Part 1: Neoliberalism
“Oh, like how they used to believe in personal freedom and property rights?”
If you’ve ever wondered why your rent is sky-high, healthcare is unaffordable, or why billionaires are hoarding yachts while the rest of us eat instant ramen, the answer might be one word: neoliberalism.
In the latest episode of Toonsplained, Stacey, Gary, and I take you on a deep dive into this market-driven ideology that rose to power in the 1980s with Reagan and Thatcher. Neoliberalism promised economic freedom but left a legacy of privatization, deregulation, and rising inequality.
We break down:
How neoliberal policies like NAFTA outsourced jobs and gutted communities.
Why privatization of public goods, like healthcare and utilities, left us paying more for less.
How modern progressives like Bernie Sanders and AOC are leading a shift away from these harmful policies.
With plenty of silliness (and Stacey's hot takes), we explore how neoliberalism led to the world we live in today—and why it’s time for a change.
Check out the full episode and let us know what you think in the comments. Did neoliberalism wreck everything, or is Gary right about “competition driving innovation”?
