Neoliberalism majanduseliidi võimu kindlustava ideoloogiana : magistritöö

Abstract

This thesis focuses on neoliberalism being an ideology enhancing the power of the economic elite. Neoliberal ideology focuses on free market, individual liberties and reducing the state. The effects of reforms guided by neoliberal ideology should be prosperity in both economics and individual liberties. And yet neoliberal reforms have failed to deliver those results for the majority of people. The results of neoliberal practice have been somewhat mixed, with negative results overweighing the positive ones. Most notable negative results have been ever raising economic inequality which has led to economic elite getting the most of the economic growth and in some case even means declining well-being for the poorest classes of society. At the same time individual liberties have increased in terms of economic liberties for the elite, while the economic and political liberties of common citizens have decreased. This has led the economic elite to gain control over both economic and political power, resulting in declining quality of democracy. Author claims that such substantial difference in neoliberal theory and practice in terms of predicted results and real results can be explained by the hidden agenda of neoliberal ideology, which is to enhance the power of the economic elite.