Public ideas
What killed neoliberalism?
Neoliberalism, like communism, seems to have run its course.
Nicholas Gruen has brought to our attention a Substack contribution by Branko Milanovich, Defeated by reality, about the failure of neoliberalism.
It’s not as if it was defeated by some more fitting movement. Rather, he argues, like communism it was defeated by reality. That reality was its clash with those aspects of social and political culture that are not universal, and that are deeply rooted in specific cultures. He also lays some of the blame for neoliberalism’s failure on the hubris of its adherents, and the mendacity of governments that flew the neoliberalism banner.
He acknowledges the benefits associated with neoliberalism – in fact he suggests that there is not only an association but also a causal link between neoliberalism and the global achievements in lessening poverty.
His notion that neoliberalism is having to yield to “particularist” policies and cultures is plausible. But it overlooks the emergence of a global urban culture, nurtured by low-cost travel, migration of professionals and businesspeople, and low-cost communications. It may be that neoliberalism, or at least elements of neoliberalism, will remain as a global urban culture, while within nations the urban – country divide becomes more strongly manifest.
Social cohesion, one choir at a time
Social cohesion in Australia, particularly multiculturalism, is in good shape. John Faine suggests some practical measures to keep it healthy.
The Conversation’s Friday Essay last week was by John Faine, of Museums Victoria and Vice Chancellor Fellow at the University of Melbourne.
Its title Why social our cohesion should not be taken for granted suggests that social cohesion is waning. Indeed, Faine notes that the decline of social cohesion has become a common belief, but he urges us to exercise a healthy scepticism towards such claims. He cites evidence and examples of strengthening social cohesion in Australia, particularly our success in building and supporting multiculturalism.
There will always be people who warn about the erosion of social cohesion, and the supposed fragility of multiculturalism. He warns that:
That narrative of negativity about the supposed failings of multiculturalism could become self-fulfilling. Some of the criticism is designed to trigger a loss of confidence. The more we wallow in pessimism, the more likely it will infect the public square.
He goes on to point out that the narrative of negativity can be purposefully designed to stoke division:
The worst attacks on our social fabric have been shown to be orchestrated, contrived – deliberately staged – to unsettle and stress test our society.
In this regard he notes the influence of Russian, North Korean and Iranian moves to disrupt elections and to foment unrest in democracies:
Much of our democratic backsliding is thus not a coincidence. It is not home grown, nor is it evidence of widespread grassroots rebellion. It is manipulated and orchestrated.
Although this backsliding is not homegrown, there are always people who will innocently or maliciously join the ranks of the discontent, aided by social media.
Faine goes beyond warning about threats to social cohesion and urging us to take care with our own behaviour. He has a number of practical suggestions for building social cohesion. One is his advice to policymakers to stop fragmenting the battle against racism, a reference to the government’s policy of appointing both an antisemitism and an Islamophobia “envoy”. You will have to read his full list of suggestions to see where choirs come into the picture.