Neoliberalism and right-wing populism: Conceptual analogies

Stephan Pühringer and Walter Ötsch

No Ök-36, Working Paper Serie des Instituts für Ökonomie from Hochschule für Gesellschaftsgestaltung (HfGG), Institut für Ökonomie

Abstract: The paper compares neoliberal market-fundamentalism and right-wing populism on the basis of its core patterns of thinking and reasoning. Hence we offer an analysis of the work of important founders of market-fundamental economic thinking (particularly von Mises) and an established definition of populism (demonstrated by the example of arguments brought forward by leading populists, like Trump). In doing so, we highlight conceptual resemblances of these two approaches: Both assume a dually divided world that is split into only two countervailing parts. Right-wing populism shows a society split into two groups, fighting against each other. In a similar vein, neoliberal market-fundamentalists argue that there are only two possible countervailing economic and societal orders. We argue that the categorical analogies between neoliberal marketfundamentalism and right-wing populism could provide the basis for a new form of authoritarian neoliberalism.

Keywords: right-wing populism; market-fundamentalism; Ludwig von Mises; Donald Trump; patterns of thinking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B19 E50 E61 E65 G18 G38 Z18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Journal Article: Neoliberalism and Right-wing Populism: Conceptual Analogies (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:cuswps:oek36

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