Picture this: in the late 1970s, a set of ideas starts reshaping not just America, but the entire world. Free markets over government meddling, privatization everywhere, globalization as the path to riches for all. That's neoliberalism, and Gary Gerstle's The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order delivers the most complete story yet of how it rose to power and why it's now in ruins.
Neoliberalism wasn't some right-wing plot. It hooked everyone by mixing market deregulation with personal liberties, open borders with a worldly vibe, and global trade with vows of widespread wealth. Gerstle shows how this worldview took hold in the U.S. and U.K., then spread worldwide, supercharged by the Soviet Union's dramatic collapse. For three decades, it felt unstoppable, influencing everything from policy debates to everyday economic life.
But nothing lasts forever. The book charts the unraveling: Bush-era missteps like Iraq's botched rebuild and the Great Recession exposed flaws, from soaring income gaps to unkept prosperity promises. By the 2010s, Trump channeled right-wing fury against it, while Bernie Sanders rallied the left. Gerstle connects these dots like no one else, explaining why 'neoliberal' became a curse word across the spectrum.
Whether you're a history enthusiast piecing together the last 50 years, a policy wonk debating inequality, or just someone trying to make sense of election chaos, this book cuts through the noise. Gerstle writes with authority but keeps it accessible, blending rigorous research with vivid storytelling. It's the kind of read that sticks, reshaping how you see economic power plays in daily news. Dive in and see the bigger picture of where America—and the world—might head next.
