HOW THE NEOLIBERALS DUMPED THE WORLD
Why are public services falling apart while private fortunes continue to grow?
Explore the ideas, events and political choices that created austerity, widened inequality and reshaped the modern world.
Introduction to Chapter 1
Where did modern liberalism begin?
Chapter 1 returns to the Glorious Revolution, the Bill of Rights and John Locke’s Social Contract. It explores how ideas such as life, liberty, property, representative democracy and the rule of law challenged absolute monarchy and hereditary privilege.
It also introduces the ideal of the “self-made man” and asks who truly benefited as markets, private property and individual wealth became increasingly powerful.
UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM, ONE CHAPTER AT A TIME.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Neoliberalism Files explores the ideas, events and political decisions that shaped the modern world.
Using history, images and straightforward explanations, it examines how markets gained power, why inequality increased and how austerity became accepted as unavoidable.
The subjects explored here affect everyday life—from wages, housing and public services to climate change, technology and political power.
Understanding how the system developed helps us question who benefits from it and whether another future is possible.
Begin with the introduction and follow the story through all 15 chapters, or explore individual subjects at your own pace.
The Basic Ideas sections also explain important concepts including externalities, the commons, requisite variety and viable systems.
BIG IDEAS, MADE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
- 15 Connected Chapters
- 4 Essential Basic Ideas
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Choose your starting point
Categories
Not sure where to begin? Choose one of these routes into the story, from the origins of modern liberalism to austerity, technology and possible futures.
BEGIN THE STORY, ONE CHAPTER AT A TIME.
Start at the beginning and follow the ideas, events and political movements that shaped the modern world.
Chapters
CHAPTER 1
The Glorious Revolution
CHAPTER 2
The Rise of Organised Labour
CHAPTER 3
And then Came Communism
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