Ideology and power: The influence of current neo-liberalism in society

Abstract

Understanding power requires analysis of the intra-personal, interpersonal, inter-group as well as the ideological levels. The present study demonstrates the importance of the ideological level. A longitudinal analysis (1984-2005) of media language in Norwegian public discourse demonstrates how the current globalised capitalist market ideology has increasingly permeated this long-established Scandinavian welfare state; individualism increasing at the cost of communal values. The current hegemonic shift is reflected in that the usage of the Norwegian equivalents of 'I'/'me' has increased considerably whereas 'we'/'us' has been stable. Usage of words such as 'solidarity', 'common/communal/shared', 'welfare society', 'duty/obligation' and 'equality' has decreased, whereas 'right/entitlement', 'optional' and 'freedom to choose' has increased. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.