Book Review: Aris Trantidis, Clientelism and Economic Policy: Greece and the Crisis
| DOI | 10.1177/1478929917719413 |
| Date | 01 November 2017 |
| Author | Nikos Sotirakopoulos |
| Published date | 01 November 2017 |
| Subject Matter | Book ReviewsPolitical Theory |
617
argues that Marxism, which is essentially
Clientelism and Economic Policy: Greece
Eurocentric, needs to be reworked in order to
and the Crisis by Aris Trantidis. Abingdon:
meet the diverse challenges in the changing
Routledge, 2016. 256pp., £90.00 (h/b), ISBN
world. To do so, Marxism needs to be inte-
9781138101401
grated closely with certain schools like femi-
nism, ecology and post-colonialism.
Covering more than three decades of Greece’s
Interestingly, Munck does not try to be pro-
recent political history, Aris Trantidis’ book
phetic about the imminent future of Marx’s
offers a historical and analytical coverage of the
ideas, but instead emphasises the need to revi-
interplay between Greek politics and economic
talise certain Marxist theoretical frameworks.
policy. The book explains why Greece’s clien-
For instance, he underlines the importance of
telist system avoided implementing deep-
reformulating the already cluttered global
cutting structural reforms even when it was
working class (p. 94).
urgent to do so due to the poor state of the econ-
Extending across nine chapters, this book
omy and pressures from the European Union.
lucidly brings out the fascinating engagement
In addition, the book makes a solid theoretical
between Marx and the growing anthropocen-
contribution to the literature on economic pol-
tric and ecological crisis resulting from the
icy and institutional reform, by showing the
greed of capitalism; the inner contradiction in
degree to which party politics shapes the design
Marx’s analysis of the proletarian revolution
and implementation of these policies.
in advanced capitalist societies; and the inca-
The book covers more than three decades
pacity of workers, against Marx’s own under-
of modern Greek political history and the fate
standing, to be the proactive agents of global
of the various attempts to reform the rigid and
social transformation. It also highlights the
...
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