Awards
- Commended for Presidents' Book Award, Western Social Science Association 2014
- Short-listed for 2012 Gladstone Prize 2012
- Short-listed for Royal Historical Society Gladstone History Book Prize 2012
- Shortlisted for Royal Historical Society Gladstone History Book Prize 2012.
Overview
Based on archival research and interviews with leading participants in the movement, Masters of the Universe traces the ascendancy of neoliberalism from the academy of interwar Europe to supremacy under Reagan and Thatcher and in the decades since. Daniel Stedman Jones argues that there was nothing inevitable about the victory of free-market politics. Far from being the story of the simple triumph of right-wing ideas, the neoliberal breakthrough was contingent on the economic crises of the 1970s and the acceptance of the need for new policies by the political left. This edition includes a new foreword in which the author addresses the relationship between intellectual history and the history of politics and policy. Fascinating, important, and timely, this is a book for anyone who wants to understand the history behind the Anglo-American love affair with the free market, as well as the origins of the current economic crisis.
Full Product Details
Author: Daniel Stedman Jones ,
Daniel Stedman Jones
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Edition: Updated Edition
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 2.60cm
, Length: 23.50cm
Weight: 0.595kg
ISBN: 9780691161013
ISBN 10: 0691161011
Pages: 440
Publication Date: 21 July 2014
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Tertiary & Higher Education
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Language: English
Reviews
Shortlisted for the 2012 Gladstone Prize, Royal Historical Society [I]ntelligent. --Kenneth Minogue, Wall Street Journal In impressive fashion, Jones analyzes the impact of free market economics and deregulation on political leaders in Washington, D.C., and London since the 1970s... [A]nyone intrigued by the intersection of economic theory and political affairs will appreciate this learned, detailed book. --Publishers Weekly Mr. Stedman Jones offers a novel and comprehensive history of neoliberalism. It is tarred neither by a reverence for the heroes, nor by caricature, for he is a fair and nuanced writer. This is a bold biography of a great idea. --Economist Clearly written and relevant to a wide audience. --Daniel Ben-Ami, Financial Times Wealth Jones gives us the best kind of intellectual history, showing the interplay of ideas, ideology and nascent political movements. The book should be lauded for illustrating that the history of ideas is not straightforward, and a big idea can be bent towards something that its originators might not have imagined. --Joel Campbell, International Affairs A cerebral, pertinent exegesis on the thinking behind the rise of the New Right... [A] valuable study that helps flesh out the caricature of conservatives as only believing 'greed is good.' --Kirkus Reviews [A] good read... The deep history of neo-liberal thought is fascinating. --Andrew Hilton, Financial World [I]mportant... [A] beguilingly erudite old-fashioned read. --Stephen Matchett, Australian Stedman Jones ... describes the scene with remarkable accuracy, including its financial underpinning and its ties with conservatism. --Karen Horn, Standpoint [A] lucid, richly detailed examination of the evolution of the free market ideology since the end of World War II. --Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Masters of the Universe is a firm brief for the independent, causal power of ideas to shape history... [It] does much to help explain the aftermath of 2008 and the ways in which political responses that might have defined another era seem unthinkable in ours. --Jennifer Burns, American Prospect His lengthy exposition of the views shared by these outstanding economists might encourage many to pay attention to their works. --Alejandro Chafuen, Forbes This is a timely history of the Anglo-American love affair with the market and the origins of the current economic crisis. --Keith Richmond, Tribune (U.K.) [T]his is an insightful, substantive historical account of the Anglo-American political economy underpinning the conservative economic agendas of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations. --Choice
Shortlisted for the 2012 Gladstone Prize, Royal Historical Society [I]ntelligent. --Kenneth Minogue, Wall Street Journal In impressive fashion, Jones analyzes the impact of free market economics and deregulation on political leaders in Washington, D.C., and London since the 1970s... [A]nyone intrigued by the intersection of economic theory and political affairs will appreciate this learned, detailed book. --Publishers Weekly Mr. Stedman Jones offers a novel and comprehensive history of neoliberalism. It is tarred neither by a reverence for the heroes, nor by caricature, for he is a fair and nuanced writer. This is a bold biography of a great idea. --Economist Clearly written and relevant to a wide audience. --Daniel Ben-Ami, Financial Times Wealth Jones gives us the best kind of intellectual history, showing the interplay of ideas, ideology and nascent political movements. The book should be lauded for illustrating that the history of ideas is not straightforward, and a big idea can be bent towards something that its originators might not have imagined. --Joel Campbell, International Affairs A cerebral, pertinent exegesis on the thinking behind the rise of the New Right... [A] valuable study that helps flesh out the caricature of conservatives as only believing 'greed is good.' --Kirkus Reviews [A] good read... The deep history of neo-liberal thought is fascinating. --Andrew Hilton, Financial World [I]mportant... [A] beguilingly erudite old-fashioned read. --Stephen Matchett, Australian Stedman Jones ... describes the scene with remarkable accuracy, including its financial underpinning and its ties with conservatism. --Karen Horn, Standpoint [A] lucid, richly detailed examination of the evolution of the free market ideology since the end of World War II. --Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Masters of the Universe is a firm brief for the independent, causal power of ideas to shape history... [It] does much to help explain the aftermath of 2008 and the ways in which political responses that might have defined another era seem unthinkable in ours. --Jennifer Burns, American Prospect His lengthy exposition of the views shared by these outstanding economists might encourage many to pay attention to their works. --Alejandro Chafuen, Forbes This is a timely history of the Anglo-American love affair with the market and the origins of the current economic crisis. --Keith Richmond, Tribune (U.K.) [T]his is an insightful, substantive historical account of the Anglo-American political economy underpinning the conservative economic agendas of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations. --Choice Fascinating, important, and timely, this is a book for anyone who wants to understand the history behind the Anglo-American love affair with the free market, as well as the origins of the current economic crisis. --World Book Industry The book as a whole ... offers a balanced, well-structured and highly readable account of neo-liberalism's history which will serve both students and scholars as an introduction to this controversial line of economic thought. --Claudia Franziska Bruhwiler, Political Studies Review
Finalist for the 2014 Presidents' Book Award, Western Social Science Association Shortlisted for the 2012 Gladstone Prize, Royal Historical Society [I]ntelligent. --Kenneth Minogue, Wall Street Journal In impressive fashion, Jones analyzes the impact of free market economics and deregulation on political leaders in Washington, D.C., and London since the 1970s... [A]nyone intrigued by the intersection of economic theory and political affairs will appreciate this learned, detailed book. --Publishers Weekly Mr. Stedman Jones offers a novel and comprehensive history of neoliberalism. It is tarred neither by a reverence for the heroes, nor by caricature, for he is a fair and nuanced writer. This is a bold biography of a great idea. --Economist Clearly written and relevant to a wide audience. --Daniel Ben-Ami, Financial Times Wealth Jones gives us the best kind of intellectual history, showing the interplay of ideas, ideology and nascent political movements. The book should be lauded for illustrating that the history of ideas is not straightforward, and a big idea can be bent towards something that its originators might not have imagined. --Joel Campbell, International Affairs A cerebral, pertinent exegesis on the thinking behind the rise of the New Right... [A] valuable study that helps flesh out the caricature of conservatives as only believing 'greed is good.' --Kirkus Reviews [A] good read... The deep history of neo-liberal thought is fascinating. --Andrew Hilton, Financial World [I]mportant... [A] beguilingly erudite old-fashioned read. --Stephen Matchett, Australian Stedman Jones ... describes the scene with remarkable accuracy, including its financial underpinning and its ties with conservatism. --Karen Horn, Standpoint [A] lucid, richly detailed examination of the evolution of the free market ideology since the end of World War II. --Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Masters of the Universe is a firm brief for the independent, causal power of ideas to shape history... [It] does much to help explain the aftermath of 2008 and the ways in which political responses that might have defined another era seem unthinkable in ours. --Jennifer Burns, American Prospect His lengthy exposition of the views shared by these outstanding economists might encourage many to pay attention to their works. --Alejandro Chafuen, Forbes This is a timely history of the Anglo-American love affair with the market and the origins of the current economic crisis. --Keith Richmond, Tribune (U.K.) [T]his is an insightful, substantive historical account of the Anglo-American political economy underpinning the conservative economic agendas of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations. --Choice Fascinating, important, and timely, this is a book for anyone who wants to understand the history behind the Anglo-American love affair with the free market, as well as the origins of the current economic crisis. --World Book Industry The book as a whole ... offers a balanced, well-structured and highly readable account of neo-liberalism's history which will serve both students and scholars as an introduction to this controversial line of economic thought. --Claudia Franziska Bruhwiler, Political Studies Review This is a very important book... [T]he book is essential reading, both to know the history of neo-liberalism and to understand how it impacted on both Labour and Democrat administrations as well as those of the Reaganite and Thatcherite right. --Duncan Bowie, Chartist Jones provides a balanced and even-handed account of the ideas and events. He does not shy away from contemporary critiques by leading economists and opponents of Neoliberal ideas. --Braham Dabscheck, Labour History Jones brilliantly succeeds, thanks to his obvious mastery of the main neoliberal texts, his very astute use of historical archives (like the Hayek or Friedman Papers), and the many interviews he conducted with key neoliberal players in Europe and America. --Francoise Coste, Cercles Masters of the Universe is an excellent and important book. It is very clearly structured, accessible, well-written, and rigorously argued. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the rise and spread of neoliberal ideas... [I]t will be a great source for both non-specialists interested in neoliberalism and scholars working on neoliberalism. --Lars Cornelissen, Plurilogue [A] terrific book. --Enlightened Economist Masters of the Universe does a masterful job telling one of the most important intellectual and policymaking stories of the twentieth century. --John L. Campbell, Historian Jones provides a readable and laudable account of the history of neoliberalism and its political ascendancy. Besides containing the potential for a good documentary... His book also showcases heretofore unacknowledged archival material and scholarly synthesis. I recommend this book to not only historians of economics, but all policy historians and political theorists who are interested in the postwar history of the New Right. --Robert Van Horn, History of Economic Ideas
Author Information
Daniel Stedman Jones is a barrister in London. He was educated at the University of Oxford and at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a PhD in history. He has worked as a policy adviser for the New Opportunities Fund and as a researcher for Demos.
