Fiscal Policy Convergence From Reagan to Blair: The Left Veers Right (Routledge Frontiers of Political Economy, 53)

The seemingly ever rightward tilting fiscal policies of both USA & UK continued from their beginnings under Thatcher and Reagan, emerging victorious from the theoretical challenges of the Clinton and Blair regimes to a position of perhaps unassailable strength today. I really enjoyed reading this book, which charts the fiscal policy convergence on both sides of the atlantic. It often pays off to read something like this to remind yourself just how much things have changed since 1979. The writing quality surprised me the most, having expected a dry, arid description of fiscal policy, I was delighted to find that the book was lucidly written in a fairly accessible style that meant it was finished and ready to be re-read after a day or so - always a good sign! "It is often assumed that left-of-center governments in the US and Britain supported policies that would lead to ever-increasing public spending and higher taxes. Right-of-center governments, by way of contrast, are expected to support policies that reduce public spending and lower taxes. These characterizations were reinforced with the advent of Reaganomics and Thatcherite economic policy in the 1980s." "The elections of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair in the 1990s paradoxically saw the consolidation and completion of critical aspects of the Reagan-Thatcher fiscal agenda, a process that Fiscal Policy from Reagan to Blair critically analyzes. It has been previously thought that this process of adopting common fiscal policies was caused by economic integration and globalization, but this book reveals a much more comprehensive explanation - and one that includes domestic factors." "Whether fiscal policy conversion is seen as a good or bad occurrence, this book shall unite both left and right to better explain the process. Students and academics of international political economy, public policy and politics will find this book a good addition to their reading lists."--BOOK JACKET

the Elections Of Bill Clinton And Tony Blair In The 1990s Saw The Consolidation And Completion Of Critical Aspects Of The Reagan-thatcher Fiscal Agenda. This Impressive Book Critically Analyzes This Process. It Has Been Previously Thought That This Process Of Adopting Common Fiscal Policies Was Caused By Economic Integration And Globalization, fiscal Policy From Reagan To Blair Reveals A Much More Comprehensive Explanation - One That Includes Domestic Factors. Whether Fiscal Policy Conversion Is Seen As A Good Or A Bad Thing, This Book Shall Unite Both Left And Right In Better Explaining The Process. Students And Academics Of International Political Economy, Public Policy And Politics Will Find This Book To Be A Good Addition To Their Reading Lists.

Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 List of illustrations......Page 14 Foreword......Page 16 Preface......Page 18 Acknowledgments......Page 22 List of abbreviations......Page 24 Policy ideas and partisan convergence......Page 26 Paradigms, coalitions, and directional shifts in economic policy......Page 48 Deficit reduction and tax reform in the Reagan Thatcher era......Page 66 Deficit reduction and tax reform under Clinton and Blair......Page 96 Summary......Page 128 Notes......Page 144 Bibliography......Page 162 Index......Page 170 This book charts the rise of consensus politics over the last two decades that has seen Republican and Conservative economic policy under Reagan, Bush, Thatcher and Major change little with Democrat and 'New' Labour under Clinton and Blair