The neoliberal in Nordic garb

Despite repeatedly refuting that it is toeing the neoliberal line, the RSP’s stance is blatantly neoliberal.

Throughout its political rise, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has repeatedly rejected the neoliberal label. The party’s official platform has declared that RSP is a centrist force. It has even spelt out its commitments towards a ‘social market economy’, drawing ideological parallels to the egalitarian welfare systems of Scandinavian countries. Several days ago, the party leadership reiterated this stance, explicitly stating that the party does not toe a neoliberal or a communist line nor does it support crony capitalism. However, if one were to audit all the executive decisions, draft manifestoes, legislative proposals and long-term economic plans that the party has put forward so far, one would easily detect a stark disjunction between its progressive rhetoric and the actual policy design.