In the struggle to get Britain working, the long shadow of austerity could be part of the problem

Austerity is an unusual economic concept. While it is one of the economic terms that attracts the most interest from the public, it remains controversial in policy debates. Advocates argue that reducing government deficits through spending cuts and tax increases restores confidence and stabilises economies. Critics, however, warn that these policies just deepen downturns.

My recent research, using data from 16 countries over several decades, provides new evidence supporting the second view. That…

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