Neoliberal Authoritarianism

A critical term describing how neoliberalism—often presented as a philosophy of freedom, markets, and limited government—operates in practice as an authoritarian system. It enforces market logic through austerity, deregulation, and privatization, but when policies face democratic resistance, it deploys state violence, legal repression, and institutional coercion. Neoliberal authoritarianism appears in eviction of protest camps, criminalization of dissent, and the use of emergency powers to push through corporate-friendly reforms. It reveals that the “free market” is not free; it requires a strong state to crush opposition and enforce inequality.

Neoliberal Authoritarianism Example: “The government slashed social spending while police cracked down on teachers’ strikes—textbook neoliberal authoritarianism, using state violence to protect market ideology from democratic accountability.”

Neoliberal Authoritarianism by Abzugal May 2, 2026