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The managerial lineages of neoliberalism

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 11:41 authored by Samuel KnafoSamuel Knafo, Sahil Jai Dutta, Richard Lane, Steffan Wyn-Jones
Managerialism is often depicted as a key practice of neoliberalism yet relatively little has been written by scholars of neoliberalism about the actual relationship between managerialism and neoliberalism. Usually subsumed under a functional reading of neoliberalism, managerialism has too often been understood simply as a means for neoliberal ends (i.e. to promote market rule or competition). This paper challenges this perspective on the grounds that it conflates practices that stem from two different historical lineages. As we show, managerial governance not only has a very different history than neoliberal theory, but it also rests on different principles. Its development can be traced back to the US defence sector in the 1950s and the pivotal role of the RAND corporation. On the basis of this historical perspective, we argue for the need to analyse managerialism on its own terms and make the case for considering the rise of managerial science as a paradigmatic shift in governance. In doing so, we show how managerial governance represented a radical rupture from previous management practices and show how it profoundly reshaped how we have come to understand governance.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

New Political Economy

ISSN

1356-3467

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

2

Volume

24

Page range

235-251

Department affiliated with

  • International Relations Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-01-18

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-08-07

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-01-18

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