Stuart Holland: Beyond Austerity : Democratic Alternatives for Europe

Beyond Austerity argues that the European Union already has the means to finance the equivalent of the Roosevelt New Deal, which saved the US from Depression in the 1930s, without needing either fiscal federalism or ‘ever closer union’. This is highly relevant to the referendum on British membership of the EU. How can Europe’s economic recovery be accomplished? The European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund can issue Eurobonds that do not count on the debt of EU member states, nor need national guarantees, nor require fiscal transfers between Germany and Greece or any other countries. Heads of state and government in the European Council have the right to define ‘general economic policies’ that the European Central Bank is obliged to support. The European Commission has displaced this important capacity, altough the structure for European recovery was carefully assembled by Jacques Delors, its former President, in conjuction with the author during the 1990s. Another Europe is possible. Who will make the first move beyond austerity and start to put Europe back to work?

Published by Spiokesman
2016
154 pages
987-0-85124-854-7

This book is available here.