Austerity-bred consensus sustains further austerity in a self-reinforcing loop

Evidence

Austerity foments popular consensus for fascist-leaning governments that perpetuate further austerity policies. In a move reminiscent of Mussolini’s policies a century ago—when he spearheaded one of the earliest large-scale privatization efforts in capitalist history—the Milei government, in just ten months, successfully privatized key sectors, including energy, water, sewage management, and railways. The Argentine state opened profitable pockets for private investors but condemned its people to higher utility bills, lower-quality service, and lower accountability. To look closer to home: In Pennsylvania, privatized water companies charged 84 percent more than public ones. In New Jersey, people on private systems pay 79 percent more. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 235

Categorization

• XREF: Key for the reader’s Argentina case study: Milei’s privatization mirrors Mussolini’s, and the US water-price data grounds the argument in the present. — connects to: Austerity persists as an ideology that resists empirical refutation — Mark Blyth, Austerity: The History of a Dangerous…, 613; Austerity persists because commonsense appeal and conservative motives outweigh disproof — Mark Blyth, Austerity: The History of a Dangerous…, 50; National political styles in the US and Europe make austerity attractive despite its failures. — Mark Blyth, Austerity: The History of a Dangerous…, 259 (+10 more)