Introduction: Local Public Services in Times of Austerity (original) (raw)
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Introduction: Changes, Challenges and Policy Implications for Europe in Times of Austerity
2017
Publicly provided in-kind social services are a key component of the welfare state in most of Europe, albeit their development trajectories, coverage and legal status still vary considerably among countries. The way such services are provided and made available to people bears significantly on social and territorial cohesion, on the gender balance and, ultimately, on the wealth of any society. On the other hand, while much is discussed and written about social policy and welfare systems, social services are somewhat neglected. Although they have progressively gained a stronger foothold in national legislations and social policy agendas, their status remains weaker compared to health or education services. Moreover, because of the austerity measures brought about by the 2008 financial crisis, they have been the primary object of cuts and reorganisation. And yet, from a social capital and social investment perspective social services should earn much more attention. Cuts in the social service systems have, in fact, very severe consequences on older people and people with disabilities, as well as on households-women-with small children or living in poverty, i.e. on people whose labour market position is weak. The public provision of in-kind services, more than monetary transfers and benefits, represents a social investment that not only generates welfare, social inclusion and jobs, but also reduces future social risks. The theoretical debate on social policy and welfare states needs thus to be enriched by comparatively informed research on the restructuring of social services. This is also a field where national, regional and local variations are large and greater empirical evidence is needed. The aim of this book is to revive the discussion on publicly funded social services and their changes, with a focus on care services (for small children, older persons and other people that are not self-sufficient) and services that enhance the social inclusion of vulnerable groups (immigrants, minorities, recipients of social assistance, homeless people). It addresses the changes that have affected the organisation and supply of publicly supported social services in Europe over the last thirty years. The restructuring of welfare
GOVERNING IN AND AGAINST AUSTERITY: INTERNATIONAL LESSONS FROM EIGHT CITIES
Report of ESRC research into austerity governance, 2017
This report, mainly for non-academic users, summarises the interim conclusions from our ESRC study of austerity governance in eight cities. It also provides an overview of the eight case study cities: Athens, Baltimore, Barcelona, Dublin, Leicester, Melbourne, Montreal and Nantes. We welcome comments and discussion on the CURA website at http://cura.our.dmu.ac.uk/2017/08/16/dissemination-report-governing-in-and-against-austerity/
An introduction to Assessing Austerity
2016
Contributions in Political Economy which reflect on the history, theoretical justification, and the spatial and social implications of austerity policies. This remarkable range of articles explores the political economy of austerity policiesits intellectual origins and justifications, the politics and politicking surrounding austerity, and its uneven spatial and distributional implications. The Economics of Austerity: The Rise and Fall of Keynesian Konzelmann's (2014, this issue) paper sets the stage for understanding the evolution of ideas about economic austerity. After World War Two, when the welfare state was firmly in placeand its social and political popularity protected it from serious cut-backsausterity took a periodic macroeconomic form, designed to stabilise economic activity, protect employment, prevent inflation and avert financial crises. Steeply progressive tax regimes ensured that the cost of these measures was borne proportionately more by the better-off. As a result, during the decades that followed, egalitarianism and an extended period of economic growth delivered greater economic equality and unprecedented improvements in living standards. However, this social and economic progress was undermined, as Kalecki (1943) had predicted, by the failure to create social and political institutions capable of supporting continuously high levels of employment. State management of the economy was ultimately destabilized by the crisis-ridden 1970s, which also discredited worker-friendly legislation, trade union organisation and collective bargaining. The resulting counter-reaction to Keynesianism was led by neo-liberal theorists, who portrayed unemployment as a "natural" phenomenonmade worse by trade union activity, legally enforceable The theoretical justification for austerity was provided by Harvard economists, Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff; and this was seized upon by politicians wanting to reverse course. Reinhard and Rogoff's (2009) study of the long-term historical relationship between public debt and economic growth suggests that following a financial crisis, output and employment recover very slowly and that the average duration of debt overhang episodes is 23 years. This implies a substantial cumulative loss in output, raising concerns about the long-term negative consequences of high levels of public debt. From this, they conclude that in the current context, since growth is slower when public debt is high, austerity is required to reduce public debt-to-GDP ratios to growth-permitting levels. Their 2010 study goes further, identifying a public debt "threshold"-90 percent of GDPat which economic growth contracts.
Eu Type Of Austerity: Brief Analysis And Criticism
Global Economic Observer, 2014
Although it has become a common place to blame austerity policies for lengthening the economic downturn of EU economies, the figures reveal that public spending increased in most of the EU countries between 2007 and 2013. Although budget deficits from EU countries were indeed reduced in the last 4 years, the cutbacks were more the result of increasing government revenues and hiking taxes than of decreasing public expenditures. The article will feature: (1) a brief analysis of the evolution of public spending compared to government revenues in EU countries and also, (2) a concise literature review on austerity, highlighting some of the most important theoretical controversies on this topic. The main thesis defended in the article is that – although EU type of austerity, narrowly focusing on fiscal consolidation, drove indeed to unfavorable economic consequences – the criticism formulated by pro stimulus economists is rather flimsy, given the fact that public expenditures actually inc...
The Politics of Austerity and Public Policy Reform in the EU
Political Studies Review, 2014
The European Union (EU) is at a critical juncture that will either trigger further integration or reinforce a mode of intergovernmental cooperation. The spread of market pressure to a growing number of states demonstrates that the crisis needs to be dealt with at the European and not just the national level. Up to now the ‘politics of extreme austerity’ has been the mainstream recipe promoted to and adopted by member states. The measures are tougher in those countries where there has been external financial assistance (i.e. Greece, Portugal and Ireland) but the rest of Europe is following suit (e.g. Italy and the UK). This introduction outlines the key directions of EU reforms to put into context the more specific cases discussed elsewhere in this symposium. The strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical frameworks employed in the articles are discussed to demonstrate the lessons that the crisis offers for our well-established public policy models and to highlight avenues for further research. Two main arguments are advanced: first, the crisis calls for an interdisciplinary approach to comprehend its full extent and deal with it efficiently; and second, the current political trajectory of the EU calls for urgent changes to strengthen its cohesion and long-term viability.
2017
Introduction From a crisis of the state in Greece to bankruptcy in the city of Detroit, the effects of austerity have had stunning policy implications in much of Europe and North America since the ‘great recession’ started in 2007-08. The history of contemporary austerity is remarkable for how quickly policy consensus was established between global economic institutions, central banks, and national policy makers. After a short flirtation with policies which promoted economic stimulus, politicians in country after country made the case for the necessity of “fiscal consolidation” or austerity, often pushed by the large international lending institutions, such as the IMF, World Bank and the European Central Bank. National (and sub-national) varieties of austerity were rolled out across much of Europe and the US, much as it had been across developing countries in previous decades.
Introduction : the politics of austerity in comparative perspective
2014
The introduction explores the politics and political economy of austerity in comparative perspective, setting out the context of current austerity policies and discourse in Europe. It places the specific exploration of the dynamics and particularities of French austerity politics under Hollande within a broader context of changes since the 1980s to democratic institutions and electoral practices, the politics of European integration and the conditions of complex economic interdependence resulting from processes of deregulation, liberalisation and globalisation. It establishes the rationale behind the focus of the articles in this special issue on, firstly, the link between popular approval of elected politicians, democratic legitimacy and austerity; secondly, the politics and dynamics of state reform processes at the national and subnational levels which are integral to delivering on austerity-oriented commitments to reduce public expenditure; and thirdly, on the increasingly asymme...