Liberalism and Neoliberalism

This monograph offers a philosophical interpretation of liberalism and neoliberalism, reconstructing their genesis, essence, and critique. In the first part, the author addresses the concept of liberalism and traces the development of the main philosophical ideas that led to its formation. It historically distinguishes between proto-liberalism, classical liberalism, 'new' (social) liberalism, post-classical liberalism, and libertarianism. It analyses philosophical, political, and economic liberalism, the essence of which is individual freedom. The main features of the most important critiques of liberalism are also presented. In the second part, the author independently reconstructs the transformation of liberalism into neoliberalism, from its origins and global hegemony to the current global crisis. The essence of neoliberalism is characterised as economism and normocracy, pointing out the fundamental conceptual shift that occurred between liberalism and neoliberalism. The book concludes with an overview of key critiques of neoliberalism. This work is relevant to the Czecho-Slovak context after 1989. It is intended for academics, students, social science and humanities professionals, as well as anyone interested in understanding the contemporary era, politics, and society.