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The Broker Online

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Evert-jan Quak

Evert-jan Quak

Evert-jan Quak is now Research Officer for the K4D Programme at the Institute of Development Studies. Evert-Jan was a freelance knowledge broker for The Broker on the themes ‘Inclusive Economy’ and ‘Food Security’. Over his career, he has specialized in international economics, corporate social responsibility and trade issues. Evert-Jan is the author of the book Het onzichtbare label (‘The invisible label’), in which he tackles the question of why current corporate social responsibility policies do not seem to work. Evert-Jan has a degree in international economics and economic geography from the University of Utrecht. He has a mixed professional background, both as a journalist and a policy advisor in international development.

The rebirth of the Eurozone: A living analysis on the alternative routes out of the euro crisis

Is the current recovery policy for the financial and economic crises in the Eurozone a genuine answer for the complexity and diversity of the problems that all member states face? Not really. The responses are too one-sided and mainly export and austerity driven. In particular, the current policy ignores the fact that the euro crisis is a systemic crisis that cannot be overcome with more of the same.

Debts and imbalances – the making of the euro crisis

The structural causes of the euro crisis – high unemployment, low growth rates and debt-ridden states in the eurozone – are not the fault of lazy Greeks, Portuguese and Spaniards. The euro itself cannot be blamed either. The problem is that the European single currency is part and parcel of an economic and financial model which contains all the ingredients for the current crisis.

Capital above labour

Profits are reinvested less in productive sectors, where labour can benefit, and more in capital markets.

Clash of economic classes, not of nations

The argument that pits the lazy Greek or Spaniard against the hard-working Dutchman or Fin is clearly too simplistic. It is not a clash of nations, but of economic classes.

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