Rationalization against Victims of Liberalism

The process of explaining away liberal society’s failures (deep inequality, democratic erosion) as results of insufficient liberalism (“not enough free markets,” “not enough democracy”), or as aberrations caused by external illiberal forces. The system’s logic is never wrong, only imperfectly applied.

Rationalization against Victims of Liberalism Example: “Our politics aren’t corrupt because of lobbying and dark money; it’s because we don’t have true campaign finance liberalism. More transparency and more speech will fix it.” This rationalization treats the systemic flaws as accidental, preserving faith in the original ideology by blaming its imperfect implementation.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026

Logicalization against the Victims of Liberalism

Using the formal principles of liberal philosophy (individualism, social contract theory) to logically dismiss claims of systemic victimization. If rights are individual and the contract is consensual, then collective grievances or claims of embedded oppression are framed as logical category errors.

Logicalization against the Victims of Liberalism Example: “You claim systemic racism, but the law is colorblind. Logically, any disparity must be due to individual or cultural factors, not the liberal system itself.” This logicalization uses the system’s own theoretical axioms to immunize it from critique, defining any evidence of group harm as illogical from the start.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026

Trivialization against the Victims of Liberalism

Portraying the negative consequences of liberal policies as minor inconveniences or as the hysterical complaints of groups seeking “special treatment.” It mocks demands for substantive equality as a desire for “coddling” or a refusal to engage in the “free marketplace of ideas.”

Trivialization against the Victims of Liberalism Example: Dismissing calls for robust anti-discrimination laws with, “So now we need a ‘safe space’ from every mean comment? Grow a thicker skin.” This trivialization reduces the material and psychological impact of discrimination to mere hurt feelings, framing the liberal norm of resilience as the only valid response.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026

Justification against Victims of Neoliberalism

The explicit defense of policies—austerity, privatization, deregulation, financialization—that cause precarity and inequality, by arguing they create overall growth, discipline, and “flexibility.” Victims are portrayed as regrettable but necessary sacrifices to global competitiveness and fiscal responsibility.

Justification against Victims of Neoliberalism Example: “We had to privatize the water supply and raise rates to attract investment and ensure long-term efficiency. Yes, some can’t pay, but vouchers are available. The old system was unsustainable.” This justification frames a loss of a public good as a tough, responsible choice, painting victims as casualties of progress against backwardness.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026

Rationalization against Victims of Neoliberalism

Explaining neoliberal harms through a lens of technocratic inevitability and complex global dynamics. It uses the language of “there is no alternative” (TINA), “global realities,” and “market confidence” to make social devastation seem like the result of impersonal, expert-managed forces, not political ideology.

Rationalization against Victims of Neoliberalism Example: A news analyst explaining pension cuts: “With an aging population and global bond yields under pressure, reforms were mathematically unavoidable to avoid a sovereign debt crisis.” This rationalization replaces ideology with a narrative of mathematical and economic destiny, removing human agency and choice from the equation.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026

Logicalization against the Victims of Neoliberalism

Applying a stringent, market-based logic to human life to “prove” that neoliberal outcomes are not just efficient, but morally correct. It uses metrics like GDP, shareholder value, and productivity to construct arguments where any deviation from market logic is inherently irrational and costly.

Logicalization against the Victims of Neoliberalism Example: “Logically, a factory must close if its return on capital is below the global benchmark. Keeping it open is an irrational misuse of resources that harms overall wealth creation.” This logicalization elevates a single financial metric to the status of a universal law, making human communities and their livelihoods seem like sentimental inefficiencies.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026

Trivialization against the Victims of Neoliberalism

Mocking or belittling the human cost of neoliberal policies as the complaints of the “uncompetitive,” the “resistant to change,” or those who “can’t keep up.” It portrays the gig economy, student debt, and housing insecurity as lifestyle choices or youthful struggles, not structural traps.

Trivialization against the Victims of Neoliberalism Example: Calling millennials struggling with debt and rent “the avocado latte generation,” suggesting their precarity is a result of frivolous spending, not stagnant wages and asset inflation. This trivialization turns a systemic economic condition into a moral failing and a punchline.

by Abzugal February 8, 2026