From anomie to order – structural roots and values underpinning anomie in capitalist societies and its political consequences

Drawing on classical sociological perspectives from Durkheim, Parsons, Marx, and Polanyi, alongside the newer Institutional Anomie Theory, this paper explores how market dominance penetrates and reshapes institutions, cultural values and social relations, thereby fostering a state of anomie. As the crisis of global financial capitalism intensifies, capitalism increasingly adopts authoritarian forms – shifting from anomie to order. The paper argues that these anomic tendencies inherent in capitalist societies contribute to the rise of libertarian authoritarianism – a right-wing countermovement that merges libertarian ideals with authoritarian governance and closely aligned with the growing influence of Big Tech. Libertarian authoritarianism is a dual-crisis response: First, to the structural crises of capitalist markets and the erosion of democratic institutions; second, to the cultural crisis of individuality under hegemonic market logic. The paper concludes by exploring the potential for a progressive countermovement, emphasising the importance of political agency in resisting authoritarian trajectories.