From Stagnation to Forced Adjustment: Reforms in Greece, 1974-2010

Ever since Greece's 1974 transition to democracy there has been constant talk of reforms. Major changes in its economy, society and polity have attempted to bring Greek institutions and policies in line with more developed West European countries. Some reforms have come to fruition (creation of the NHS, Eurozone entry, banking liberalisation, some privatisations), others have recurred over the years (educational reform), while others have been spasmodic and elusive (pension and civil service reforms). The Greek malaise, widely felt and discussed in the country, has intensified the need for yet further reforms, yet attempts to introduce them has also fuelled systematic resistance from organised interest groups, which has led to a broadly perceived sense of inertia and stagnation, or at least truncated progress. This book sets out the background to Greece's current political and economic crisis, examining its three decades of stopstart reforms and their political and institutional consequences.

About the Author :
George Pagoulatos is Associate Professor of Politics at the Department of International & European Economic Studies, Athens University of Economics & Business and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges. Haridimos Tsoukas holds the Columbia Shipping Company Chair of Organization and Management at the University of Cyprus, and is Professor of Organization Studies at Warwick Business School, University of Warwick. He is editor-in-chief of Organization Studies, a European management journal. Stathis N. Kalyvas is Arnold Wolfers Professor of Political Science and Director of the Program on Order, Conflict, and Violence. He is the author of The Logic of Violence in Civil War (2006) and The Rise of Christian Democracy in Europe (1996).

Review :
'This is the best volume yet on recent economic policy in Greece. It combines analytic rigor with a command of critical economic, legal, and historical details. Eschewing overly technical analysis, this group of authors recognizes that the causes of Greece's dilemmas and the future trajectory of Greek reform rest above all on domestic politics. Greek politicians, they argue, can act more freely and effectively than many observers realise.' 'Aims to provide a comprehensive study of reform attempts in Greece in a wide range of policy areas, with a theoretical underpinning. The list of authors includes some of the best experts on Greece. - This book is extremely topical and it will remain so for some time.' 'This is an engrossing account and the best research that has yet been published on Greece's reform experience over the past thirty-five years. Closely argued, very readable and stimulating.' 'From Stagnation to Forced Readjustment is a timely book that provides a comprehensive overview of the reform process of Greece since it emerged from dictatorship in 1974 ... This book is highly recommended for scholars and policymakers in multiple fields, including economics, international relations, and political science.'