Liberalism - neoliberalism - market fundamentalism: from the concept of freedom to the totalitarian dogma

Abstract

The article further describes the ideological, historical, socio-political and economic circumstances, responsible for the specific direction of a new form of the ideology of liberalism - contemporary liberalism (neo-liberalism). The special attention, along with the analysis of the ideas of the founder of original theory of the state intervention in the economic life of the society of John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946), is given to “neoliberal” economic constructions of an ideological orientation of Friedrich August von Hayek (1899-1992) and Milton Friedman (1912-2006), defenders of a liberal principle of self-regulation of economy, free from any regalements. The author, on the basis of the analysis of primary sources and examples from a political and social life of some States, shows that in theory the resurgence of liberalism in the form of neo-liberalism personified the idea of the priority of the individual to society and the State, the market - before planning and regulation, the human rights - before the power authority and the team. However in practice this revival was accompanied by displacement of accents and growth of ideological tendencies. Thus, theorists and practitioners of neo-liberalism lined up quite utopian model not only of economic, but also of social relations. Article details the mechanisms by which the theoretical constructions of economists-neoliberals were emasculated by politicians who gradually reduced them to the primitive and convenient theses, justifying any actions of the authorities. Over time, these points have become “undeniable truths”, through which neo-liberalism became dogmatic, and its economic credo has got obvious fundamentalist character, having turned to market dogma of totalitarian type.