Ordoliberalism and the Rethinking of Liberal Rationality

Abstract

Ordoliberalism is often referred to as the German version of neoliberalism and the dominant economic ideology behind the European economic constitution. Following the German experience of the interwar period, ordoliberal theory is best known for its emphasis on state and rule-based coordination for a functioning market economy. This article deals with the intellectual genealogy of ordoliberalism. It challenges conventional interpretations that frame ordoliberalism as a reaction to historical events, political ideologies, or competing economic theories. Instead of a political or economic doctrine, the project examines ordoliberalism as a philosophical and moral program that formulated itself in opposition to classical liberalism.