Austerity: The Demolition of the Welfare State and the Rise of the Zombie Economy

Wages have been frozen, benefits have been slashed and public spending squeezed. The pain of a financial crisis caused by bankers and speculators has been borne by ordinary people all over the country – and by the poor and disabled most of all. Yet this has not been born of necessity, argues Kerry-Anne Mendoza, also known as the blogger Scriptonite. Rather, it has been an opportunity seized upon by neoliberals to pursue their decades-long project to shrink government and put Britain’s most cherished public resources – including the NHS and state schools – into private hands. Under cover of an economic emergency, the social democracy that we took for granted is being systematically dismantled and our basic freedoms are under threat. Published in the run-up to the general election in May 2015 to help give voice to campaigns of resistance and democratic alternatives. Kerry-Anne Mendoza is a writer, blogger and activist. She is Editor-in-Chief and founder of The Canary. Previously she was the author of the Scriptonite Daily blog which explored matters of current affairs, politics, economics and ideas. She is also a contributor to New Internationalist, openDemocracy, Trebuchet Magazine, the Occupy News Network and others. She left her career as a Management Consultant having held senior positions in banking, local government and the NHS to be part of the Occupy Movement and has since worked as a writer and campaigner for social, economic and environmental justice. 'Please read this book. In an age of cynicism, disinformation, sloppy journalism and despair, this is a joy – a heart-breaking, well-informed, intelligent and important joy. Read this book and tell anyone else you meet to read this book. It could help to save us all.’ - AL Kennedy, writer & performer. Also available as an eBook. Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: New Internationalist (January 2015) Language: English Dimensions: 216 mm x 138 mm