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idealpolitik.bsky.social
@idealpolitik.bsky.social
13 followers30 following207 posts
idealpolitik.bsky.social

Neoliberal Policies Associated With Reaganomics Actually Started With Carter. Interview with Historian David N. Gibbs, author of “The Revolt of the Rich". truthout.org/articles/neo...#politics#jimmycarter#richardnixon#ronaldreagan#margaretthatcher#neoliberalism#democraticparty#labor#union

Your book makes it quite clear that the neoliberal policies associated with Reaganomics and Thatcherism actually started with Carter. Why is it then that neoliberalism in the U.S. has been pinned on Ronald Reagan? According to popular mythology, Carter was a relatively centrist figure, while Reagan was a right-wing ideologue; it was Reagan who inaugurated the neoliberal era in economic policy, according to this view.
But the reality is that Reagan only intensified a rightward turn that was already in full swing under Carter. Why the persistence of this myth, that Carter was a political moderate? I think the reason is that Reagan used conservative, ideological language to justify his policies, proudly emphasizing his free market orientation, so he received all the credit for America’s right turn in economic policy, while Carter preferred non-ideological language, which masked the essentially Friedmanite character of his economic program.
Another factor influencing public perception has been Carter’s post-presidency, which is very impressive. But Carter must also be judged on the basis of his presidency, which transformed the country in a far more inegalitarian direction than had been the case previously. We should not whitewash Carter’s record.
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idealpolitik.bsky.social
@idealpolitik.bsky.social
13 followers30 following207 posts
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