Danny and Derek welcome Michael Franczak, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House, to discuss his book Global Inequality and American Foreign Policy in the 1970s. The conversation explores the role of the 1970s in US historiography; the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations’ respective responses to the food, oil, and debt crises of that decade; the New International Economic Order (NIEO); figures like Earl Butz, Henry Kissinger, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan; and more.
Really enjoyed this. Especially where y’all were talking about Kissinger, and how, unlike his contemporaries, he totally disregarded this question of human rights and instead would solely negotiate about economic policy.
It reminds me of a recent article I read in viewpoint mag called The Mesh of Power about Foucault’s affinity for Neoliberalism. The claim being that the later Foucault, always an anti humanist, liked emerging Neoliberalism precisely for centering what the article calls economic liberalism. In other words, the neoliberal order does not act according to any idea of the liberal subject, does not create individuals, but rather will try and create the “environment” wherein exchanges and etc are encouraged to take place. Foucault thinks power is no longer interested w individuals here - and that’s good. Of course that analysis prolly hasn’t aged well. My crude summary, anyway.
If we take this analysis to be true Kissinger really appears as someone of his time, recognizing the neoliberal sensibility adequately and acting accordingly (or did he largely determine its formation w these policies?!).
Another fire post!
Really enjoyed this. Especially where y’all were talking about Kissinger, and how, unlike his contemporaries, he totally disregarded this question of human rights and instead would solely negotiate about economic policy.
It reminds me of a recent article I read in viewpoint mag called The Mesh of Power about Foucault’s affinity for Neoliberalism. The claim being that the later Foucault, always an anti humanist, liked emerging Neoliberalism precisely for centering what the article calls economic liberalism. In other words, the neoliberal order does not act according to any idea of the liberal subject, does not create individuals, but rather will try and create the “environment” wherein exchanges and etc are encouraged to take place. Foucault thinks power is no longer interested w individuals here - and that’s good. Of course that analysis prolly hasn’t aged well. My crude summary, anyway.
If we take this analysis to be true Kissinger really appears as someone of his time, recognizing the neoliberal sensibility adequately and acting accordingly (or did he largely determine its formation w these policies?!).
I learned a lot from this episode. These policy backgrounders are helpful.