Reinventing Liberalism

In this article I describe how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality that puts the economy at the centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action. I argue that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. I approach this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.