Ireland under austerity : neoliberal crisis, neoliberal solutions / edited by Colin Coulter and Angela Nagle.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Coulter, Colin, 1966-

Nagle, Angela.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Financial crises--Ireland--History--21st century.

Financial crises.

Debts, Public.

Neoliberalism.

History.

Economic conditions.

Economic policy.

Ireland--Economic policy--21st century.

Ireland.

Ireland--Economic conditions--21st century.

Neoliberalism--Ireland--History--21st century.

Debts, Public--Ireland.

Economic history.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 297 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Manchester, UK : Manchester University Press, 2015.

Summary:

Once held up as a 'poster child' for the benefits of untrammeled capitalist globalisation, the Irish Republic has more recently come to represent a cautionary tale for those tempted to tread the same neoliberal path. The crash in the world economy had especially grave repercussions for Ireland, as it only narrowly escaped bankruptcy by negotiating emergency loans at punitive rates from the IMF, EU and ECB. A series of austerity measures introduced by successive Irish governments and overseen by the institutions of global finance has seen the country endure what some consider the most substantial 'adjustment' ever experienced in a developed society during peacetime. In this collection of essays, a range of academics, economists and political commentators delineate the reactionary course that Ireland has followed since the ignominious demise of the Celtic Tiger. A central thread that runs through the book is that the forces of neoliberalism have employed the economic crisis they caused to advance policies that are in their own very narrow interests. The host of regressive measures imposed since the onset of global recession has fundamentally restructured Irish society and will continue to do so long after public anger recedes and the national humiliation of the 'bailout' fades from memory. Ireland under austerity provides a critical and engaging account of what has happened to a society that in recent years has, more than most, mapped out the pernicious cycle of boom and bust that remains an essential hallmark of contemporary capitalism. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Ireland under austerity: an introduction to the book / Colin Coulter Coulter, Colin 1

Part I The political economy of crisis in Ireland

2 False economy: the financialisation of Ireland and the roots of austerity / Conor McCabe McCabe, Conor 47

3 Interpretations of the Irish economic crash / Kieran Allen Allen, Kieran 66

4 A perfect storm: crisis, capitalism and democracy / Sinéad Kennedy Kennedy, Sinéad 86

5 Ireland and the new economy / Angela Nagle Nagle, Angela 110

Part II Casualties of the crisis in Ireland

6 Ireland's disappeared: suicide, violence and austerity / Michael Cronin Cronin, Michael 133

7 The impact of the crisis on Irish women / Alison Spillane Spillane, Alison 151

8 Defiance and hope: austerity and the community sector in the Republic of Ireland / John Bissett Bissett, John 171

9 All aboard the migration nation / Gavan Titley Titley, Gavan 192

Part III Lessons of the crisis for the Irish left

10 Lessons from the era of Social Partnership for the Irish labour movement / Francisco Arqueros-Fernández Arqueros-Fernández, Francisco 219

11 Ireland, the left and the European Union Daniel Finn 241

12 Business in Ireland is too important to be left to Irish business / Michael Taft Taft, Michael 260.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780719091995

0719091993

OCLC:

907194351