La austeridad ha fallado: Thomas Piketty

La austeridad ha fallado.

Carta abierta de Thomas Piketty a Angela Merkel Publicado en jul 8 2015 - 8:01am Por Carlos Thomas Piketty et al | The Nation | 7/7/2015

La interminable austeridad que Europa esta imponiendo al pueblo griego simplemente no funciona. Ahora Grecia ha dicho bien alto que ya basta. Como casi todo el mundo sabia, las exigencias financieras impuestas por Europa han machacado la economia griega, han conducido al desempleo masivo, han colapsado el sistema bancario y han convertido la crisis de la deuda externa en un problema mucho mas grave, con la deuda disparada hasta un impagable 175% del PIB. La economia esta destrozada, con los ingresos fiscales cayendo en picado, la produccion y el empleo deprimidos, y los negocios hambrientos de capital.

El impacto humanitario ha sido colosal -el 40% de los ninos viven en la pobreza, la mortalidad infantil se esta disparando, y el paro juvenil se acerca al 50%-. La corrupcion, la evasion de impuestos y la mala gestion contable de los anteriores gobiernos griegos ayudaron a crear el problema de la deuda. Los griegos han cumplido con gran parte de las exigencias de austeridad de la canciller Angela Merkel: recortes salariales, recortes del gasto gubernamental, recortes de pensiones, privatizaciones, desregulaciones y subidas de impuestos.

Pero los llamados 'programas de ajuste' con que se ha castigado a Grecia en los ultimos anos solo han servido para crear una Gran Depresion como no se veia en Europa desde el periodo 1929-1933. La medicina recetada por el ministro de finanzas aleman y por Bruselas ha hecho desangrarse al paciente y no ha curado la enfermedad.

Los firmantes instamos a la canciller Merkel y a la Troika a considerar un cambio de rumbo, a evitar un desastre mayor y a facilitar la permanencia de Grecia en la Eurozona. En este momento, al Gobierno griego se le pide que se ponga una pistola en la cabeza y apriete el gatillo.

Desgraciadamente, la bala no solo acabara con el futuro de Grecia en Europa. El dano colateral supondra acabar con la Eurozona como paradigma de esperanza, democracia y prosperidad, y podria tener consecuencias de largo alcance en todo el mundo. En la decada de 1950, Europa se fundo sobre la condonacion de deudas pasadas, sobre todo alemanas, lo que supuso una enorme contribucion al crecimiento economico de la posguerra y a la paz.

Hoy necesitamos reestructurar y reducir la deuda griega, darle a la economia un respiro para que se recupere y permitir a Grecia amortizar esa deuda ya reducida durante un plazo de tiempo suficientemente largo. Ahora es el momento de dar una repensada humana a ese punitivo y fracasado programa de austeridad de los ultimos anos y llegar a un acuerdo para hacer una quita considerable sobre la deuda griega y para aplicar unas medidas de las que tan necesitada esta Grecia.

Canciller Merkel, nuestro mensaje es claro: la instamos a dar ese paso crucial como lider, por Grecia y Alemania, y tambien por el resto del mundo. La historia la recordara por lo que haga esta semana. Esperamos y confiamos en que tenga usted hacia Grecia un gesto valiente y generoso. Un gesto en favor de Europa y de las generaciones que estan por venir.

Sin embargo veamos como actua el Neoliberalismo

http://iniciativadebate.org/2015/07/08/la-austeridad-ha-fallado-carta-abierta-de-thomas-piketty-a-angela-merkel/

Austerity Has Failed:

An Open Letter From Thomas Piketty to Angela Merkel Five leading economists warn the German chancellor, "History will remember you for your actions this week."

By Thomas Piketty , Jeffrey Sachs , Heiner Flassbeck , Dani Rodrik and Simon Wren-Lewis July 7, 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, June 29, 2015.

(Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch)

The never-ending austerity that Europe is force-feeding the Greek people is simply not working. Now Greece has loudly said no more. Global campaign group Avaaz organized this open letter to Angela Merkel on the back of a petition, signed by over half a million Europeans, demanding an end to the failed austerity program in Greece. As most of the world knew it would, the financial demands made by Europe have crushed the Greek economy, led to mass unemployment, a collapse of the banking system, made the external debt crisis far worse, with the debt problem escalating to an unpayable 175 percent of GDP.

The economy now lies broken with tax receipts nose-diving, output and employment depressed, and businesses starved of capital. The humanitarian impact has been colossal--40 percent of children now live in poverty, infant mortality is sky-rocketing and youth unemployment is close to 50 percent. Corruption, tax evasion and bad accounting by previous Greek governments helped create the debt problem. The Greeks have complied with much of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's call for austerity--cut salaries, cut government spending, slashed pensions, privatized and deregulated, and raised taxes.

But in recent years the series of so-called adjustment programs inflicted on the likes of Greece has served only to make a Great Depression the likes of which have been unseen in Europe since 1929-1933. The medicine prescribed by the German Finance Ministry and Brussels has bled the patient, not cured the disease. Together we urge Chancellor Merkel and the Troika to consider a course correction, to avoid further disaster and enable Greece to remain in the eurozone. Right now, the Greek government is being asked to put a gun to its head and pull the trigger. Sadly, the bullet will not only kill off Greece's future in Europe.

The collateral damage will kill the Eurozone as a beacon of hope, democracy and prosperity, and could lead to far-reaching economic consequences across the world. "Right now, the Greek government is being asked to put a gun to its head and pull the trigger."--Piketty, et al. In the 1950s, Europe was founded on the forgiveness of past debts, notably Germany's, which generated a massive contribution to post-war economic growth and peace. Today we need to restructure and reduce Greek debt, give the economy breathing room to recover, and allow Greece to pay off a reduced burden of debt over a long period of time.

Now is the time for a humane rethink of the punitive and failed program of austerity of recent years and to agree to a major reduction of Greece's debts in conjunction with much needed reforms in Greece. To Chancellor Merkel our message is clear; we urge you to take this vital action of leadership for Greece and Germany, and also for the world. History will remember you for your actions this week. We expect and count on you to provide the bold and generous steps towards Greece that will serve Europe for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Heiner Flassbeck, former State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry of Finance

Thomas Piketty, Professor of Economics at the Paris School of Economics

Jeffrey D. Sachs, Professor of Sustainable Development, Professor of Health Policy and Management, and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University

Dani Rodrik, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, Harvard Kennedy School

Simon Wren-Lewis, Professor of Economic Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

* Thomas Piketty is Professor of Economics at the Paris School of Economics. Jeffrey Sachs is Professor of Sustainable Development, Professor of Health Policy and Management, and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Heiner Flassbeck is former State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry of Finance. Dani Rodrik is Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, Harvard Kennedy School. Simon Wren-Lewis is Professor of Economic Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.