Neoliberalism Ingrained. The Rise and Consolidation of Neoliberalism in Estonia

Abstract

This article engages with discourses of freedom and liberation through neoliberalisation developed by Estonian elites during that country’s transition from Soviet domination. Building on debates about the importance of neoliberalisation as an analytic concept and about its origins, content and trajectory, the article argues that Estonians were attracted to neoliberal utopias of ‘freedom’ and ‘self-reliance’, which they saw as improvements to the life they had experienced under Soviet domination. The article argues that discourses of ‘freedom’ and the right to be a self-directed individual have acted as mobilising utopias since 1989.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Robert Nozick advocated libertarianism, an extreme view of liberalism, underlining an ultra-minimal state with minimal scope of state functions.

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3 ‘Index of Economic Freedom’, The Heritage Foundation, 2022, available at: http://www.heritage.org/Index/, accessed 20 September 2022.

4 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

5 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

6 Interview 2, Dr Margus Laidre, London, 16 April 2008.

7 Interview 2, Dr Margus Laidre, London, 16 April 2008.

8 ‘Gross Domestic Product and Gross National Income per capita’, Statistical Office of Estonia, available at: https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat/majandus__rahvamajanduse-arvepidamine__sisemajanduse-koguprodukt-(skp)__pehilised-rahvamajanduse-arvepidamise-naitajad/RAA0013/table/tableViewLayout2, accessed 2 May 2022.

9 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

10 Interview 3, Siim Kallas, Brussels, 8 June 2009.

11 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

12 Also, interviews: 11, Dr Ardo Hansson, telephone, 4 November 2008; 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

13 Interview 2, Dr Margus Laidre, London, 16 April 2008.

14 ‘RAA0042: Value Added by Economic Activity (ESA 2010) (Auarters)’, Statistical Office of Estonia, available at: https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat/majandus__rahvamajanduse-arvepidamine__sisemajanduse-koguprodukt-(skp)__sisemajanduse-koguprodukt-tootmise-meetodil/RAA0042, accessed 4 November 2022.

15 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

16 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

17 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

18 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

19 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

20 Interview 6, Prof. Erik Terk, Tallinn, 9 December 2009.

21 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

22 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

23 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

24 Interview 6, Prof. Erik Terk, Tallinn, 9 December 2009.

25 Interview 8, Andres Tarand, Tallinn, 18 May 2009.

26 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

27 Interview 9, Prof. Jaak Leiman, Tallinn, 3 April 2008.

28 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

29 Interview 6, Prof. Erik Terk, Tallinn, 9 December 2009.

30 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

31 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

32 Interview 6, Prof. Erik Terk, Tallinn, 9 December 2009.

33 Interview 6, Prof. Erik Terk, Tallinn, 9 December 2009.

34 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

35 Interview 1, Prof. Enn Listra, Tallinn, 3 September 2008.

36 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

37 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

38 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

39 Interview 12, Tiit Vähi, Tallinn, 8 December 2009.

40 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

41 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

42 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

43 Interview 8, Andres Tarand, Tallinn, 18 May 2009.

44 Estonian Investment Agency, available at: https://investinestonia.com/business-in-estonia/, accessed 2 May 2022.

45 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

46 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

47 Interview 8, Andres Tarand, Tallinn, 18 May 2009.

48 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

49 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

50 Interview 8, Andres Tarand, Tallinn, 18 May 2009.

51 Interview 9, Prof. Jaak Leiman, Tallinn, 3 April 2008.

52 Interview 4, Prof. Rein Ruutsoo, Tallinn, 3 September 2010.

53 Interview 10, Jaak Jõerüüt, Rīga, 7 November 2008.

54 ‘Life Expectancy by Age and Sex’, Eurostat—Statistical Office of the European Union, available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_mlexpec/default/table?lang=en, accessed 4 November 2022.

55 ‘Fertility Rates by Age’, Statistical Office of Estonia, available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/DEMO_FRATE__custom_3759380/default/table?lang=en, last accessed 4 November 2022.

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58 Interview 6, Prof. Erik Terk, Tallinn, 9 December 2009.

59 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

60 Interview 5, Mart Laar, Tallinn, 4 September 2008.

61 Interview 11, Dr Ardo Hansson, telephone, 4 November 2008.

62 Interview 7, Prof. Urmas Varblane, Tallinn, 2 September 2008.

63 Interview 11, Dr Ardo Hansson, telephone, 4 November 2008.

64 ‘Results by National Party: 2019–2024. Estonia’, 2019 European Election Results, European Parliament, available at: https://europarl.europa.eu/election-results-2019/en/national-results/estonia/2019-2024/, accessed 24 November 2021.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert Mikecz

Robert Mikecz, Christ Church Business School, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, CT1 1QU, UK. Email: [email protected]