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Exploring the negative effects of populism, this study presents an original explanation of Greece´s current political and economic failures. It argues that the sovereign debt crisis only exacerbated the malfunctioning of a democracy long ago contaminated by populist politics while also offering a more general insight into the impact of populism

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1. Introduction PART I: POPULIST DEMOCRACY 2. Fledgling Liberalism 3. Populism Ascendant 4. Popular Sovereignty 5. Biased Beliefs Profile: Conservative Entrepreneur PART II: COGS AND WHEELS 6. Patronage Politics 7. Polarized Bipartism 8. Why Reforms Failed? Profile: Unprincipled Socialist PART III. LEGITIMATION CRISIS 9. Economic Crisis 10. Social Discord 11. Features of Unrest 12. Modern Luddites Profile: Leftist Peddler PART IV: PARTY SYSTEM CHANGE 13. Critical Elections 14. Anti-system Voting 15. Loss Aversion Profile: Stubborn Reformist PART V: LESSONS FROM GREECE 16. Embattled Democracy

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´In this engagingly written, compellingly argued and, above all, timely book, Pappas offers a thorough account of the reasons that caused the Greek Crisis. It is a full-blown empirical study on populism at single-country level, which also helps our better understanding of why, and how, politics has contributed in crucial ways to the economic crisis that has plagued southern Europe.´ - Leonardo Morlino, Professor of Political Science at LUISS Guido Carli, Rome, and IPSA past president

´With populist parties now gaining ground across the continent, Professor Pappas could become a vital and controversial authority regarding the future of European democracy.´

Nicholas Barrett, European University Institute Times

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Takis S. Pappas is Associate Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Macedonia, Greece, and a Fellow at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy. He is the author of two previous books and many articles on party politics and political leadership, among others. He currently lives in Strasbourg, France, working on a new book project about Europe´s populist voters.

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