Neoliberalism must never define human nature – or our souls will be lost to its empty promises

The heterodox economist Steve Keen wrote in his book ‘Debunking Economics’ that the modern world has been made in the image of the neoclassical economist, leaving it less happy, less equal and less secure.

Neoclassical economics is the pseudo-science that is used to justify neoliberalism – the ideology that urges the replacement of societal values with unregulated markets, weak governments and sham democracies.

Every time you visit the mundane cathedrals of the modern age like huge supermarkets and out of town shopping malls you are seeing the brutal fist of neoliberalism at work.

Job insecurity, rampant inequality, poverty, environmental destruction, longer hours and less pay are the very flowers of neoliberalism. The destruction of trade unions and other social solidarities are all neoliberal calling cards too.

But there is one assertion that defines this ideology utterly – the notion that human beings are basically selfish, interested in maximising ‘utility’ and extracting from the marketplace as much as they can – all other considerations being secondary.

Missing from this bleak view of humanity is choice. Economics is not a science, but a series of interlocking assumptions that form the basis for some pretty daft mathematical tools – once you examine the assumptions, the godlike aura of economics looks juvenile. 

Human beings can behave selfishly and simplistically but that’s not the whole story. The social scientist and researcher Clare Graves noted the link between the economic climate and the prevailing social memes and dynamics of the time long ago. The better the circumstances, the more evolved and enlightened the behaviour. In developing his theory of Spiral Dynamics, Professor Graves was clear that there was an unbroken link between the choices we make today and the societal development of tomorrow.

Clare Graves was a genius and way ahead of his time,  he understood the paradox at the heart of the human condition. As a race we are driven by our basic nature but at the same time we can evolve and aspire to be better, developing structures that support and nurture the better aspects of our humanity.

Neoliberalism is attempting to put social evolution into reverse, trying to prove that we are all selfish and amoral – a project which raises terrible dangers.

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Within the human capacity to evolve and grow there is a shadow. Because our natures are not set, each generation is malleable and influenced by the actions and cultural leftovers of our forefathers, so we can go backwards instead of forwards and indeed create new and nightmarish realities.

We can live in a society in which we are selfish, easily predicted by algebra and computers if we choose to. If enough of us believe it and a powerful cabal of people work to to make it happen, we can indeed build a neoliberal world in which all that truly matters is the market and our utility within it. 

Its important to note at this point that neoliberalism makes no sense even its own terms and is being used with utter cynicism to cement the power and wealth of a tiny elite of people.

The beneficiaries of neoliberalism fight vehemently to ensure that its poison does not apply to them. They argue brutishly for unrestrained capitalism for us, while insisting that the state protects their assets, underwrites their risks and bails them out when things go wrong. 

Neoliberalism is put forward by people who don’t believe in it, its an attempt to use governments and entire societies to serve only the interests of a tiny minority, the rest of us are expendable.  

Its vital to remember that the most visceral proponents of neoliberalism don’t believe in it – they just need us to believe in it. 

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We must NEVER ALLOW ideology to define human nature. We have choices about how we behave, structure our societies, treat the environment and evolve. The lie that permits only the greedy solidarities of elites must be confronted. 

This battle is for our very souls and the meaning of our lives.

What kind of reality do we want our children to grow up in? What is to be the gift of our generation? Is the despoiling of our climate and the abandonment of caring and sustainable values the best we can manage? If we don’t take back the power to structure our societies around equality, fairness and compassion then things will go the other way. 

In the seventh richest country in the world we can no longer afford to feed our own citizens, food banks are now an accepted part of the landscape and a whole generation of young people may never know the security of a decent job and a stable home. If we can no longer provide the basics for eachother where do we go from here?

We are sleepwalking into economic, environmental and social disasters – but the biggest danger is that we will lose the hope in our souls and perhaps even the memory of warmer times and aspirations. 

John Lynch