Austerity

Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan argues that a breakup of the Eurozone would offer no benefits to Ireland, and that the solution instead is to champion a strong, Green economy that ties Ireland ever closer to Europe.

With a rerun of Greek elections taking place this weekend, what are the prospects that the political upheaval in the country will present an opening for the Greens?

Austerity in Britain has a face. That face is female. That face is a mother of a dependent child. A mother with a job – although a job she may well lose in the next couple of years through no fault of her own. A very poor paying, part-time job, renting at high cost in the private sector, in a home that’s poorly insulated and expensive to heat.

In 2012, the urgency seems to have once again reduced the political possibilities for investment into a green conversion of the economy. Therefore, if the Greens want to reinforce their social base for an “ecological re-industrialisation”, they must re-evaluate their definition of what is socially just and share this vision with as many people as possible, starting with social movements, both new and old. This could be their best way for surviving austerity.

Four years into the economic crisis, the global economy continues to verge on catastrophic failure. Debt-fueled capitalism, and its resulting inequalities, appear at fault, but what is the solution?

This afternoon whilst strolling in the university gardens I had a most extraordinary, if not hallucinatory, encounter!

The ‘Occupy movement’ is a successful example of a campaign that has caused social upheaval right at the heart of society.

Austerity or growth, austerity for growth, and maybe for a different kind of growth? In 2012, this debate is on the top of the European agenda. But what should we do if growth is no longer possible?

The re-emergence of the debate on growth must not push the Greens towards fundamentalism. The idea is not to jump into a ‘back to the roots’ movement but rather to review a series of questions that have been left unanswered, without falling into the trap of false dilemmas. In this prospect, is the question of how to reduce inequality in Europe; with or without economic growth, maybe one of the most important?

Contrary to what some neoliberals may claim, successive Portugese Governments have followed sound fiscal policy in order to bring their country into line with Eurozone requirements. However, the austerity being imposed on Portugal by the EU runs the risk of undoing decades of progress, and isolating Portugal from the European economy.