Late‑Stage Neoliberalism

A phase of neoliberalism where its core tenets—deregulation, privatization, austerity, free trade—have been so fully implemented that they now generate obvious crises (financial crashes, pandemics, climate change) without offering any internal resources for response. Late‑stage neoliberalism continues to dismantle public goods while privatizing profits and socializing losses. Its ideology becomes increasingly strident and divorced from reality, blaming the poor for poverty and the sick for illness. It is neoliberalism in decay: unable to renew itself, yet still powerful enough to block alternatives.

Example: “After the crash, the government bailed out banks, cut social services, and told workers to retrain. Late‑stage neoliberalism: privatization of gains, socialization of pain, and a lecture on personal responsibility.”

Late‑Stage Neoliberalism by Abzugal April 20, 2026