The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism

An Analysis of the Governing Principles of Troika Programs for Greece

Authors

  • Ben Behrend Jacobs University Bremen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22151/politikon.26.3

Keywords:

Euro crisis, governance, governmentality, Greece, International Monetary Found, Michel Foucault, neoliberalism, post-structuralism, social welfare

Abstract

With his concept of governmentality, Michel Foucault delivered one of the most innovative approaches to analyze neoliberalism, which is predominant on the international stage since “Thatcherism” (1979-90) and “Reagonomics” (1981-88). Even an own discipline developed around this concept (governmentality studies), bringing fruitful theoretical merits. However, there is a huge gap. Benchmark for most researches in the governmentality studies is always the geographical and jurisdictional confined state. Thus, inter-, trans-, and supranational organizations such as the UN, IMF, EU, World Bank or INGOs are completely neglected. I try to fill that gap and to deliver starting points for further analysis of (neoliberal) governmentality on a supranational level by asking: How do neoliberal socio-economic programs of the IMF and European Commission (EC) for Greece work in a Foucauldian perspective? While conducting a theoretical discussion of the governing principles of Troika programs for Greece and using the concept of governmentality, I find that social security is reconcilable with neoliberalism, but an organization of it on a public basis is not. Public welfare is not excluded in neoliberalism; the neoliberal governmentality even insists on private, personal provision, which is based on individual responsibility of a rational acting subject. The objective is to transform social security to a private good. And the same principles are used by the Troika through their adjustment programs during the Greek crisis.

Author Biography

Ben Behrend, Jacobs University Bremen

Ben Behrend, 25, is a MA student of “International Relations: Global Governance and Social Theory” at the Jacobs University Bremen and University of Bremen. In 2013, after a semester abroad at the Saint Mary´s University in Halifax, Canada, he obtained his Bachelor in Political Science at the University of Bremen. He wrote his Bachelor Thesis on “The Systemic Boundaries of Neoliberalism for Global Development – An Analysis of the Structural Adjustment Programs in Developing Countries”. His research interests include International Political Economy, Development Studies, International Organizations and Theories of International Relations.

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Published

2015-03-31

How to Cite

Behrend, B. (2015). The Supranational Governmentality of Neoliberalism: An Analysis of the Governing Principles of Troika Programs for Greece. Politikon: The IAPSS Journal of Political Science, 26, 33–47. https://doi.org/10.22151/politikon.26.3

Issue

Section

Research articles