EuroTragedy : A Drama in Nine Acts

EuroTragedy, listed by both Foreign Affairs and The Financial Times as one of the best books of 2018, is an authoritative history of the Eurozone from its origins in the post-World II era to the ongoing crisis that has wracked it since the 2008 financial crisis. It shows how the European push for integration was based on illusions and pursued in the face of warnings that the pursuit of unity was based on weak foundations. This updated paperback edition features coverage of the most important events that have occurred since the publication of the original hardcover edition.

Blending economic analysis with political drama, EuroTragedy chosen by both Foreign Affairs and The Financial Times as one of the best books of 2018is a groundbreaking account of the euros history and tragic consequences. In this vivid and compelling chronicle, Ashoka Mody describes how the euro improbably emerged through a narrow historical window as a flawed compromise wrapped in a false pro-European rhetoric of peace and unity. Drawing on his frontline experience as an official with the IMF, Mody situates the tragedy in a fast-paced global context and guides the reader through the forcedand unforcederrors Eurozone authorities committed during their long financial crisis. The decision to switch from national currencies to the euro unfolded as both economic and political tragedy. It weakened the growth potential of member states, which made financially vulnerable Europeans more anxious. It deepened perceptions of unfairness and widened the division between nations. Now, the burden falls on younger Europeans, a generation with a discouragingly bleak future. A compassionate view of European possibilities, EuroTragedy makes clear that the euros structural flaws will continue to haunt the continent. Instead of centralizing authority to prop up an ossified pro-Europeanist model, it is time to loosen ties that bind too tightly so that a liberal order can once more flourish. Now updated to cover the most momentous events since original publication, this will remain the authoritative book on the crisis.