From Cold War Repression to Think Tank Communication: The Evolution of Neoliberal Authoritarianism and the Criminalization of Climate Activism

This paper examines the ideological and strategic links between Cold War-era authoritarian neoliberalism and contemporary climate obstructionism, arguing that the criminalization of dissent has shifted from anti-communism to anti-environmentalism. Through a genealogical and contextual analysis of think tank networks – particularly the Mont Pèlerin Society (MPS) and the Atlas Network (AN) – grounded in key texts and proceedings published by them or their affiliated institutions, I show how neoliberal thought has long been entangled with fossil capital, militarized epistemologies, and reactionary politics. The study reveals how neoliberal politics, despite its rhetoric of freedom, relies on illiberal measures to enforce market fundamentalism, from Pinochet’s Chile to the rise of figures like Milei and Bolsonaro. By tracing the theological, military, and epistemic dimensions of this dispositif, I analyze neoliberalism’s authoritarian dimensions, showing how climate change denial and the repression of environmental activism serve as modern iterations of Cold War-era ideological hunts. The Southern Cone emerges as a critical site where this continuum is tested, showing the alliance between neoliberalism and authoritarian governance.