The Global Minotaur: America, Europe and the Future of the Global Economy

Author(s): Yanis Varoufakis; Paul Mason (Foreword by)

Economics

In this provocative book, Yanis Varoufakis--the fiery former finance minister in Greek's new Syriza-led government--explodes the myth that financialization, ineffective regulation of banks, and generalized greed and globalization were the root causes of the global economic crisis. Rather, he shows, they are symptoms of a much deeper malaise, one that can be traced all the way back to the Great Depression, then through the stagflation of the 1970s, when a "Global Minotaur" was born. Today's deepening crisis in Europe, Varoufakis shows, is just one of the inevitable signs of the weakening Minotaur--of a global system that is now as unsustainable as it is unbalanced. Rather than simply diagnose a problem, however, Varoufakis also offers a solution, a program for introducing reason into what has become a perniciously irrational economic order. An essential, powerfully polemical account of the hidden histories that continue to shape our world and economy today, this book from a major player on the stage of world finance, and with a new introduction by Paul Mason, will be essential reading for economists, policy makers, and regular citizens alike.


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'The emerging rock-star of Europe's anti-austerity uprising' - Daily Telegraph 'The book is one of those exceedingly rare publications of which one can say they are urgent, timely and absolutely necessary.' - Terry Eagleton 'Yanis Varoufakis is a rare economist: skilled at explaining ideas, happy to join in public debates and able to put his discipline in a broader context.' - Aditya Chakrabortty, Guardian lead economics writer 'Yanis is one of the best, brightest and most innovative economists on the planet' - Steve Keen, author of Debunking Economics 'Clearly and strongly written, with logical organization building towards simple conclusions, the book is an easy yet rewarding read ... perhaps should become the standard way we think about the nature of our increasingly dysfunctional world economy.' - Joel Campbell, International Affairs 'In the most comprehensive guide to the contemporary economic crisis yet written, Yanis Varoufakis traces out the path from post-war US economic supremacy to the current predicament. This book's provocative thesis, written in lively and impassioned prose, is that which neither the US nor the EU nor any other nation can now restore robust global growth. Whether you agree or disagree, this book's lively and impassioned prose will engage you both heart and mind, and hold you in thrall to the last word. The Global Minotaur is a masterwork that registers for all time the challenge of our time.' - Prof. Gary Dymski, University of California, Riverside 'If you want to know how serious the current crisis is, you should read his book. With much eloquence, Yanis Varoufakis argues that the current financial problems are connected to the emerging fault lines of the international monetary system. The US (the Minotaur) used to govern the international monetary system, but no more; and this crucially means that there is no surplus recycling mechanism that can reliably stabilise the world economy. The elephant in the room, so to speak, is a stumbling Minotaur.' - Prof. Shaun Hargreaves-Heap, University of East Anglia

Yanis Varoufakis is the former finance minister of Greece and an MP for Syriza. He is also professor of economics at the University of Athens and visiting professor at the University of Texas. Born in Athens in 1961, Varoufakis completed his secondary education in Greece before moving to England where he read mathematics and economics at the universities of Essex and Birmingham. He has taught at various British Universities (Essex, East Anglia, Cambridge, Glasgow), and spent twelve years teaching at the University of Sydney, Australia.

List of Abbreviations Foreword by Paul Mason Preface 1. Introduction 2. Laboratories of the future 3. The Global Plan 4. The Global Minotaur 5. The beast's handmaidens 6. Crash 7. The handmaidens strike back 8. The Minotaur's global legacy: the dimming sun, the wounded tigers, a flighty Europa and an anxious dragon 9. A future without the Minotaur? Postscript Notes Recommended reading Select bibliography Index

General Fields

  • : 9781783606108
  • : Zed Books, Limited
  • : Zed Books, Limited
  • : 0.295
  • : July 2015
  • : 198mm X 129mm X 20mm
  • : United Kingdom
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Yanis Varoufakis; Paul Mason (Foreword by)
  • : Paperback
  • : 1508
  • : English
  • : 330.9045
  • : near fine
  • : 304
  • : illustrations