Neoliberalism - the doctrine that argues the market is a morality in itself, capable of guiding all human actions - has become dominant in thought and practice in much of the world since the 1970s.

Its spread has depended on a restructuring of state powers, with an emphasis on privatization, financialization, and market processes. State interventions in the economy are minimized, while the obligations of the state to provide welfare to its citizens are reduced.

David Harvey, author of The New Imperialism and The Condition of Postmodernity, narrates here the political-economic history of the origins of neoliberalism and how it has spread on the international scene. While Thatcher and Reagan are often cited as key proponents of this shift, Harvey shows how a set of forces, from Chile to China and from New York to Mexico City, have also contributed to it.

Furthermore, he examines the ongoing and opposing aspects of neoliberalism under Clinton, and the recent shift towards neoconservatism under George W. Bush. Finally, through critical engagement with this history, Harvey constructs a framework not only for analyzing the political and economic risks surrounding us, but also for assessing the prospects for more socially just alternatives proposed by many resistance movements.

Pages: 256, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm