This book investigates the causes and consequences of crisis in four countries of the Eurozone periphery - Greece, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. The contributions to this volume are provided from country-specific experts, and are organised into two themed subsections: the first analyses the economic dynamics at play in relation to each state, whilst the second considers their respective political situations. The work debates what made these states particularly susceptible to crisis, the response to the crisis and its resultant effects, as well as the manifestation of resistance to austerity. In doing so, Parker and Tsarouhas consider the implications of continued fragilities in the Eurozone both for these countries and for European integration more generally.

Autorentext

Owen Parker is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and Associate Fellow of the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI), both at the University of Sheffield, UK. He has written widely on International Relations and European politics, is co-author of the prominent textbook Politics in the European Union, and has previously worked for the European Commission.

Dimitris Tsarouhas is Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University, Turkey and a Scientific Council Member of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) in Brussels. A former Jean Monnet Chair in European Politics,Tsarouhas has published extensively on European politics, public policy, and Greek-Turkish relations.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Causes and Consequences of Crisis in the Eurozone Periphery (Owen Parker and Dimitris Tsarouhas)

Growing asymmetries between core and periphery

The Euro

Austerity

Continued deadlock?

Chapter 2. Tracing Ireland's 'Liberal' Crisis and Recovery (Seán Ó Riain)

From passive liberalism to state activism within liberal globalisation

Aggressive liberalism and the crisis

Ireland's persistent dilemmas

Chapter 3. The Spanish Economic 'Miracle' that Never was (Luis Buendía)

The political economy of the 'Spanish miracle'

An extensive pattern of growth

The role of Spain in the European division of labour Channelling the funds: the financial sector

The public sector

Who owns what?

The 'miracle' was a mirage

Chapter 4. Portugal's Economic Crisis: Overheating without Accelerating (Neil Dooley)

Revolution and structural reform Portugal 19741990s

Structural reform and 'debt-led' growth: Portugal 19902000

Economic Stagnation and crisis Portugal in the 2000s

Chapter 5. Greece and European Monetary Union: The Road to the Demise of the Greek Economy (Pavlos Gkasis)

Greece's Integration with the EU

Greece in EMU: The Build-up to the Greek Crisis

Response to the crisis

Chapter 6. Narrating Crisis in Ireland's Great Recession (Nicholas Kiersey)

Austerity begins Discourses of partnership and responsibility

A risen people?

Chapter 7. The Unfolding of Spain's Political Crisis: From the Squares to the Ballot Box (Mònica Clua-Losada)

The historical context

Spain's political crisis and regime resilience

Chapter 8. Portuguese Democracy under Austerity: Politics in Exceptional Times (Isabel David)

A young democracy the Portuguese political system

Enter the crisis neoliberal politics and ideological hegemony

From dissent to new political configurations

Chapter 9. Continuity and Change in Greek Politics in an Age of Austerity (Alexandra Prodromidou)

Greek politics post-1974

Chapter 10. Conclusion (Owen Parker and Dimitris Tsarouhas) Economics bubbles that burst and debt-led growth

Politics fragmentation, breakdown, reform