Framed as a hegemonic, all-powerful ideology, neoliberalism is said to have become the ‘common sense of the times’. That a global financial crisis caused by neoliberal economics did not seriously challenge its dominance appeared to confirm this view (Harvey, 2010; Callinicos, 2010; Crouch, 2011). It is thus timely to evaluate to what degree and in what ways neoliberalism has shaped attitudes towards social citizenship over the past three decades. The preceding four empirical chapters explored a range of propositions tapping into New Zealand views about the right to decent work and wages, economic and social security, healthcare, education and superannuation, as well as the principle of equality. Analysis has illustrated that support for social citizenship survived into the 21st century, even if most New Zealanders would not use or recognise the term ‘social citizenship’ as defined by Marshall (2000). Nonetheless, in summarising key attitudinal trends across three phases of neoliberalisation and across three countries, the first section of this chapter provides evidence that New Zealand rolled over and endorsed (or at least came to accept) neoliberal values in key policy areas, most notably social security. The book concludes by considering how these findings can inform advocates wishing to galvanise public support for social citizenship in the 21st century and beyond.

Neoliberalism's coherent yet diverse impact on public attitudes

Drawing upon Peck and Tickell's (2002) scholarly work, this book conceived neoliberalisation as implemented first through a phase of neoliberal retrenchment that attempted to roll-back the welfare state. Public dissatisfaction, however, contributed to the emergence of a second, roll-out phase whereby efforts to moderate the social outcomes of neoliberalism helped embed its fundamental economic agenda. This book has contended that a third, roll-over phase of neoliberal governance then emerged. In the context of a global financial crisis, this initially spurned some aspects of neoliberalism but, in the longer term, continued to normalise a neoliberal economic agenda alongside further welfare state retrenchment (although to differing degrees in varied political settings). As this section illustrates, the New Zealand case study in this book provides evidence that public attitudes have rolled over in some but not in all policy areas. Despite considerable coherence in neoliberalisation's impact in all three countries studied, New Zealanders also appear to have accepted some neoliberal values to a greater extent than their British and Australian counterparts.