Der Staat des Neoliberalismus

Neoliberalism and the state are actually often the best of enemies because although it is frequently claimed that neoliberal powers of imagination with regard to the state are quickly depleted due to its demands for the state to be radically dismantled, an examination of the ideas of neoliberalist theoreticians shows that despite all their basic criticisms of the state, they hold very different opinions on how it should be restructured, the opportunities offered by its conduct and the point at which that conduct oversteps the boundaries of legitimacy. Thinkers such as August Hayek or the German ‘Ordoliberals’ regard the state as a constant source of danger, but neither can a neoliberal market society be created nor sustained without it.
Even when it comes to neoliberalism in practice, transforming the state, which is promoted by both elected and non-elected state officials, is considered to be an insufficient way of discontinuing and deconstructing it. Instead, it is seen as a multifaceted restructuring of the state which is characterised by New Public Management, competition for business locations and permanent austerity on not only a national but also sub-state and supranational level. It is true that neoliberalism may focus on markets, but the state is without doubt the critical factor when it comes to conducting a critical analysis of neoliberal theory and practice. This anthology is intended to make a significant contribution to such an analysis.