Overview
- Takes an original methodological view that crises are inherently constructed entities
- Contends that agents have unequal power in times of crisis and crisis resolution
- Links the crisis of 1976–9 and that of in terms of policy response to the former
- Recasts the 2007 crisis as a British crisis in light of this understanding
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: Building a Sustainable Political Economy: SPERI Research & Policy (SPERIRP)
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About this book
This book explores two recent crises in British political economy: the crisis of 1976–9, for which the trade unions were impugned, and the 2007 economic crisis, for which bankers were (at least initially) blamed. The author argues that the “crisis resolution” of the former – principally the Thatcherite reforms of the 1980s – led to the emergence of the banking crisis. Further, Kirkland demonstrates how narratives of blame have emerged and were used in both instances to promote specific agendas. Narrations of blame and crises were used to curb the trade union powers in the 1980s, whilst the 2007 crisis was quickly reframed as one of excessive government spending, which in turn has led to policies of austerity.
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Keywords
Table of contents (6 chapters)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Christopher Kirkland is Lecturer in Politics at the University of Liverpool, UK. His current research explores elections in British politics, in particular second-order and low turnout elections.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Political Economy of Britain in Crisis
Book Subtitle: Trade Unions and the Banking Sector
Authors: Christopher Kirkland
Series Title: Building a Sustainable Political Economy: SPERI Research & Policy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59238-1
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-59237-4Published: 20 July 2017
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-86577-5Published: 02 August 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-59238-1Published: 05 July 2017
Series ISSN: 2946-3394
Series E-ISSN: 2946-3408
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIII, 207
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations, 8 illustrations in colour
Topics: International Political Economy, Political Sociology, British Politics, Public Finance, Labor Economics