A Literary Cocktail Hour – The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism
March 14, 2025
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
A Literary Cocktail Hour: Meet Peter Hutchison & George Monbiot authors of The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism
Please note: This is an online, virtual event. Registration is required.
Register here for access to Zoom link
As we collectively navigate a political landscape as never seen before, the Windham World Affairs Council and their partners will host a weekend of events to examine the forces behind economic inequality, climate disruption, disinformation and an increasingly unstable world order. First, on Friday March 14th, you can meet the authors of a book that comes to us at a time we need it most.
Imagine that the people of the Soviet Union had never heard of Communisim. That’s more or less where we find ourselves today. The dominant ideology of our time, which affects nearly every aspect of our lives, for most of us has no name.
Neoliberalism , a business-backed ideology committed to cutting taxes, busting trade unions, gutting government regulations, and privatizing public services, is the dominant political and economic philosophy of our time. Yet despite capturing both major parties and shaping and controlling virtually every aspect of our lives, it’s a term that’s rarely mentioned in mainstream media and politics, let alone explained or scrutinized.
Since the 1970s, neoliberal policy has dominated the political and economic agenda of the West. Monbiot & Hutchson make a case that neoliberal policies are incompatible with the preservation of life on earth as we know it, and calls for an increase in democratic civic engagement as a remedy for the spiral of alienation and loneliness our consumer society is mired within. The views presented in the book provide critical insight into the causes of the political, environmental and social crises that have come to define our times.
“The Invisible Doctrine” provides a vital and refreshing counter-narrative to neoliberal thought. Drawing upon recent studies that refute the pervasive notion that we are self serving individuals by design. The book does more than merely provide a critique of neoliberalism and the forces that have come to guide our lives. The authors provide a way forward, proposing avenues for the revitalization of community, the commons, democratic participation, and reclamation of government (in particular on the local & community level) thereby planting the seeds for systemic, long-term change.
George Monbiot is a prolific author and Guardian journalist. He has spent a lifetime directly engaged in environmental research & activism around the globe, as well as creative efforts towards community-building and civic engagement. As such, he is innately connected to communities on the cutting edge of new ideas around governance, “the politics of belonging”, and environmental stewardship. He will join us from London.
Peter Hutchison is an award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author, educator and activist.His critically-acclaimed films include “Requiem for the American Dream” (featuring Noam Chomsky), “The Cure for Hate: Bearing Witness to Auschwitz”, “Devil Put the Coal in the Ground”, “Healing from Hate: Battle for the Soul of a Nation” Pete will Zoom in from his home in Brooklyn.
Mix yourslef a drink and enjoy the discussion in the comfort of home. It’s online & free. There is a suggested $10 donation you can make here.
This event is made possible in partnership with he Brattleboro Literary Festival, Latchis Theater, Brooks Memorial Library, Vermont Independent Media, Everyones Books and through generous support from the Vermont Humanities.
Read more…about the second event , a community screening of the book’s companion documentary at The Latchis on Sunday, March 16th at 5 PM.
