Movement – countermovement dynamics or continuity and variety of neoliberalism? Insights from Latin America`s pink tide

Description

Polanyi teaches us to consider consecutive dynamics of socialization processes in capitalism, in which disembedding processes lead to re-embedding efforts. We may need to re-consider such a two dimensional curved form in a three-dimensional space of waves in the ocean to reflect on both continuity and change in phases of transformation that are otherwise difficult to understand and explain. Case in point is the pink tide and its underlying popular movements in Latin America. Movement activism and the election of leftwing candidates have been interpreted as a reaction against unfettered market expansion and as an effort to re-embed the neoliberal process of structural adjustment. While the domestic policy priorities in a range of Latin American countries with left and progressive governments have been redirected towards the development of a version of (semi-)peripheral welfare state capitalism, the countries concerned have not changed the general characteristics of the extractivist and export-oriented development model ushered in by neoliberals in opposition to import substitution and state-led planning. In this paper we will take a closer look at the parallel occurence of both dis- and re-embedding processes, and the competition for regulatory approaches from different parts of neoliberal networks. A dialectical understanding of movement – countermovement dynamics or the co-constitution of both sides of Polanyi's equation might be helpful to advance a better understanding of capitalist transformation.

Period	04 May 2019
Event title	Karl Polanyi for the 21st century: Universal Capitalism in Decline?
Event type	Conference
Location	AustriaShow on map