What Is Neoliberalism?
Neoliberalism is an ideology and policy model that emphasizes the value of free-market competition. It holds that sustained economic growth is the main route to human progress, that free markets allocate resources most… Part of the Liberal family.
Definition
Neoliberalism is an ideology and policy model that emphasizes the value of free-market competition. It holds that sustained economic growth is the main route to human progress, that free markets allocate resources most efficiently, and that the state should intervene minimally in economic and social affairs.
Core ideas
- Free-market competition and economic growth.
- Minimal state intervention in the economy.
- Free movement of trade and capital across borders.
Origins
Rooted in 19th-century classical liberalism, it re-emerged in the 1970s and was embraced by the governments of Margaret Thatcher (1979–90) and Ronald Reagan (1981–89).
Associated thinkers and leaders
Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan
Definition based on Britannica: Neoliberalism (checked October 20, 2026).
Where Neoliberalism sits on the Atlas maps
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 88 | strongly toward market | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 25 | toward progressive | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 27 | toward libertarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 25 | toward cosmopolitan | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 57 | near the center |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 93 | strongly toward private ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 37 | near the center |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 25 | toward cosmopolitan |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 29 | toward progressive |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 17 | toward democratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 55 | near the center |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 19 | toward free market |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 57 | near the center |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 17 | toward secular state |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the tradition’s core principles through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Estimated positions on key questions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Religious doctrine should take precedence over civil law when they conflict. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Central economic planning is preferable to decentralized market decisions. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| People should be free to criticize the government without fear of legal punishment. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Preserving a historic national majority is a legitimate immigration objective. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Same-sex couples should have the same right to marry as opposite-sex couples. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Society works best when established social hierarchies are respected. | Disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Non-intervention should be the default even when allies request military assistance. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Price signals should be the main guide for production and investment. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
Related ideologies
Main differences from the closest ideologies
- Compared with Economic Liberalism, Neoliberalism sits 17 points further toward intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
- Compared with Classical Liberalism, Neoliberalism sits 24 points further toward intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
- Compared with Constitutional Liberalism, Neoliberalism sits 21 points further toward intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
Comparisons
Neoliberalism vs Social Democracy
Figures with the closest estimated positions
Closeness of estimated positions only; this does not mean these people identify with Neoliberalism.
Sources
- Britannica: Neoliberalism
- Wikipedia: Neoliberalism (Wikipedia search)
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Liberalism
Position last reviewed: not yet reviewed individually.