Sunday 7 December 2014

The new book on austerity by Donna Baines and Stephen McBride


Baines Donna, McBride  Stephen (eds.). 2014.  Orchestrating Austerity: Impacts and Resistance. Halifax: Fernwood Books.

The economic stimulus which followed the 2007-08 global financial crisis has been succeeded by what we now call “austerity” measures – characterized by a renewed assault on public spending and further restructuring of social and labour market policies.
Claiming no viable alternatives exist, neoliberal politicians are selling austerity to the public as a virtuous necessity in the face of government deficits. With insights and inspirational stories of resistance from a range of scholars, as well as labour organizers and activists, Orchestrating Austerity tries to determine if there is something new in this era of austerity or if it is a continuation and intensification of earlier forms of neoliberalism.