Moving Right: The Changing Role of the Left in Neoliberal Europe

This book explores neoliberalism’s emergence as a global ideology, contextualizing its rise within the broader capitalist restructuring that followed the decline of the Keynesian state. Understanding the ideological dimension is challenging due to the difficulties in defining it and tracing its connections across domestic, European, and global contexts. The book aims to address this complexity by examining a case of the Italian left, analyzing the labor and education policies of the Prodi (1996) and Renzi (2013) governments. This is made possible through interviews with politicians, journalists, and trade unionists. Within this transformation, Renzi’s era symbolized the final victory of neoliberal culture over the political culture(s) that had animated the left until that point. The future of the left will depend on its ability to reckon with this legacy and to recover an independent vision capable of countering the growth of nationalist right-wing movements in Europe and globally. 

Lorenzo Cortinovis is a researcher who recently earned his PhD in International Political Economy (IPE) from King’s College London. Since the beginning of his academic career, he has focused on the study of neoliberalism, not only as an economic doctrine but also as a political ideology. Lorenzo’s research spans international political economy, the history of economic thought, and political ideologies, with a particular emphasis on social issues such as growing inequalities in education and the labor market. Originally from Bergamo (Italy), Lorenzo developed a strong interest in politics from a young age, taking on leadership roles in student associations and local politics. He moved to London in 2015 to study Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster, followed by a Master’s and PhD in IPE at King’s College.