The new American oligarchy
new forms amidst the ruins of neoliberalism
A new American oligarchy emerges from the ruins of neoliberalism. (Photo by The Atlantic).
As the (presumably intentional) optics of the recent inauguration make clear, the United States is rapidly becoming a platform for relentless capital accumulation. Wealth and power is concentrated in the hands of an oligarchic fusion of political and corporate power.
This was perhaps unexpected, but didn’t happen entirely by accident. Since the 1970s, the neoliberal project has systematically dismantled regulations, innovated and normalized flexible forms of capitalism, encouraged the retreat of government and the privatization of social programs, and eroded democratic institutions.
The “ruins” of the neoliberal project include:
1. A hollowed out democratic body politic that has become moralistic and more likely to give attention to left/right cultural politics than to processes of capital accumulation and their attendant harms.
2. The rise of anti-democratic politics and the sanctification of traditional morality (including traditional masculinity) as a quintessential component of unbridled capitalism. In other words, the championing of a traditional society and market unfettered by democratic forces.
3. An economically precarious laboring class that is easily duped by political theater and spectacles of quick fixes—often through scapegoating of historically marginalized populations such as immigrants, trans people, BIPOC.
At times, this situation may feel dark, dreary, and irremediable, but I am reassured in the faith that change is the one constant and that true power resides within each human. Understanding our current situation and critically analyzing the forces that have brought it into being is the first step in imagining and enacting alternative futures. An informed and questioning democratic body politic is enlivened and full of transformational potentials.
There is all sorts of silly handwaving, dog whistling, and political acting going on.
Amidst the noise and uncertainty, I ask:
May I not be reactive. May I practice patience and tolerance. May I seek understanding and acceptance. May I be principled and focused on values of peace, equality, and justice. My I rest. May I know peace and serenity. May I have clarity of conscious. May I respond with focus and energy. May I be of service.
For those seeking a better understanding of how we got here, I recommend the following books:
- David Harvey's "A Brief History of Neoliberalism"
- Wendy Brown's "Undoing the Demos" and "In the Ruins of Neoliberalism
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