ABOUT THIS BOOK

In the 1970's, an “age of affluence” ended abruptly in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. Skyrocketing inflation, persistent unemployment, and sluggish growth became new, oppressive realities for government and citizens alike. This book examines the changes that occurred in economic policymaking on the governmental level and the public's response to such changes. This timely collection of essays sheds light on the political economy of three of the world's oldest democracies in an era of economic distress and uncertainty.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Harold D. Clarke is professor of political science, University of North Texas.

Marianne C. Stewart is assistant professor of government, politics, and political economy at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Gary Zuk is assistant professor of political science, Auburn University

REVIEWS

“This is an eminently informative and highly accessible collection of essays which offers a diversity of analytical approaches to the study of the relationships between the polity and the economy in the United States, Great Britain and Canada.”
—Governance

“Think of the 1970s, and images may include 'gas lines,' 'plant closures,' 'stagfration,' 'unemployment,' and an 'energy crisis.' The significance of this unlucky decade was in what it interrupted: the most prosperous period in Western history. The economic upheaval ran against the decades-long assumption of a continually expanding economy under the management of good state policy. . . . The articles in Economic Decline and Political Change are well grounded theoretically and well researched. The book's case studies, showing how 'political change' occurs in a climate of economic crisis, are a welcome addition to current political economy literature.”
—Journal of the American Planning Association

“A contribution worthy of careful scrutiny. First, the authors highlight an important aspect of design so often ignored-they distinguish between Anglo-American and Continental democracies. Second, they provide critical perspectives on the often ignored psychological dimensions that forge a public's commitment to and support for those responsible for securing economic growth and prosperity.”
—Choice

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction: Three Political Economies in an Era of Economic Decline

I. Governments and Economic Policy

2. Adapting Policy-Making Machinery to Fiscal Stress: Canada, Great Britain, and the United States

3. The Monetarist Experiments in the United States and Great Britain: Policy Responses to Stagflation

4. The Politics of Economic Policy-Making: The Shift from Carter to Reagan

5. Global Forces and American Electoral-Economic Cycles

6. Open for Business: Foreign Investment and Trade Issues in Canada

II. Economics, Politics, and Party Support

7. Studying How the Economy Affects Public Attitudes and Behavior: Problems and Prospects

8. The Structure of Public Economic Evaluations: The United States, 1976-84

9. Perceptions of Politics and Economic Policy: A Macroanalysis

III. The Political Economy of Regime Support

10. Political Economy and Political Legitimacy: The Link Between Economic Policy and Political Trust

11. Public Reactions to Economic Performance and Political Support in Contemporary Liberal Democracies: The Case of Canada

Notes on Contributors

Index

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