Governing through Affect: Sense of Inevitability

This paper explores the complex relationship between neoliberalism and affect, arguing that neoliberalism functions not only as an economic and political system but also as a form of governance that organizes both social and emotional life. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s theory of governmentality and insights from Gabriel Tarde’s affect theory, the paper demonstrates how neoliberalism fosters a "sense of inevitability." This sense frames neoliberalism as the only viable system for organizing contemporary society, effectively suppressing the imagination of alternatives. Furthermore, the paper examines how neoliberalism adopts religious-like attributes by sacralizing the market and promoting post-truth politics, in which knowledge and information become commodified, undermining objective truths. The sacralization of the market allows neoliberalism to conceal its power under the guise of rationality while perpetuating a system of fatalism and disempowerment. This commodification of truth not only weakens critical engagement but also reshapes public discourse, limiting individuals’ and communities’ ability to challenge the status quo. Through this lens, the paper reveals how neoliberalism maintains its dominance by managing affective atmospheres—channeling feelings of resignation, anxiety, and inevitability—while simultaneously weakening democratic participation and diminishing the public sphere. In essence, neoliberalism operates through and within the realm of affect, governing, exploiting, and dismantling the emotional domain. It is not merely the domain of representation or symbol; it also encompasses latent social energies and spectral flows. This research contributes to ongoing debates about the definition of neoliberalism, the resilience of neoliberalism, its ability to adapt to crises, and its profound impact on both individual subjectivity and collective social life.