TY - JOUR

T1 - Limits to Liberal Government

T2 - An Alternative History of Governmentality

AU - Esmark, Anders

PY - 2018/2

Y1 - 2018/2

N2 - In contrast to the widely voiced notion about a current neoliberal hegemony, the article seeks to demonstrate that the distinctly liberal form of governmental rationality and practice is neither neoliberal, at least not in the conventional sense of the word, nor hegemonic. Rather than a minimal government pursuing laissez-faire politics, liberal government is an ‘omnipresent’ form of government aiming to widen and deepen a particular regulatory game of freedom and security. Important as this form of omnipresent government may currently be, however, it is also limited by the persistence and pervasiveness of the key historical alternatives to liberal government: domination, democracy, and discipline.

AB - In contrast to the widely voiced notion about a current neoliberal hegemony, the article seeks to demonstrate that the distinctly liberal form of governmental rationality and practice is neither neoliberal, at least not in the conventional sense of the word, nor hegemonic. Rather than a minimal government pursuing laissez-faire politics, liberal government is an ‘omnipresent’ form of government aiming to widen and deepen a particular regulatory game of freedom and security. Important as this form of omnipresent government may currently be, however, it is also limited by the persistence and pervasiveness of the key historical alternatives to liberal government: domination, democracy, and discipline.

KW - liberalism

KW - governmentality

KW - governance

KW - regimes

U2 - 10.1177/0095399715587521

DO - 10.1177/0095399715587521

M3 - Journal article

VL - 50

SP - 240

EP - 268

JO - Administration & Society

JF - Administration & Society

SN - 0095-3997

IS - 2

ER -