Undoing the Demos - Wendy Brown’s Critique of Neoliberalism

In her book, Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s Stealth Revolution, Wendy Brown explores neoliberalism’s transformation of democracy, citizenship, and public life. Brown draws on Michel Foucault’s biopolitics, and argues that neoliberalism is a political rationality that permeates all aspects of existence.

Browns central argument is that neoliberalism reduces individuals to homo oeconomicus—self-investing, market-driven entities. This displaces homo politicus, the political subject focused on collective governance and moral autonomy. Citizenship is recast as market participation, dissolving solidarity and normalizing inequality as a natural market outcome.

Brown also critiques the change from education as a public good to a tool for human capital development. Liberal arts and critical thinking are marginalized in favor of job training and market-oriented outcomes. Universities adopt for-profit models, deepening inequality and leaving citizens ill-prepared to challenge power structures.

Political contestation, Brown writes, is replaced by technical problem-solving and managerialism. Decisions are measured against market benchmarks rather than principles of justice and equality. Legal rulings, like Citizens United, redefine free speech as capital, and corporate dominance is prioritized over democratic equality. Neoliberalism reconfigures sacrifice as a virtue; so individuals have to endure austerity for economic recovery. At the same time, citizens are responsibilized for systemic failures, while structural inequalities remain concealed.

What do I think of the book?

Brown offers a comprehensive analysis of neoliberalism’s political and cultural impacts. She synthesizes insights from political theory, Foucault’s biopolitics, Marxist critiques, and feminist perspectives. The book addresses neoliberalism’s erosion of governance, citizenship, education, and law. On the other hand, Brown’s solutions for resisting neoliberalism remain vague, next to reclaiming democratic ideals. Her academic prose and reliance on critical theory may challenge readers unfamiliar with Foucault. One may also argue Brown overstates neoliberalism’s role, while globalization and advances in technology are not all simply neoliberalism’s consequences.

Why the book still is important

Undoing the Demos is an essential read for scholars, activists, and policymakers concerned with the erosion of democracy under neoliberalism. Brown shows that democracy is neither natural nor self-sustaining—it must be consciously defended against neoliberal encroachments.

The book reminds us that we need a renewed commitment to collective governance, equality, and the public good to resist the market’s colonization of many facets of life.

Source: Brown, W. (2015), Undoing the Demos – Neoliberalism’s Stealth Revolution, New York: Zone Books.