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So… Neoliberalism is a deliberate political project, not just a label for inequality. Its policies were designed to empower the wealthy and corporations, weaken democracy, and make inequality structural and self-reinforcing. 🤭 much shorter and one doesnt have to watch a youtube video.
And action…
Very American to immediately start ranting g about violence while nonviolent campaigns that mobilize large, diverse groups are statistically more effective than violent resistance.
Tactics include; general strikes: Coordinated work stoppages to paralyze economic activity (e.g., Bolivia’s 2003 gas wars, where unions and indigenous groups blocked roads and halted exports). Occupations and protests: Physically occupying symbolic spaces (e.g., public squares, corporate headquarters) to demand systemic change. Creative disobedience: Using art, music, or satire to subvert neoliberal narratives (e.g., the 2011 Barcelona protests where activists planted vegetables in public spaces to symbolize food sovereignty).
Targeting neoliberal capitalism’s profit-driven core weakens its legitimacy. Boycotts; Collective refusal to engage with exploitative corporations or industries. Debt strikes; Refusing to pay unjust debts (e.g., student loans, predatory mortgages). Worker cooperatives; Building democratically run enterprises that prioritize people over profit.
Or create parallel systems that embody anti-neoliberal values: Solidarity networks: Mutual aid programs for housing, healthcare, and food distribution (e.g., Greece’s crisis-era solidarity clinics). Community land trusts: Removing land from speculative markets to ensure affordable housing. Open-source platforms: Developing free, decentralized alternatives to corporate tech monopolies.
Exploiting contradictions within neoliberal frameworks: Litigation: Challenging trade agreements or privatization schemes in courts (e.g., using human rights law to contest austerity). Policy advocacy: Grassroots lobbying for laws that reverse deregulation and tax cuts for the wealthy.Whistleblowing: Exposing corporate or government corruption to erode public trust.
Neoliberalism operates globally, so resistance must too: Cross-border alliances: Linking movements (e.g., climate justice groups, labor unions) to amplify pressure. Sanctions campaigns: Pressuring governments and corporations via global consumer or investor activism. Counter-summit protests: Disrupting international financial institutions like the WTO or IMF.
Despite your preference for violence; nonviolence works. Nonviolent movements attract more diverse support, including elites and security forces who may defect. Peaceful resistance undermines state claims that protesters are “violent extremists”. Violent repression often backfires, while nonviolence builds long-term networks for systemic change.
Example: In Bolivia, two decades of nonviolent resistance-including strikes, blockades, and marches-toppled six neoliberal governments and paved the way for Evo Morales’ anti-austerity reforms. Similar strategies have driven successes in Serbia, Sudan, and the global anti-apartheid movement. By combining disruption with institution-building, nonviolent movements can dismantle neoliberalism’s grip and replace it with systems centered on equity and collective well-being.
I even wrote this in a comment to you.
So… you were ‘genuinely’ interested, now you know what you can do. Was that so hard to come up with this yourself? Start thinking instead complaining and pushing youtube videos.
My interest in asking was if you meant nonviolent action or violent action. For your information, Americans are doing nonviolent action currently including some, if not all of the things you listed. We definitely need to do more and thank you for the list.
My concern was derived from the fact that ~~most people~~ it feels like most people on this site mean violent action when they say something like meaningful action. And I didn't want to assume you either were in that camp or didn't know about recent American protests.
For a reference to what I'm talking about here's a recent post. The post itself is fine, but the comment section contains multiple calls to violence.
https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/25226675
edit: typos and clarification
Right, which is is why I brought up the distinction between the two. Especially when people say meaningful change they are usually implying violent change. Also, I'm arguing these exact topics with multiple users. I've written this down in comments to other people. Check my comment history if the comment section is too messy to navigate.
Americans are doing those things. We need to do more and more have been planned.
But you did watch the youtube video with facts and an expert that efficiently explains the concept in a concise video essay that we most certainly need to share with others because defeating neoliberalism is a collective effort, right?
I’m from Europe (Dutch). Unlike the US educational system, ours covers history and the various forms of governance in depth from an early age. The fact that you keep referring to a YouTube video as your main source is telling-not about the quality of the video, but about the state of civic and historical education in the US. In the Netherlands, we learn about political systems, history, and critical thinking as a standard part of our curriculum, so these topics aren’t new or exotic to us. Your reliance on a single video highlights a gap that, frankly, is seen as a weakness in the American system from a European perspective.
That video is the best source that I've seen that summarizes the relevant points. It's also the first source I've found on the history of neoliberalism. The video is well researched and had an interview with an expert on the topic. So not only is it a highly relevant video to our discussion, it should be shared widely as it is an efficient way to educate people on neoliberalism. It's also relatively recent so not everyone will have seen it yet.
Many people, if not most people in America and probably the West at large grew up partially internalizing these neoliberal ideas. But many of them don't even know the name of the ideology let alone where those ideas come from. You argument initially did not seem to recognize neoliberalism as a political ideology. This is a common misconception I see all over lemmy. This gap in education must be corrected as neoliberal ideas are what have lead us to the current fascist regime. And even if we defeat this MAGA dictatorship, we will still need to contented with this pervasive neoliberal thinking when attempting to implement socialist and progressive policies.
Besides the European-American divide where conservatives are referred to as liberal in Europe and progressives are referred to as liberal in America there are actual misconceptions. One being Marxist-Leninists and many other leftists call anyone to the right of them liberals. In addition people conflate classical liberals, neoliberals, neoconservatives, and fascists as the same ideology.
Not being able to identify these ideologies will make people rhetorically ineffective at best and counter-productive at worst. Neoliberals and fascists have their own ideas that need to be countered with arguments that address those ideologies' actual positions. What we have currently is people resulting to name calling, calling everyone a liberal, which isn't a persuasive argument.
And yes, the US education system needs an overhaul. But its underfunding is an intentional part of the Republican strategy. An uneducated populace is easier to control. We need to fund our education system in the US and the government in general. In order to fund the government we have to get money out politics, which means taking control of the source of wealth from the owner class. In order to convince people that's necessary we need them to understand neoliberalism is a sales pitch for the scam that is late-stage capitalism.
That's a lot of work that needs to be done. Sharing this video is a small thing anyone can do to contribute to that. And what a lot people seem to fail to understand is that whether or not there is a peaceful revolution or violent revolution this work will still need to be done. There's no shortcut for educating people.