The Hidden History of Neoliberalism

America's most popular progressive radio host and New York Times bestselling author Thom Hartmann reveals how and why neoliberalism became so prevalent in the United States and why it's time for us to turn our backs to it.

America's most popular progressive radio host and New York Times bestselling author Thom Hartmann reveals how and why neoliberalism became so prevalent in the United States and why it's time for us to turn our backs to it.

With four decades of neoliberal rule coming to an end, America is at a crossroads. In this powerful and accessible book, Thom Hartmann demystifies neoliberalism and explains how we can use this pivotal point in time to create a more positive future.

This book traces the history of neoliberalism-a set of capitalistic philosophies favoring free trade, low taxes on the rich, financial austerity, and deregulation of big business-up to the present day. Hartmann explains how neoliberalism was sold as a cure for wars and the Great Depression. He outlines the destructive impact that it has had on America, looking at how it has increased poverty, damaged the middle class, and corrupted our nation's politics.

America is standing on the edge of a new progressive era. We can continue down the road to a neoliberal oligarchy, as supported by many of the nation's billionaires and giant corporations. Or we can choose to return to Keynesian economics and Alexander Hamilton's American Plan by raising taxes on the rich, reversing free trade, and building a society that works for all.

Foreword by Greg Palast

Introduction: The Plot To Save The World 3
Save us from the utopians 6

The birth of Neoliberalism 9
Neoliberalism's Fathers: Mises, Hayek and Friedman 13
Ludwig von Mises and the Critical Race Theory of neoliberalism 13
FA Hayek vs. the birth of Democratic Socialism 15
Milton Friedman 19

Neoliberalism Goes to Work 23
Nationwide Neoliberalism Experiments 25
Milton Friedman Hearts General Pinochet 26
Neoliberalism comes to America 31
Bill Clinton hearts the neoliberal revolution 35
George W Bush Pushes Neoliberalism even farther 39
Neoliberalism blows up in Bush's face 43
Obama rescues neoliberalism from itself 46
Trump attacks neoliberalism 46
Biden challenges neoliberalism's core concepts 47

How Neoliberalism Changed America in 40 years 48
Taxes 48
Trade 49
Healthcare 50
Education and Higher Education 51
Finance 51
Employment 52
Homelessness 52
Inflation 53
Media and News 54
The environment 55
Privatizing the commons 55
Destruction of democracy 60

Breaking with 40 Years of Neoliberalism 61
#TaxTheRich 62
Rebuilding a middle class gutted by neoliberalism 62
Trade: Returning to Alexander Hamilton's American Plan 66
What is real wealth? 69
Hamilton's 11 step plan worked for 188 years 70
Tariffs built America 71
But what about the cost of American-made goods? 71
How China escaped neoliberalism 74
America adopted neoliberalism and all I got was this made-in-China Tee Shirt 75
Neoliberal trade policy rejected by South Korea 78
Reverse privatization of core government functions 80
Break up the monopolies 81
Progressive Populism to replace progressive neoliberalism 82
Standing on the edge 85

Notes
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author