The language of capitalism

The language of capitalism

June 13, 2013

DT Cochrane

In a Guardian op-ed, Doreen Massey explains how neoliberalism has altered the way we think and talk about the economy. While the general point is correct, the issue is much more fundamental than neoliberal ideology. The extent of the problem can be seen in the essay’s slugline: We should scrutinise the everyday language that shapes how we think about the economy. Massey repeated refers to the ‘economy,’ as though this were something other than an analytical concept. She exemplifies how much we take for granted that there is an economy, operating out there. However, as we’ve increasingly taken the existence of an economy for granted the concept has become fuzzier and fuzzier. What precisely it is meant to encapsulate is no longer certain.