Papers > By author > Juego Bonn

The regime of authoritarian neoliberalism is underway. In contemporary political economy of governance, this regime has been construed as a crisis response of the capitalist class to manage the conflict-ridden consequences of economic globalization; and, as an ideological project of a section of the ruling elites to justify the embedding of market-oriented development processes in a politically repressive government institution. It is manifested in the surge of right-wing populism across the world today, characterised not by inter-class war, but by an intra-class conflict where precarious labourers are pitted against one another. Indeed, while the liberal-democratic and neoliberal-capitalist elite order is now being challenged from across the political spectrum, it is the right-wing personalities and groups such as Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, Donald Trump in the US, Jair Bolsonaro in Brasil, and the neo-nationalist parties in Europe that are capturing this crisis moment to their advantage by effectively mobilizing the legitimate fear, anger, hopes and aspirations of the insecure multitude. 

The intensifying precarity of human psychological and societal conditions is proving to be mutually reinforcing with the increasing popularity of strongmen's authoritarian neoliberalism. Progressive strategies to address the psychology, politics, and economics of these insecurities are therefore most urgently needed. To this end, using relevant economic indicators and concrete development experiences from both developed and developing countries, the paper will examine the plausibility and scope for the time being of a paradigm shift of socio-economic policies from growth obsession to industrialization, full employment, and basic incomes. The paper will also propose the organisation of socio-political movements that must simultaneously fulfil the slogan 'liberté, égalité, fraternité.