Enclosure and Neoliberalism in Global Capitalism

Abstract

In the past few decades, privatization and commodification have become decisive features of global capitalism. From housing and
welfare to infrastructure and public services, assets and spaces that were once organized as collectives or public goods are increasingly being
transformed into private, market regulated forms. However, what is particularly noteworthy is that these processes are not only constantly expanding, but also still exist in the face of repeated economic crises, social resistance, and increasing inequality. The core argument presented
in this article is that neoliberal privatization represents a contemporary and diverse form of enclosure in global capitalism. It is crucial that
these processes are legitimized through the discourse of freedom, responsibility, and choice, redefining market dependence as individual empowerment. By critically comparing enclosure and neoliberalism, this article demonstrates how capitalism has survived crises, but through its
ability to reshape control mechanisms in the language of liberation. The analysis first outlines the political origins of enclosure and property
relations, then examines neoliberalism as a project of accumulation by dispossession, and finally compares their shared mechanisms of state
power, legal restructuring, and ideological legitimation in contemporary political-economic contexts."