Austerity’s real function is permanent structural extraction from many to few

Evidence

Chapter 9 presents empirical evidence on the motives and political endgame of those who conceived austerity as policy. What was presented then and now— the rehabilitation of capital accumulation as a means to save the hungry masses— has time and again delivered on its true purpose: to facilitate permanent and structural extraction of resources from the many to the few. — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 657

Categorization

• XREF: Mirrors modern critiques of austerity (e.g., post-2008 Greece) foregrounding class transfer rather than deficit repair. — connects to: Austerity is voluntary deflation achieved by cutting state budgets to restore competitiveness — Mark Blyth, Austerity: The History of a Dangerous…, 25; Austrian noninterventionism produces permanent rather than temporary austerity — Mark Blyth, Austerity: The History of a Dangerous…, 403; Broader neoliberal shifts enabled austerity’s return to economic common sense — Mark Blyth, Austerity: The History of a Dangerous…, 406 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Austerity is state intervention transferring resources from the many to the few #corroborates (0.95) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 195
• Austerity is an effective class-structure instrument, not an economic error #corroborates (0.90) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 142