The Great Recession, Part II

The world could be headed for another economic disaster if we continue to listen to free-market ideologues.

Regrettably, the financial markets and right-wing economists have gotten the problem exactly backward: They believe that austerity produces confidence, and that confidence will produce growth. But austerity undermines growth, worsening the government's fiscal position, or at least yielding less improvement than austerity's advocates promise. On both counts, confidence is undermined, and a downward spiral is set in motion. Full Story »

Posted by Jon Mitchell

See All Reviews »

Review

Randy Morrow
4.0
by Randy Morrow - Jul. 7, 2011

On the contrary, a resurgence of right-wing economics, driven by ideology and special interests, once again threatens the global economy—or at least the economies of Europe and North America, where these ideas continue to flourish. —- The remedies to the U.S. deficit follow immediately from this diagnosis: Put America back to work by stimulating the economy; end the mindless wars; rein in military and drug costs; and raise taxes, at least on the very rich. But the right will have none of this, and instead is pushing for even more tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, together with expenditure cuts in investments and social protection that put the future of the U.S. economy in peril and that shred what remains of the social contract. Meanwhile, the U.S. financial sector has been lobbying hard to free itself of regulations, so that it can return to its previous, disastrously carefree, ways.

The author argues (as how others like Krugman) that austerity programs will lead to disaster.

See All Reviews »

Randy's Rating

Overall
4.0

Good
from 11 answers
Quality
4.1
Information
4.0
Insight
4.0
Style
4.0
Context
5.0
Expertise
4.0
Originality
3.0
Relevance
4.0
Responsibility
4.0
Popularity
4.0
Recommendation
4.0
Credibility
4.0
More How our ratings work »