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The exhausted futures of neoliberalism: from promissory legitimacy to social anomy

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  • Jens Beckert

Abstract

The distinction between input-oriented legitimacy and output-oriented legitimacy (Scharpf, Fritz W, 1997. Economic Integration, Democracy and the Welfare State. Journal of European Public Policy, 4, 18–36) has been one of the most influential distinctions in political science. In this article I introduce a third arrangement supporting the legitimacy of political processes which I call promise-oriented legitimacy or, simply, promissory legitimacy. This term refers to the support political authority can gain from the credibility of promises political leaders make regarding future states of the world when justifying decisions and persuading others to follow them in their proposed course of action. Decisions gain support through claims about future development. Legitimacy crises arise if promises that were found credible become discredited and fail to motivate. I develop the concept of promissory legitimacy based on a discussion of what can be considered the most far-reaching political promissory regime of the last forty years: neoliberalism.

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  • Jens Beckert, 2020. "The exhausted futures of neoliberalism: from promissory legitimacy to social anomy," Journal of Cultural Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 318-330, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jculte:v:13:y:2020:i:3:p:318-330
    DOI: 10.1080/17530350.2019.1574867
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    Cited by:

    1. Monika Brusenbauch Meislová, 2023. "In Quest for Discursive Legitimation of Ongoing Policy Processes: Constructing Brexit as a Success Story," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(3), pages 815-833, May.
    2. Iftikhar Lodhi, 2021. "Globalisation and public policy: bridging the disciplinary and epistemological boundaries [Which synthesis? Strategies of theoretical integration and the neorealist-neoliberal debate]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 40(4), pages 522-544.
    3. Bulfone, Fabio & Ergen, Timur & Kalaitzake, Manolis, 2022. "No strings attached: Corporate welfare, state intervention, and the issue of conditionality," MPIfG Discussion Paper 22/2, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    4. Ydesen, Christian & Elfert, Maren, 2023. "SDG4 as a global governance tool and the quest for recognizing diversity – Implications emerging from the intersections between inclusive education and assessment," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. Devon Reynolds & David Ciplet, 2023. "Transforming Socially Responsible Investment: Lessons from Environmental Justice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(1), pages 53-69, February.

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