Neoliberalism gets a bad rap because of its contradictions and shortcomings, which is evident in all ideologies. Nothing is 100%. It is pragmatic, however, a compromise stemming from ideological contests that were waged over the decades in the backdrop of the contest with the Soviet Union and the prospect of nuclear annihilation. The nuclear threat had a clarifying effect on the free market liberalism ideology that set the USA vs the Soviets. It asked the question: if we're facing down nuclear war, what is it that is so worth this annihilation? As in, what is the line to which we are willing to destroy everything on earth so that this reality does not come to pass?
