Greek Tragedy, European Odyssey: The Politics and Economics of the Eurozone Crisis (Paperback)

The Euro: is it really the crowning achievement of half a century of European integration efforts? Quite the contrary: It seems that the Euro has now become a great threat to the European Union as such. This book explains the impact which the ongoing Eurocrisis has already had on the member states and their inhabitants; and it does so without assuming that the reader is already an expert on any of the topics addressed, making it a both thorough and convenient introduction to the problem area. Sooner or later, any professor teaching courses on international relations, international political economy, or European politics will have to field questions regarding the Eurocrisis. Considering the complexity and relative peculiarity of the topic, the instructor would need to have some sort of supplement to explain the story of the euro. The authors attempt to interpret the crisis and its effects by focusing on three key questions: 1. Why has the Eurocrisis been so severe? 2. Why choose austerity as the solution? 3. Why not abandon the Euro altogether? Exploring these questions, the book allows to develop one's own understanding of the crisis and the difficult policy challenges ahead as the EU grapples with a post-crisis future.