Politics in the age of austerity

"In a world of increasing austerity measures, democratic politics comes under pressure. With the need to consolidate budgets and to accommodate financial markets, the responsiveness of governments to voters declines. However, democracy depends on choice. Citizens must be able to influence the c...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Cambridge 2013
Polity Press
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19128712124919469949-Politics-in-the-age-of-austeri.htm
_version_ 1771659902205296640
collection Library items
description "In a world of increasing austerity measures, democratic politics comes under pressure. With the need to consolidate budgets and to accommodate financial markets, the responsiveness of governments to voters declines. However, democracy depends on choice. Citizens must be able to influence the course of government through elections and if a change in government cannot translate into different policies, democracy is incapacitated. Many mature democracies are approaching this situation as they confront fiscal crisis. For almost three decades, OECD countries have - in fits and starts - run deficits and accumulated debt. As a result, an ever smaller part of government revenue is available today for discretionary spending and social investment and whichever party comes into office will find its hands tied by past decisions. The current financial and fiscal crisis has exacerbated the long-term shrinking government discretion; projects for political change have lost credibility. Many citizens are aware of this situation: they turn away from party politics and stay at home on Election Day."
format TEXT
geographic developed countries
id 19128712124919469949_c941cfdbf4bd450388d5ca6396a31ae6
institution ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
is_hierarchy_id 19128712124919469949_c941cfdbf4bd450388d5ca6396a31ae6
is_hierarchy_title Politics in the age of austerity
language English
physical VI, 320 p.
Paper
publishDate 2013
publisher Cambridge
Polity Press
spellingShingle capitalism
democracy
economic recession
government policy
public opinion
Politics in the age of austerity
title Politics in the age of austerity
topic capitalism
democracy
economic recession
government policy
public opinion
url https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19128712124919469949-Politics-in-the-age-of-austeri.htm