Populism and (Neo) Liberalism: The Polanyian Perspective Seen from Latin America

Abstract

This article applies a Polanyian framework to the rise of populism in the countries of the North Atlantic and the fall of the Pink Tide governments in Latin America. By taking a global vantage point from the perspective of Latin America, we argue that haute finance has served as the fulcrum of a single political movement that has washed out governments serving the general will in the South, and washed in governments that do not in the North. As we argue, a Polanyian framework offers clarity in the muddled understanding of populism, and the recent experiences of Latin America offer greater insight into the second global neoliberal wave.