neoliberalism, neoliberal common sense in the UK, unmasking neoliberalism, neoliberalism ideology, collective imagination

The Ideology That Pretends It Doesn’t Exist: A Guide to Unmasking Neoliberalism and Reclaiming Our Collective Imagination

This guide serves as a practical toolkit for unmasking neoliberalism—the pervasive ideology that pretends it doesn't exist by framing its radical ideas as natural "common sense." By deconstructing the myths of market fundamentalism and personal responsibility, we provide the intellectual tools to move beyond passive acceptance. Ultimately, this is a call to intellectual rebellion, aimed at reclaiming our collective imagination to build a more equitable, humane, and just world.
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To understand the modern world is to grapple with an ideology that insists it is not an ideology at all, but rather the natural state of things. This is the subtle genius of neoliberalism, a political and economic philosophy that has become the pervasive neoliberal common sense in the UK. It presents its tenets not as choices, but as inevitable realities to which we must all adapt, framing the logic of the market, the virtue of competition, and the primacy of the individual as simple, unassailable truths. This article serves as a call to intellectual rebellion, a guide to unmasking neoliberalism and its quiet, pervasive dominion over our lives.

The history of ideas teaches us that dominant philosophies often work by rendering their assumptions invisible, making them appear as mere common sense. Neoliberalism has achieved this with remarkable success, shaping our understanding of society, success, and selfhood without ever announcing its presence. It is the intellectual air we breathe, conditioning our responses, shaping our desires, and limiting our vision of what is possible. To challenge it, we must first learn to see it, to recognise its signature in the fabric of our daily existence, which requires a new form of critical thinking neoliberal ideology has conditioned us to forget.

neoliberalism, neoliberal common sense in the UK, unmasking neoliberalism, neoliberalism ideology, collective imagination

Consider the language of public debate, where citizens have been recast as ‘customers’ of the state and public services are reorganised as competitive marketplaces. This is not an accidental linguistic shift; it is the deliberate work of an ideology that seeks to remake the world in its image, piece by piece. In this view, the state should not be a guarantor of collective well-being, but rather a facilitator of market competition, ensuring a level playing field for private actors. Understanding what neoliberalism ideology truly entails means recognising this fundamental re-engineering of our social contract, a quiet revolution conducted not with armies, but with balance sheets, policy papers, and management consultancy reports.

The Ideology That Pretends It Doesn’t Exist

The valorisation of the entrepreneur, the relentless focus on personal branding, and the narrative that equates wealth with virtue are all hallmarks of this ideological project. It is a philosophy that celebrates the self-sufficient, competitive individual while quietly eroding the communal bonds and social structures that sustain us. Social problems, from poverty and housing insecurity to mental health crises, are reframed as individual failings of resilience or prudence rather than as collective responsibilities requiring structural solutions. The ideology of personal responsibility thus becomes a convenient and powerful tool for absolving the system of its shortcomings, placing an impossible burden upon the individual.

This guide is designed to provide a toolkit for this essential work of unmasking. It is about learning how to critically analyse neoliberal ideology in the UK, moving beyond the headlines to the underlying assumptions that shape them. We will examine how this worldview frames our understanding of everything from healthcare and education to housing and the environment. The goal is not merely to critique a set of policies, but to reclaim our collective imagination from its grasp, a necessary first step towards building a more equitable, humane, and just society.

Its pervasiveness is its power, allowing it to present itself as the only viable option and become the ghost in the machine of modern governance. It is the ghost in the machine of modern governance, a set of ideas so deeply embedded that they feel like objective reality. By making its radical premises seem natural—that competition is always good, that private is always more efficient than public—it forecloses the possibility of alternatives before they can even be debated. Our task is to expose the ghost, to show that the machine was designed by human hands and can, therefore, be redesigned.

This process begins with a critical examination of the language we use and the stories we are told. It requires us to question the narratives that celebrate billionaires as innovators and job creators while demonising those who rely on social support as a drain on the national economy. We must ask who benefits from the idea that society is merely a collection of atomised individuals, each striving for their advantage in a perpetual contest. This is the core of developing a critical consciousness fit for the complexities of the twenty-first century.

The intellectual lineage of neoliberalism can be traced back to thinkers like Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, who, in the shadow of post-war collectivism, argued for a radical reduction in the role of the state. Their ideas, incubated in academic departments and think tanks for decades, were enthusiastically adopted by political figures such as Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. The legacy of Thatcherism neoliberal policies—privatisation, deregulation, and the crushing of trade unions—continues to define the political landscape of Britain, creating an enduring austerity state in the UK that persists to this day. This historical context is vital for understanding our present predicament.

We will deconstruct the core tenets of this worldview, from its quasi-religious faith in market fundamentalism to its relentless promotion of individualism. We will explore how these ideas have been used to justify policies that have systematically increased inequality and insecurity for the majority. This is not a purely academic exercise of ideological critique; it is a practical guide for anyone who feels that our society can and should be better. It is a toolkit for civic engagement and intellectual self-defence against a narrative that diminishes us all.

The aim is to move beyond a state of passive acceptance, to cultivate a habit of critical inquiry that becomes second nature. We will provide practical steps for spotting ideological framing in the media, in political discourse, and even in our everyday conversations. This guide offers a method for exposing neoliberal free market myth in UK politics, a myth that has served to enrich a few at the expense of the many by pretending that the market is a neutral force of nature. It is about learning to read between the lines of the dominant narrative.

Ultimately, this is a project of empowerment. It is about providing the intellectual tools needed to dismantle the narratives that hold us captive and limit our sense of what is politically possible. By unmasking neoliberalism, we create the space to imagine and build alternatives rooted in community, solidarity, and a politics of care. This is the challenge and the promise of the work that lies ahead, a task of intellectual and social reconstruction.

This guide, therefore, is an act of reclamation. It is an invitation to join a growing movement of people who are refusing to accept that there is no alternative to a society defined by competition and inequality. We will explore how neoliberal ideology shapes public policy in the UK and, crucially, how we can resist its influence in our communities and our politics. The journey begins with a single, powerful act: the decision to question what we have been told is simply common sense.

The Cruel Myth of Merit: Deconstructing the ‘Personal Responsibility’ Narrative

One of the most pervasive tenets of neoliberal thought is the ideology of personal responsibility. This concept posits that an individual’s station in life is almost entirely the result of their own choices and moral character. It is a powerful narrative that transforms complex socio-economic problems into personal failings, effectively absolving the state and the market of any culpability. This ideological manoeuvre is central to maintaining the political status quo, as it insidiously suggests that systemic problems do not even exist.

The myth of the self-made individual, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, is a cornerstone of this worldview. It is a story that resonates deeply with cultural ideals of fairness, yet it conveniently ignores the structural barriers and unearned privileges that profoundly shape life outcomes. The neoliberal myths of personal responsibility debunked by overwhelming evidence persist because they serve a vital political function. They justify staggering levels of inequality by framing it as a natural and even deserved outcome of individual merit or lack thereof.

This narrative has profound and devastating consequences for public policy and social solidarity. When unemployment or poverty are seen primarily as the results of poor choices, the political will to fund robust, universal public services inevitably wanes. The UK austerity narrative and neoliberal individualism critique reveals precisely how this logic was used to justify deep, painful cuts to the welfare state, reframing collective support as a “moral hazard” rather than a vital investment in societal well-being. The burden of systemic failure is thus neatly and cruelly transferred onto the shoulders of the most vulnerable.

This relentless focus on the individual serves to depoliticise social problems, removing them from the realm of collective action. If poverty is a personal failing, there is no need to question stagnant wage policies, corporate tax rates, or the decline of trade unions. If mental distress is a private struggle, we can ignore the societal pressures of a hyper-competitive, insecure, and isolating world. This is how the false dichotomy of systemic vs personal responsibility becomes the central battleground in the fight for a fairer society.

To counter this narrative, we must champion a different, more realistic understanding of human flourishing. One that recognises our profound interdependence and the foundational importance of collective care vs neoliberal common sense in the UK. This means shifting the focus from individual blame to systemic solutions, and advocating for policies that create genuine equality of opportunity.

The task is to re-politicise the personal, to show how our struggles and anxieties are often connected to broader political and economic structures. By drawing these connections, we can begin to build a movement for change that is rooted in a more accurate and compassionate understanding of the human condition. Challenging the ideology of personal responsibility is not about absolving individuals of all agency; it is about creating a society where everyone has a genuine chance to exercise it meaningfully.

From the Gig Economy to the Classroom: Neoliberalism in Daily Life

The abstract ideology of personal responsibility becomes concrete in the everyday experiences of people across the UK. Consider the story of Elena, a single mother in Manchester who works as a home care assistant on a zero-hours contract. She travels between clients, often with unpaid gaps in her day, providing essential care to the elderly. She is praised for her resilience, yet her income is so precarious that a broken-down car or a child’s illness can trigger a financial crisis, forcing her to rely on a food bank. Her story is not one of personal failure; it is a testament to a system that extracts labour without providing security.

The question of why personal failure narrative fails in UK social services is answered daily by people like Elena. As one grassroots community organiser in Glasgow put it, “They tell us to budget better, but you can’t budget your way out of a decade of wage stagnation and benefit cuts. We aren’t failing the system; the system is failing us.” This perspective from the front lines reveals the chasm between political rhetoric and lived reality. The insistence on personal responsibility becomes a form of gaslighting, denying the structural violence that shapes people’s lives and choices.

The educational system is another key site where this ideology is reproduced and naturalised. From a young age, students are taught to see their academic performance as a direct reflection of their effort and innate intelligence. This framework systematically overlooks the profound impact of socio-economic background and school resources. The result is a system that often launders privilege into merit, reinforcing existing social hierarchies under the comforting guise of fair competition, while leaving many feeling like personal failures for not overcoming insurmountable odds.

neoliberalism, neoliberal common sense in the UK, unmasking neoliberalism, neoliberalism ideology, collective imagination

Furthermore, the ideology of personal responsibility has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of work. The rise of the “gig economy” is presented as a triumph of individual flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit. In reality, for many, it represents a massive transfer of risk from corporations to individuals, who are reclassified as independent contractors and left without basic protections like sick pay or pensions. This is individualism vs collectivism played out in the daily lives of millions, disguised as innovation and choice.

The media acts as a primary vector for these myths, embedding them in the cultural consciousness through both entertainment and news. Reality television, celebrating cut-throat competition and news coverage focusing on individual cases of “welfare fraud” reinforces the idea that success is a purely individual pursuit. This constant drumbeat normalises inequality and erodes empathy, making it harder to build the political will for collective solutions. Developing media literacy against neoliberalism in UK news is, therefore, an essential skill for any engaged citizen.

This ideology also seeps into our understanding of health and well-being. The wellness industry, while often well-intentioned, can reinforce neoliberal tropes by placing the onus of health entirely on individual lifestyle choices. It encourages us to buy organic, practice mindfulness, and track our fitness, yet it often ignores the social determinants of health: pollution, poor housing, stress from financial insecurity, and lack of access to green spaces. Health becomes another project of self-optimisation, and illness a sign of personal neglect.

This requires a fundamental shift in our political and social discourse. We must move away from the punitive, suspicious language of personal failure and towards the hopeful, empowering language of collective empowerment and mutual support. This is the heart of building community-focused alternatives to neoliberalism in the UK, a project that begins with challenging the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we owe to one another. It means recognising that true resilience is not an individual trait, but a collective capacity built on strong social bonds and supportive public institutions.

The Language of Deception: A Guide to Spotting Neoliberal Framing

The battle against neoliberalism is, in many ways, a battle over narrative. The media is a key terrain where this contest takes place, a space where ideological assumptions are constructed and presented as objective fact. Learning to spot the techniques of ideological framing is therefore a foundational skill for intellectual self-defence. This section offers a practical guide to spotting neoliberal framing in the UK media, equipping you with the tools to see beyond the surface of the news.

First, pay close attention to the language used to describe economic actors and events. Notice how corporate executives are often described with active, powerful verbs—they “drive,” “build,” “innovate”—while workers and their unions are framed negatively, as “demanding” or “disrupting.” Similarly, tax cuts for the wealthy are often framed as “reforms” that “unleash growth,” while public spending is a “burden” or a “drain” on the taxpayer. This subtle choice of words shapes our perception of who creates value.

Second, be wary of the “common sense” expert. Neoliberal ideology is frequently laundered through the commentary of pro-market think-tanks like the Institute of Economic Affairs or the Adam Smith Institute. When their representatives are quoted without their corporate funding or political agenda being mentioned, it is vital to understand their ideological commitments. Their pronouncements are not neutral observations; they are arguments for a specific political project. This is a key part of how to resist neoliberal propaganda in the UK.

Third, analyse the use of statistics. Numbers create an aura of scientific certainty, but they are always presented within a frame. For example, a report might highlight the annual cost of welfare benefits without mentioning the much larger sums lost to corporate tax avoidance. This selective presentation of data is a powerful tool for making it seem as though public spending on the poor is the primary cause of the nation’s economic woes.

Fourth, question the focus on individual stories over systemic analysis. The media loves a compelling human-interest story, but these can often obscure the bigger picture. A feature on a “super-mum” juggling three jobs might be presented as an inspiring tale of resilience, but it can also serve to normalise precarious work. A critical approach always asks: What are the systemic reasons for this situation?

Fifth, look for the absence of alternatives and the invocation of TINA (“There Is No Alternative”). Neoliberal framing often works by presenting a particular policy—such as privatisation or austerity—as the only possible option. Margaret Thatcher’s famous declaration has become a central, often unspoken, assumption of much political reportage, closing down debate before it can begin. A critical reader should always ask: What other solutions are being ignored?

These techniques do not operate in isolation. They work in concert to create a powerful, self-reinforcing narrative. The “common sense” expert uses selective statistics to justify the TINA argument, which is then illustrated with a human-interest story that personalises a systemic problem. This creates a closed loop of logic that is difficult to break from within. Recognising this pattern is the first step towards dismantling it.

Reading Between the Lines: Case Studies in Media Manipulation

The critical thinking toolkit for neoliberal narratives is best understood through concrete examples. It involves actively questioning the premises of any news report: Who are the sources? What is their agenda? What assumptions are being made? Whose interests are served by this particular framing? This is not about cynicism, but about cultivating a necessary scepticism towards powerful institutions.

Consider the typical coverage of industrial action. Strikes are frequently framed almost exclusively in terms of the disruption they cause to the “long-suffering public.” The focus is almost always on the immediate impact—the cancelled trains, the closed schools—rather than the underlying, long-term issues of declining pay and worsening conditions that led to the dispute. The perspectives of the striking workers are often marginalised in favour of quotes from frustrated commuters, creating a profoundly unbalanced picture.

Another powerful framing device is the constant appeal to “hard-working families” or “the taxpayer.” This language is designed to create a false dichotomy between those who supposedly contribute and those who are a drain on resources. It cleverly and cruelly excludes the unemployed, the sick and disabled, carers, and the retired from the category of the deserving public, making it easier to build consent for cuts to the services they rely on.

The myth of the market as a natural, uncontrollable force is also central here, a key part of exposing neoliberal free market myth in UK politics. The market is often personified as a god-like entity that we are powerless to resist. We hear that “the markets will not tolerate” a certain policy, or that a government’s primary duty is to “reassure the markets.” This mystical language deliberately obscures the fact that markets are not natural phenomena; they are human institutions, shaped by political choices and power.

Let’s take another case: the framing of the climate crisis. Media narratives often focus heavily on individual consumer choices—recycling, reusable coffee cups, veganism—as the primary solution. While individual actions are important, this framing conveniently shifts the focus away from the systemic drivers of climate change: the business models of fossil fuel corporations, government subsidies for polluting industries, and the logic of perpetual growth. The ‘personal carbon footprint’ was popularised by the advertising agency for oil giant BP, a masterful act of ideological misdirection.

Developing media literacy against neoliberalism in UK news also means actively seeking out alternative sources of information. Independent media outlets, trade union publications, and community-based journalism can provide a vital counter-narrative to the dominant corporate media. They can offer different perspectives and challenge the “common sense” assumptions that so often go unquestioned. This is an essential part of the UK left-wing toolkit to unmask neoliberalism.

Yet, it is about recognising that news is not a transparent window onto reality; it is a construction. Every editorial decision—from the choice of a headline to the selection of a photograph—is an act of framing that carries ideological weight. By becoming more conscious of these frames, we can begin to break their power over our thinking and move from being passive consumers of news to active, critical readers.

The Austerity Deception: How a Crisis Was Used to Shrink the State

The policy of austerity, implemented in the UK following the 2008 financial crisis, stands as one of the most stark and damaging expressions of neoliberal ideology in recent history. It was presented to the public not as a political choice, but as a grim, unavoidable economic necessity. This narrative, however, was a masterclass in ideological framing, designed to justify a radical reshaping of the state. The UK austerity narrative and neoliberal individualism critique is therefore essential for understanding the recent past and charting a different future.

Austerity was never simply about balancing the books. It was a political project aimed at permanently shrinking the state, privatising public assets, and decisively weakening the power of organised labour. The crisis, caused by the reckless behaviour of the financial sector, was cynically used as a “shock doctrine” opportunity to implement a long-held ideological agenda. The blame was deftly shifted from the bankers to the public sector, and the solution was presented as a dose of harsh medicine that everyone had to swallow, though in reality, the pain was far from evenly distributed.

This decade-long political project has exacted an immense and well-documented human cost. Study after study has linked austerity to rising poverty, spiralling demand for food banks, a deep crisis in social care, the closure of essential community services, and even a shocking stalling of life expectancy for the first time in a century. These are not abstract economic indicators; they are the lived, painful realities of millions. Yet, the narrative of necessity persisted, a testament to the power of neoliberal common sense in the UK to obscure the direct consequences of its policies.

neoliberalism, neoliberal common sense in the UK, unmasking neoliberalism, neoliberalism ideology, collective imagination

The privatisation of public assets was a key component of this project. Royal Mail, a service that had connected communities for centuries, was sold off, with predictable consequences for prices and service quality. Social housing stock was sold without being replaced, exacerbating the housing crisis. Even parts of the probation service were outsourced to private companies, with disastrous results. Each sale was framed as a move towards “efficiency,” but often resulted in profits for shareholders at the expense of the public good.

The resistance to austerity, from organisations like UK Uncut to widespread public sector strikes, was often framed by the media as irresponsible or naive. Protesters were depicted as out of touch with economic reality, their arguments for investment dismissed as a desire to return to a “tax and spend” past. This framing served to marginalise dissent and reinforce the TINA narrative, making the government’s chosen path seem like the only one available.

The psychological impact of austerity also deserves attention. The constant narrative of scarcity and the erosion of public services created a pervasive sense of anxiety and insecurity. It fostered a climate of competition for scarce resources, pitting communities against each other and weakening social solidarity. This atmosphere of fear and division is a fertile ground for reactionary politics, a consequence we are still grappling with today.

The legacy of austerity is a society that is more divided, insecure, and unequal. But it has also, perhaps, created an opportunity by exposing the harsh realities of the neoliberal project. The manifest failures have created a space for new ideas and movements to emerge. The challenge now is to seize that opportunity, to build a broad-based coalition for change that can consign the politics of austerity to the dustbin of history.

The Solidarity State: Imagining a Politics of Public Good

Challenging austerity requires more than critique; it demands a compelling alternative vision. This involves making a powerful, confident, and unapologetic left-wing argument for public good over the private market in the UK. We must assert that a civilised society provides for the basic needs of all its citizens—dignity, security, and opportunity—not one that leaves them to the mercy of market forces. This means defending and expanding our public services like the NHS, not as a drain on resources, but as the very hallmark of a decent society.

This involves a fundamental re-evaluation of the role of the state. In the neoliberal imagination, the state is at best a night-watchman, existing only to protect private property. We must reclaim a more ambitious, democratic vision of the state as an active agent for social and economic justice, capable of tackling the grand challenges of our time, from climate change to inequality. This is not a call for a return to a top-down model, but for a newly imagined, accountable state that serves the interests of the many.

What might a “democratic and accountable state” look like in practice? It could involve devolving significant power and budgets to local and regional authorities, allowing communities to make decisions that affect them directly. It could mean experimenting with new forms of democratic participation, such as citizens’ assemblies on key issues like climate change or social care, giving ordinary people a real say in policy-making. It means a state that is transparent by default, open to scrutiny and responsive to public will.

The alternative to an austerity state is a solidarity state. This is a state that invests in its people, that sees public spending on education, health, and housing not as a cost to be minimised but as the most vital investment a society can make. It is a state that actively fosters cooperation and community, rather than just relentless competition. This is the core of the argument for collective care vs neoliberal common sense in the UK.

Trade unions and social movements are crucial actors in building this solidarity state. They are the organised expression of collective power, capable of counterbalancing the immense power of capital. A solidarity state would strengthen the rights of workers to organise and bargain collectively, seeing strong unions not as an obstacle to progress but as essential partners in creating a more equitable economy.

Furthermore, a solidarity state would make long-term investments for the collective good, rather than prioritising short-term private profit. This would mean a massive, state-led programme of investment in green infrastructure to tackle the climate crisis, creating hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs. It would mean a commitment to public research and development, aimed at solving social problems rather than simply creating profitable new products.

This is a struggle for the soul of our society. It is a contest between two fundamentally different visions of the world: one that sees society as a marketplace populated by competing individuals, and one that sees it as a community of interdependent people with a shared destiny. By reclaiming the language of the public good and championing the politics of solidarity, we can begin to heal the deep wounds of the austerity years and build a future worthy of the name.

From the Ground Up: Building Community-Focused Alternatives

This vision of a solidarity state is not a utopian fantasy; it is being built from the ground up. In a former mining town in South Yorkshire, a group of residents, tired of seeing their high street boarded up, formed a community benefit society. They pooled resources, secured a grant, and bought the derelict pub on the corner. It is now a thriving community hub with a café, a library of things, and meeting spaces for local groups. They are building community-focused alternatives to neoliberalism in the UK, not as a grand theory, but as a practical, daily act of reclamation.

These grassroots initiatives need to be recognised, supported, and scaled up through enabling national policy. This means devolving real power and resources to local communities, strengthening the cooperative sector, and using the immense power of public procurement to support local, ethical businesses. It means creating a policy environment that enables “community wealth building,” rather than one that facilitates the endless extraction of wealth by distant corporations.

The intellectual struggle also requires us to challenge the very metrics by which we measure economic success. A relentless focus on GDP growth tells us nothing about the distribution of that growth or its environmental cost. We need to develop and champion alternative indicators that measure what matters: human well-being, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

neoliberalism, neoliberal common sense in the UK, unmasking neoliberalism, neoliberalism ideology, collective imagination

This is part of what the Italian thinker Antonio Gramsci called a “war of position“—a long-term struggle to challenge the dominant ideology and build a new common sense. It is not enough to simply oppose individual policies; we must challenge the entire worldview that underpins them. We must articulate a compelling and hopeful vision of a society based on solidarity, a vision made tangible by the thousands of community projects flourishing across the country.

We can look to other examples for inspiration. Community Land Trusts are taking land and housing off the speculative market, ensuring they remain affordable for local people in perpetuity. Platform cooperatives are building worker-owned alternatives to exploitative gig economy apps, ensuring that drivers and couriers get a fair share of the value they create. These are not just nice projects; they are the building blocks of a new, more democratic economy.

However, these alternatives face significant challenges. They often struggle to access capital, as the financial system is geared towards maximising profit for shareholders, not social value. They have to compete on an uneven playing field against large corporations with deep pockets and immense political influence. A key part of building a solidarity state is creating an “enabling environment” that helps these initiatives to thrive and scale.

This connects the local to the national. The success of a community pub in Yorkshire or a platform co-op in London depends not just on the hard work of its members, but on a broader political and economic framework that values their contribution. This is why the struggle for a new common sense is so important. It is about creating a culture where these alternatives are not seen as niche or marginal, but as the foundation of a new, more just and sustainable way of life.

Forging a New Common Sense

In the final analysis, the struggle against neoliberalism is a struggle for our collective imagination. It is a determined refusal to accept that the cold logic of the market is the only logic available to us, and a steadfast commitment to articulating a more humane, democratic, and sustainable alternative. This guide has sought to provide the intellectual tools for that struggle, to help move from a place of passive discontent to one of active, critical resistance.

By learning to identify ideological framing in all its subtle forms, we begin the crucial work of unmasking neoliberalism and its fraudulent claim to be nothing more than common sense. The path forward requires us to relentlessly challenge the ideology of personal responsibility, not to erase individual agency, but to situate it within the social and economic structures that enable or constrain it. We must continue exposing neoliberal free market myth in UK politics, asserting that markets, as human creations, should serve society, not rule it.

This is the essential foundation for making a compelling and confident left-wing argument for public good over the private market in the UK. The project of building community-focused alternatives to neoliberalism in the UK is already underway in countless local initiatives, the green shoots in the concrete. Our task is to connect these acts of resistance, to weave them into a coherent and powerful political force. This is the essence of a war of position: to patiently build a new critical consciousness, a new common sense rooted in solidarity and care. The future is not yet written, and by reclaiming our imagination, we reclaim the power to write it ourselves.

References

Blyth, M. (2013). Austerity: The history of a dangerous idea. Oxford University Press.

Davies, W. (2014). The limits of neoliberalism: Authority, sovereignty and the logic of competition. Sage.

Friedman, M. (1962). Capitalism and freedom. University of Chicago Press.

Gramsci, A. (1971). Selections from the prison notebooks. (Q. Hoare & G. Nowell Smith, Eds. & Trans.). Lawrence & Wishart.

Hall, S. (1988). The hard road to renewal: Thatcherism and the crisis of the left. Verso.

Harvey, D. (2005). A brief history of neoliberalism. Oxford University Press.

Hayek, F. A. (1944). The road to serfdom. Routledge.

Jones, O. (2011). Chavs: The demonization of the working class. Verso.

Klein, N. (2007). The shock doctrine: The rise of disaster capitalism. Metropolitan Books.

Marmot, M. (2020). Health equity in England: The Marmot review 10 years on. Institute of Health Equity.

Monbiot, G. (2016). How did we get into this mess? Politics, equality, nature. Verso.

Srinivasan, A. (2021). The right to sex: Feminism in the twenty-first century. Bloomsbury Publishing.


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