Colin Jenkins

A Fatal Agenda- the Social, Economic and Democratic Consequences of Neoliberalism Colin Jenkins

Attempts to expand and globalize the free market over the past quartercentury have led to an intensely polarized society in the United States. In economic terms, American workers are systematically victimized by an agenda that seeks to put more money into wealthy pockets and corporate vaults. The common practice of outsourcing jobs to foreign labor markets by American corporations has left hundreds of thousands of American workers searching for meaningful employment. On the social front, poor and working Americans are realizing a dire sense of hopelessness derived from a domestic policy agenda that aims to end social welfare. The introduction of welfare reform laws that place unreasonable demands on poor and working Americans have ripped away any reliable safety net during a time where millions of workers are in need of valuable assistance. In addition to these economic and social consequences, the neoliberal agenda has also launched an all-out attack on the democratic institution in America. By encouraging the practice of corporate lobbying and campaign financing, neoliberalism has created a political landscape where the interests of corporations take precedence over the interests of the people. Consequently, the American electorate has been rendered impotent in a political game where money equals democratic power.