Labyrinths of neoliberalism: A brief review of the history of the term and the diversity of concepts

Abstract

The paper analyzes one of the most used and most common terms today. Because of that ?familiarity? and general ?comprehensibility?, it often happens that the term neoliberalism as a commonplace argues a lot of things, while its meaning is tacitly implied. Therefore, it is necessary to return to the beginning - to the analysis of the concept through the prism of its historical development, gradually moving towards the definition of its contemporary meaning. It becomes clear how much the concept in question has changed and how much its meaning has taken on different connotations at different stages of its historical development and in the historical transformations of its intellectual and ideological existence already in this endeavor. At the same time, the contextuality of neoliberalism, in addition to being necessarily conditioned by its temporal, is also conditioned by its spatially differentiated varieties. Neoliberalism manifests itself differently in different places, leading to the inequality of its geographical development. Labyrinths are further complicated by the diversity of conceptualizations of neoliberalism as economic policy, as ideology and as governmentality. Understanding neoliberalism in its multiple manifestations, however, also includes a correct understanding of all three of these views.