In the Face of Fear:In the Face of Fear:The Persistence of Popular The Persistence of Popular Neoliberalism in CaliforniaNeoliberalism in California

ByBy

Daniel VillanuevaDaniel Villanueva

OutlineOutline

Origins of an Identity: The Boston Tea PartyOrigins of an Identity: The Boston Tea Party

A Changing identity: The Tax Revolt Movement in A Changing identity: The Tax Revolt Movement in CaliforniaCalifornia

Beyond California: The Spread of Popular NeoliberalismBeyond California: The Spread of Popular Neoliberalism

Current Manifestations: “Tea Party Protests”Current Manifestations: “Tea Party Protests”

ConclusionsConclusions

The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party

• Direct Action by colonists in 1773Direct Action by colonists in 1773

• Response to increasing taxes on imported goods Response to increasing taxes on imported goods and lack of representation within parliament.and lack of representation within parliament.

• Symbolic importanceSymbolic importance

The Tax Revolt Movement in California

AB 80 (1966) Assembly bill that standardized property values at 25% of the market

value.

Proposition 1 (1973) Failed tax return backed by Governor Ronald Regan and Howard

Jarvis.

Proposition 8 (1978) Backed by Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown

Proposition 13 (1978) Backed by Howard Jarvis,

Paul Gann, and Ronald Regan

Beyond CaliforniaBeyond California Similar movements in other states Similar movements in other states

implemented their own versions of implemented their own versions of tax reduction and spending limits tax reduction and spending limits after proposition 13 passed. after proposition 13 passed.

Ronald Regan’s reputation for tax Ronald Regan’s reputation for tax reduction and limiting government reduction and limiting government spending aided in his 1980 spending aided in his 1980 Presidential election.Presidential election.

Tax reduction, spending reduction, Tax reduction, spending reduction, market liberalization, and money market liberalization, and money supply regulation became the four supply regulation became the four pillars of Reaganomics (Niskanen, pillars of Reaganomics (Niskanen, 1988).1988).

The liberalizing of the U.S. markets The liberalizing of the U.S. markets forced other countries to follow suit, forced other countries to follow suit, as U.S. dollar was international as U.S. dollar was international reserve currency (Gowan, 1999).reserve currency (Gowan, 1999).

Tea Party Protests

Tea Party Protests: 2009-Present Fear of taxation and “redistribution of wealth” Fear of state expenditures from Obama’s

stimulus package. Funded by corporate lobbyists like Koch industries and

run by Americans for Prosperity, and FreedomWorks. Supported by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association.

The Role of FearThe Role of Fear

When emotions, like fear, are cued, voters When emotions, like fear, are cued, voters are more likely to be persuaded and are more likely to be persuaded and vigilant on an issue (Brader, 2005).vigilant on an issue (Brader, 2005).

The combination of real and imagined The combination of real and imagined threats engendered fear in each instance threats engendered fear in each instance that shape popular perspective and that shape popular perspective and decision making.decision making.

The Role of SymbolismThe Role of Symbolism

Affinities manufactured with the Boston Affinities manufactured with the Boston Tea Party are used to justify legitimacy of Tea Party are used to justify legitimacy of movements, and to act out and adhere to movements, and to act out and adhere to an imagined identity that has come to an imagined identity that has come to symbolize the essence of what it means to symbolize the essence of what it means to be “American.”be “American.”

Conclusions The use of fear to persuade and convince

individuals has been combined with the symbolic imagery of the Boston Tea Party to create/recreate a popular identity that is congruent with Neoliberal policy despite being contrary to individual interests.

The EndThe End