The neoliberal shift wasn't actually about shrinking the state, what it was about was about crushing collective power. And you see this with like the first moves that politicians like that and Reagan undertake when they come into power it was crush the labor movement. And there was a a discourse that surrounded this well so there was the physical assertion of the power of the state, there was the literal beating up of minors the use of the police to um to put them in their place. But there was this ideological shift as well which was you are not a worker you are not a citizen you are a consumer you are um you know an entrepreneur of the self right. And a lot of neoliberal policies were designed to push this it was like we will allow you to buy your own house we will privatize your pension you will be able to take out loads of debt your life will become this balance sheet of assets and liabilities and it's up to you to manage that. If you manage it well you will do well and you will succeed if you manage it badly you will fail and that will be entirely your own fault.
--- Grace Blakeley, in the interview How capitalism enslaved us all
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