A Discussion of Mark Blyth's Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea

Abstract

The ongoing Eurozone crisis has brought to the fore the discourse of “austerity.” A number of countries, most dramatically Greece, have been called upon to institute policies of fiscal austerity as a condition of further support from the international financial community. The situation has generated some serious disagreements among economists, policymakers, and indeed important financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank. Mark Blyth’s Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea speaks directly to these ongoing current debates. We have invited a range of political scientists working on related issues to comment on the book’s arguments and their relevance to the work that they do.