PO301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Neoliberalism
Document Summary
Intuitively plausible idea that desert should condition levels of resources, but objected to by large amounts of prominent political theorists across the spectrum. Desert is a different defence of some inequalities generated by markets to either. Hayek argues that it is a useful myth that markets reward merit/desert - believes there is too big a role for chance. Instead defends markets on mixture of liberty and productivity grounds. Hayek is worried that people endorse market outcomes only because of mistaken belief that they reward merit; foresees problems if/when people realise this isn"t true. Worry that rawls and post-rawlsian egalitarians have taken political theory too far away from political opinion. Rise of new right and neoliberalism in real world at same time as rise of egalitarian liberalism in academic political theory. David miller partly defends conventional desert claims by appealing to their significance in public opinion. Debate about how political theorists should treat public opinion.
