Description
Book SynopsisIn recent years politics has seen an increasing role in economic policymaking for a technocracy of experts. How do politicians feel about this and how do they balance their political and ethical aims with economic expertise? Anna Killick offers an in-depth study of how politicians engage with economists and economic opinion. Based on interviews with politicians from the main parties in France, Germany, Denmark, the UK and USA, the book highlights the role economic opinion plays in politics and the tension that can arise between democracy and technocracy. Deferring to the experts is shown to be neither viable nor desirable, and that we should trust politicians to take the lead role in solving economic problems.
Trade ReviewAn insightful and rousing call to turn away from technocracy, which has sowed the seeds of polarization and distrust, to reconnect the economy and democracy through being honest about the contested and moral foundations of economic policymaking. I hope that this book will encourage politicians across the world to engage their citizens in debate about what a good economy in the twenty-first century should look like.
-- Joe Earle, co-author of The Econocracy and Reclaiming Economics
Makes for interesting reading, if you’re an economist interested in policy... my main takeaway is that politicians on average have low respect for economists – albeit for varying reasons depending on their country and ideology... interesting detail on the distinctiveness of the French, the much greater polarisation of the Americans, and the identity of the economists or schools of thought different politicians cite.
-- Diane Coyle, enlightenmenteconomics.com
"A lively and thought-provoking read for all those with an interest in strengthening the development of economic policy."
* The Society of Professional Economists Reading Room *
Anna Killick has struck gold once again with an exemplary illustration of what can be learnt by taking the time to sit down with politicians and simply talking to them. Killick navigates her way with admirable adroitness through three interconnected issues: economics, populism and expertise. She paints a highly complex but hugely informative picture of how politicians come to hold certain economic opinions and how they seek to persuade their publics to think likewise. This is an exceptionally important book that deserves to have a significant impact.
-- Matthew Watson, University of Warwick
Anna Killick has written a scholarly, thoroughly researched, book on the interaction between politicians and economists. We have seen, with Brexit and more recently with the Truss administration’s tax cuts, examples of the tension between the two played out in public. This book takes a detailed look at that relationship, drawing on interviews with politicians in the USA, UK, France and Germany in particular.
-- Vince Cable, former leader of the Liberal Democrats
Table of Contents1. Do we need more economic experts?
Part I Politicians’ respect for economists and voters
2. Politicians’ respect for economists
3. Politicians’ relationships with voters
Part II Ideological and national variations
4. The resurgent left’s view of economists
5. Denmark and Germany: "homegrown" economists
6. France: pluralist economics and populist threat
7. Inattentive Anglosphere right
8. Politicians and climate change economists
Part III Educating voters
9. "Educative" politicians rather than technocracy
Appendix
