Assessing the neoliberal state in the bioeconomy: evidence from Germany

The bioeconomy transformation has become an integral part of the global environmental agenda and its governance has become the subject of intense academic analysis and debate. A recurring theme in social science scholarship is the characterization of the bioeconomy as a neoliberal political project that seeks to commodify and marketize nature, while limiting social inclusion to ensure its success. While this literature has significantly advanced our critical understanding of the bioeconomy, it has been limited by ambiguous analytical criteria, conflicting findings, and a lack of systematic examination of the role and dimensions of the neoliberal state. To address these limitations, we develop a framework that identifies 13 analytical criteria of neoliberal states relevant for understanding the extent to which a state is neoliberal concerning bioeconomy matters. We apply these criteria to the case of the German bioeconomy and find mixed evidence of neoliberalism. Our study contributes to deepening our understanding of the nature of the state in bioeconomy matters, which is essential to achieving the bioeconomy transformation.