It is better understood as an ensemble of ideological forces and norms whose primary
aim is to construct a specific kind of social reality, one in which every aspect of human life is managed and evaluated in relation to market demands. In the United States, this ideology took hold in the late 1970s, became dominant in the 1980s, and has been guiding our thought and behavior ever since.
Neoliberalism seeks to extend market logic to social realms where markets did not exist before.