Podcast Summary: New Books Network – Interview with Dr. Lars Cornelissen, "Neoliberalism and Race" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Aired: November 11, 2025 | Host: Morteza Hajizadeh | Guest: Dr. Lars Cornelissen
Episode Overview
This episode presents a deep dive into Dr. Lars Cornelissen’s new book, "Neoliberalism and Race". Dr. Cornelissen, a historian of neoliberalism, explores how race and racial theories are deeply intertwined with the ideologies and practices of neoliberalism—challenging the narrative that racism is external or secondary to neoliberal thought. The conversation traverses the historical evolution of neoliberalism, the racial underpinnings in the works of major neoliberal thinkers, the role of institutions, and the continued relevance of these patterns in contemporary society.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Origins and Historical Context of Neoliberalism
- Cornelissen traces neoliberalism’s roots to the 1920s-30s as a reaction to the perceived failings of classical liberalism after the Great Depression.
- The tradition sought to revive classical liberal ideas, adapting them to a new era dominated by social democracy and Keynesianism.
- Neoliberalism is not just about economic theory but presents a comprehensive worldview encompassing history, culture, law, and society. (03:25-06:00)
Quote
"Neoliberalism is a philosophy that doesn't just talk about economic theory, that doesn't just talk about what the state should look like. It also has comprehensive theories about culture, about family life, about the rule of law, about world history, and also about race and racism and colonialism which are the themes that I speak to."
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (12:14)
2. Why Race Was Overlooked in Neoliberalism Studies
- For much of the late 20th century, race remained a blind spot in neoliberalism studies due to late-blooming critical literature and a focus on economic policy over broader ideological implications.
- The critical literature’s emergence was shaped by the dominant political context—mainly focusing on state and market theories rather than race or colonial legacies.
- There is a tendency in mainstream scholarship to see racism primarily as individual prejudice, overlooking more subtle, structural, and systemic manifestations especially present in “mature” neoliberal thought after WWII. (09:08-15:57)
Quote
"What that doesn't make room for is forms of racism that are a lot more subtle than that... and it's really these much more subtle configurations of racism that you need to have a good understanding of if you want to study an ideology like neoliberalism."
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (13:17)
3. Neoliberal Founders: Mises, Hayek, and Theories of Race & Civilization
- Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek—central neoliberal architects—differed on explicitly discussing race but both endorsed a racialized notion of civilization.
- Mises believed race contributed to preparedness for social cooperation, theorizing that European 'races' were naturally suited for the development of capitalism. Hayek, largely silent on biological race, nonetheless supported civilizational hierarchies privileging European culture.
- Both constructed a historical narrative where "civilization" progressed from "savagery" (referring to non-European, especially Black and Indigenous societies) to Western liberal society, often deploying explicitly racialized language. (17:00-26:24)
Quote
"They frequently say quite explicitly that what they mean by high civilization is European culture, and what they mean by savage cultures... are both prehistoric cultures, but also during the 20th century... black African cultures or Native American cultures."
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (22:18)
4. The 'Lazy Native' Trope and Development Theory
- Neoliberal advisors to colonial administrations helped propagate the “myth of the lazy native,” blaming local cultures rather than colonial exploitation for underdevelopment.
- This narrative recasts colonialism as a benevolent force and deflects calls for reparations or aid, insisting that development requires former colonies to embrace capitalism and abandon their cultures. (29:01-35:31)
Quote
"At the end of the day, I think it’s simply an attempt to deflect attention away from colonial extraction and from the fact that colonialism was a way of siphoning wealth... and to suggest that the only path forward for these countries is to embrace capitalism."
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (34:40)
5. Neoliberalism, Colonial Legacy, and Support for Authoritarianism
- Many neoliberals dismissed or downplayed the role of empire and colonial exploitation in generating Western wealth.
- Neoliberals often supported transitional authoritarian regimes in postcolonial contexts, arguing that such rule was necessary to instill 'liberal' market principles before democratization.
- They defended white minority rule in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and South Africa, proposing 'culture bars' (voting rights based on education/culture rather than race) as a way to preserve economic ‘stability’. (36:20-45:27)
Quote
"Their preferred alternative is to say... it would be preferable to have a liberal authoritarian regime... than it would be to have a not liberal democratic regime, because that is just going to wreak havoc on its opportunities for growth."
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (40:36)
6. Case Studies: Thomas Sowell and Charles Murray
Thomas Sowell (46:17-55:18)
- Sowell, a Black economist, rejected both biological essentialism and structural explanations for racial inequality in favor of ‘cultural’ explanations.
- He argued racial wealth gaps persist due to group cultural attitudes, not systemic racism—thus policy should target culture, not politics or structures.
Quote
“He rejects very explicitly... the idea that political solutions to racism can be effective... all that those do is to make sure that there's diversity within the workforce. But they do nothing to improve the cultural attitudes...”
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (51:30)
Charles Murray and the Bell Curve (55:18-62:16)
- Murray (with Herrnstein) introduced race and intelligence ‘science’ to a broader public, recasting welfare critique in eugenicist, genetic language.
- The Bell Curve’s arguments re-invigorated eugenicist tropes within neoliberal discourse under a new 'scientific' veneer.
Quote
“What Murray and Herrnstein did in The Bell Curve was to use insights from race and intelligence research in order to revisit... long standing neoliberal lines of argument... It makes the quality of the population at a genetic level go down.” — Dr. Lars Cornelissen (59:36)
7. Neoliberal Institutions and Race Science
- Neoliberal think tanks (e.g., Hoover Institution, Institute of Economic Affairs) have at times supported or harbored race scientists and eugenicists.
- Relationships between neoliberalism and eugenicist thinkers were not direct institutional programs but reflected overlapping networks, anti-socialism, and a belief in Western cultural superiority.
- Cornelissen cautions: keep distinctions between neoliberalism and eugenics but recognize the substantive, historically recurring alliances. (63:27-71:51)
Quote
"I think these alliances tell us that neoliberals have always been able to suspend... key liberal principles such as universal equality before the law, in pursuit of more partisan ideological goals."
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (70:57)
8. Contemporary Relevance and Anti-Racist Strategies
- Right-wing populism and nationalisms today often merge neoliberal economic commitments with racial or civilizational narratives.
- Cornelissen emphasizes: effective critique of neoliberalism must center racism, not treat it as a byproduct or afterthought.
- Anti-racist, anti-colonial, and progressive movements must recognize and address the constitutive role of race within neoliberal thought to avoid inadvertently replicating right-wing narratives or policies.
Quote
“If we see neoliberalism as a constitutively racialized philosophy, then we also must take the next step, which is to think about our political response to neoliberalism as being constitutively anti-racist.”
— Dr. Lars Cornelissen (77:12)
Notable Quotes
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:25 | Lars Cornelissen | "I am a historically oriented historian of neoliberal thinking and neoliberal thought." | | 12:14 | Lars Cornelissen | "Neoliberalism...has comprehensive theories about culture, about family life, about the rule of law, about world history, and also about race and racism and colonialism..." | | 22:18 | Lars Cornelissen | "...what they mean by high civilization is European culture, and... ‘savage cultures’...black African cultures or Native American cultures." | | 34:40 | Lars Cornelissen | "It's simply an attempt to deflect attention away from colonial extraction and from the fact that colonialism was a way of siphoning wealth..." | | 40:36 | Lars Cornelissen | "It would be preferable to have a liberal authoritarian regime... than...a not liberal democratic regime..." | | 51:30 | Lars Cornelissen | "He rejects very explicitly...the idea that political solutions to racism can be effective..." | | 59:36 | Lars Cornelissen | "What Murray and Herrnstein did in The Bell Curve was to use insights from race and intelligence research in order to revisit...neoliberal lines of argument..." | | 70:57 | Lars Cornelissen | "I think these alliances tell us that neoliberals have always been able to suspend...key liberal principles such as universal equality before the law..." | | 77:12 | Lars Cornelissen | "If we see neoliberalism as a constitutively racialized philosophy, then...our political response...must be constitutively anti-racist." |
Important Timestamps
- 03:25 — Dr. Cornelissen defines his academic background and the emergence of neoliberalism
- 09:08 — On the historical “blind spot” regarding race in neoliberal studies
- 17:00 — Mises and Hayek’s concepts of race and civilization
- 29:01 — The myth of the “lazy native” in neoliberal colonial development thought
- 36:20 — Neoliberal attitudes toward colonialism and authoritarianism in postcolonial states
- 46:17 — The theories of race in Thomas Sowell’s work
- 55:18 — Charles Murray, The Bell Curve, and the resurgence of race science
- 63:27 — The role of neoliberal think tanks and institutions in promoting or tolerating race science
- 73:00 — Concluding thoughts on anti-racist responses to neoliberalism
Tone & Language
The discussion is academically rigorous but highly accessible, direct, and critically engaged. Cornelissen avoids polemic, focusing instead on nuanced, historically grounded analysis. The host interjects with current events and practical implications, keeping the conversation lively and immediately relevant.
Final Takeaway
Dr. Cornelissen’s central message:
To truly understand—and contest—neoliberalism’s impact on society, scholars and activists must recognize racism not as incidental but as foundational to the neoliberal project. Only by centering anti-racism in critique and activism can the intertwined crises of neoliberalism and racial inequality be adequately confronted.
Recommended for anyone interested in:
- History and theory of neoliberalism
- Race, colonialism, and postcolonial studies
- The intersection of policy, economics, and ideology
- Strategies for anti-racist and anti-colonial activism