform in New
Zealand in 1984.
 It was a reflection of theoretical model.
 Neo-liberalism- coherent, top-down &
state initiated policy agenda.
 It was an attempt to construct free
market as social institution in anywhere
of country which was the reinvention of
free market.
 Transition from social democracy to
neo liberalism in welfare state societies.

10.  The program has ‘programmatic
coherence’ after having political and other
diversity.
 Main argument of paper is to find out that is
the programmatic coherence of neo
liberalism.
Reality
 They new formation of neo liberalism can
reconstruct its hegemony.
 Neo Marxist and Social feminist literatures
identified New Zealand experience as
historically contingent and internally
contradictory aspect, rather coherence.

11. Other Thoughts
 Bruce Jeson & others emphasized on
new rights ideology- libertarianism
and authoritarianism.
 Thatecherian neo liberal version was
conservative and this government
could change this version to
libertarianism with social democratic
aspirations.
 Fourth labor government was
dominated by libertarians.

12.  In contrast, a neo-conservative
version was established later after
1990 and there were some
contradictory formulations.
For Example
 Increased visibility of govt. on social
policy and permission to develop
Code of social and family
responsibility in 1998, Hybrid
ineffective health system.
 People perceived them negatively.
 Social movement emerged in

13. Impact of neo-liberal
breakthrough in New Zealand
 Political power does not act on
political subject but construct them in
particular ways.
 Economic base come to new
political right in New Zealand
 New gendered, racialized and classed
subjectivities are also emerging out
 Women empowerment

14. Neo liberal experience of
Bangladesh
 Neo liberal approach started after 1971
with the Structural adjustment program
and liberalization of interest rate, tax
reform, liberalization of trade and FDI.
 What happened then: Big public
enterprises was demolished, energy
resources has been privatized, public
services became inefficient, Rural based
State owned bank has closed down etc.
 It was seen that every activity is for
‘profit’ was set.

15.  Neo liberal ideology have strong role in
policy formulation as we see the
reflection in trade and other policy of
Bangladesh. Influence of private sector
on policy is in large scale.
 It works as governmentality in
Bangladesh which we can observe
through the activates of government
institutions where we perceived that is
usual in society and we have to accept
or need to find alternatives.

16. Impact of neo liberalism
 Gap between rich and poor is increased
 Land grabbing, occupying public spaces
by private business, and deforestation
 No state owned big industries.
 Neoliberal reforms were initiated in
Bangladesh, just as elsewhere, in the
name of curbing corruption, improving
efficiency and transparency, increasing
decent employment, and reducing
poverty. But these reforms, instead,
increased the scope and legality of
corruption, criminality and resource
grabbing.

17. Thank You