The Limits to Capital in Spain: Crisis and Revolt in the European South (International Political Economy Series) - Hardcover

Charnock, G.; Purcell, T.; Ribera-Fumaz, R.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1137319933 ISBN 13: 9781137319937

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014

Synopsis

Since the 1970s, global capitalism has been marked by evermore intense cycles of boom and crisis. Today, Spain is at the epicentre of a crisis that threatens the future of the eurozone. Drawing upon Marxian value theory, Charnock, Purcell, and Ribera-Fumaz explain the deep historical and structural roots of the crisis in Spain, contextualised within global political and economic transformations in recent decades. They analyse the most recent cycle of boom and crisis in Spain, the nexus among European circuits of financial capital, urbanisation, and the emergent dynamics of state austerity and popular revolt - from the indignados movement to demands for an independent Catalonia.

About this title

Review

"The authors make good on their promise to show that within its value-theoretic framework 'open Marxism' can address the 'significant structural changes that differentiate the forms taken by capitalism over space and time'. In doing so, they produce a compelling account of the Spanish crisis, tracing it back to specific characteristics and limitations in its post-war development, and following their impact in a deft narrative that situates current class struggles in Spain in interwoven global, regional (EU), national and local context. It represents a considerable advance on rival approaches within comparative and international political economy, and should be compulsory reading for exponents of 'British' and 'American' IPE, or devotees of the 'varieties of capitalism' contrast between liberal and coordinated market economies. Where these approaches simplify the world and obscure the dynamics of change, Charnock, Purcell and Ribera-Fumaz illuminate them by acknowledging its complexity and giving a clear, multi-layered and theoretically informed account of it. Comparative Open Marxist political economy has come of age." - Paul Cammack, City University of Hong Kong

"A very interesting and innovative feature of this book is how the authors combine theoretical developments in international political economy, state theory and urban geography so as to present an insightful account of crisis and revolt in Spain. This is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the past, present and future of capitalism in the European South." - Miren Etxezarreta, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain

"An excellent and careful analysis of capital's failure in one of the countries in which that failure is most dramatic. A well-narrated tale that makes it clear that it is time to say goodbye to the hateful world of capital." - John Holloway, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico

About the Author

Greig Charnock is Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Manchester, UK.
 
Ramon Ribera-Fumaz is Senior Lecturer at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain, and is a researcher at the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3).
 
Thomas Purcell is Visiting Scholar at IN3 at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain and a member of the Cohabitation Strategies co-operative.

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1137319933
• ISBN 13: 9781137319937
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 196