History and the lessons of neo-liberalism - The construction of a single pathway

Born after the Second World War, the neo-liberal current has its founding S ociety, The Society of the Mont-Pelerin, created in 1947. Up to 1974, condi tions were not favorable to the development of neo-liberal ideas. Following the post-war economic model crisis, they gained ground in so far as to car ry Margaret Thatcher to power in Great Britain, then Ronald Reagan in the U SA, and many others in Europe. Then neoliberalism asserted itself ideologic ally, in so far as governments proclaiming themselves leftwing rivaled righ twing governments in applying neoliberal politics. Creating enormous wealth s, neoliberalism had also widened inequalities between people. The explosio n of profits didn't restart productive investment, as financial speculation became more profitable. This didn't prevent neoliberalism, vanquisher of t he "communist enemy", from having a second wind after the recession of 1991 , notably in East Europe and South America. We have now to learn our lesson s from this vigor of neoliberalism in order to fight it and progress.