
Dani Rodrik: Neoliberalism is dead—Here’s the new economic consensus that has replaced it
The post-neoliberal consensus is here, but don’t look for it in US President Donald Trump’s policies. After a decade of backlash, it is time to accept not only that neoliberalism is dead, but also that a new consensus is taking its place. Remarkably, significant segments of the left and the right in America have come to agree on the broad outlines of economic policy.
Discussions in universities and think-tanks are driven today by a common understanding that departs significantly from the neoliberal orthodoxy of the last 50 years. The first element of the new consensus is a recognition that the concentration of economic power has become excessive. The concern is expressed in different forms by different groups.
Some complain directly about inequality in income and wealth and its corrosive effects on politics. Others worry about market power and the adverse implications for competition. For yet others, the key problem is financialization and the distortion of economic and social priorities that it produces.
The remedies on offer also vary, from wealth taxes to vigorous antitrust enforcement to campaign-finance reform. But the desire to curb the economic and political power of corporate, tech and financial elites is widespread, uniting progressive supporters of US Senator Bernie Sanders with populists like the podcast host and former Trump advisor Steve Bannon.The second element of the new consensus is the importance of restoring dignity to people and regions that neoliberalism left behind. Good jobs are essential to this agenda.
Jobs are not just a means of providing income. They are also a source of identity and social recognition. Good jobs are what underpin a robust middle class, which is the foundation of social
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