Merkel, W. (2014) “Failing Union Of Capitalism And Democracy Fuels Rise In Inequality“, Social Europe Journal, 03 June.
Recent weeks have been all about elections and broken promises: from early April to mid-May, half-a-billion Indians went to the polls in what many described an astonishing display of democratic prowess. Later, millions of European citizens elected their representatives to the often-criticised and never much-loved European Union parliament.
Meanwhile, Australian prime minister Tony Abbott decided to break many of his 2013 election promises in his first budget. Many have rightly seen in that document an open assault on the economic welfare of low-income households, and more than a courteous nod to the rich. If the budget is approved, the divide between rich and poor in Australia will most likely increase.
Once more, voters will be left wondering: what is the point of elections if they cannot even solve the problem of socioeconomic inequality?
It would be easy to answer: the problem is that Abbott’s party is liberal. But the truth is unfortunately more problematic: inequality has become in the recent past the Achilles’ heel of democracy. A left-leaning party in government would unlikely make any difference.
Relevant posts:
- Hoffer, F. (2014) “Inequality And Post-neoliberal Globalisation“, Social Europe Journal, 29 May.
- Matsaganis, M. & Leventi, C. (2014) “Poverty and Inequality during the Great Recession in Greece“. Political Studies Review, 12: 209–223.Atkinson, T. & Morelli, S. (2014) “The Chartbook of Economic Inequality“, VoxEU Organisation, 26 March.