Neoliberalism is the commercialisation of the sectors which might’ve been otherwise supported by the government, and the belief in the free market through capitalist ideology. This is ideologically linked to globalisation, which is where neoliberal entities go global, creating a worldwide market – as well as cultural, political and otherwise communicative links (Larner, 2003, p509). They create competition where it ordinarily wouldn’t be in order to maintain a capitalist society (Kotz, 2002, p68). The stop of state intervention in private companies meant that big business succeeded, which came alongside cutbacks of social programs and austerity across the board (ibid, p70). As this fiscal ideology went worldwide, globalisation allowed individuals and companies to trade across borders – often supported by political leanings, which has led to global corporations taking on some roles of the state (ibid, p73-75).

This has led to a lot of economic failings of the UK being blamed on the public sector, due to entities previously organised and regulated by the state now being controlled privately (Berry, 2021, p244). More noticeably blame and responsibility is put upon the individual – a way to give excuses within the international competition of capitalism (ibid, p244-5). Neoliberalism is destructive to welfare provisions, with targeted public defunding and targeted surveillance (Coleman, 2004, p297). People become products to sell the locations they reside in, expected to have certain lifestyles and education in order to  fit the image sold to investors of their locality (ibid, p298).

Higher education is one area that has been influenced by neoliberalism – giving more honour to mainstream subjects which will be an ‘asset’ to a neoliberal society and being able to influence what new thinkers come into contact with (Radice, 2013, p411). This competitive environment – based on limited spaces and thus competition on gaining a space – mixed with the financial management – lecturers could be sacked at moments notice due to decline in interest for their field of specialism as well as which students had more money to spent on features of university life – meant that higher education was now intrinsically linked to the market (ibid, p411-2).  

Families themselves are often the object of political discourse, being to blame for their own misfortune and even for the failings of wider society (Garwood, 2016, p4-5). Due to the publicity of how children are so affected by their parenting, parents are the subject of competition – whether in their private lives or within the public sphere (De Benedictis, 2012, p3). Under neoliberalism there has been an intensification of parental blame, due to the individualisation of the cause of issues (ibid). Governments have taken away wealth distribution to support struggling families, and will instead provide opportunities or simply be more scrupulous when it comes to these families (ibid, p4). Failing parents are set up as responsible for the mistakes of their children, and therefore irresponsible in society – failing to help rebuild society after these mistakes – most notably pointing to parents in the lower classes of society (ibid, p15).