Abstract
The introductory essay reflects on the sources of disequilibrium and instability in the current context, and makes the case for a form of prospective precautionary thinking as a means of anticipating and protecting ourselves against the coming crisis. It does this through an assessment of the difference between the natural pessimism of the political economist and the natural optimism of mainstream economists. The chapter concludes by developing a short overview of the principal sources of risk and pathology in the UK, European and world economies today, relating these to the argument of the chapters to follow and how they each explore themes of disequilibrium and crisis in our present conjuncture and their potential role in the coming crisis.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berry, C., & Hay, C. (2016). The great British “rebalancing” act: The construction and implementation of an economic imperative for exceptional times. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 18(1), 3–25.
Habermas, J. (1975). Legitimation crisis. Boston: Beacon Press.
Hay, C. (1996). Narrating crisis: The discursive construction of the ‘winter of discontent’. Sociology, 30(2), 253–277.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hay, C., Hunt, T. (2018). Introduction: The Coming Crisis, the Gathering Storm. In: Hay, C., Hunt, T. (eds) The Coming Crisis. Building a Sustainable Political Economy: SPERI Research & Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63814-0_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63814-0_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-63813-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-63814-0
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)