It is impossible to advance toward political union while seeming to abandon Europe’s citizens along the way, which is the impression that unremitting austerity has created. Sacrifice, too many Europeans believe, is not laying the groundwork for a better, more prosperous Europe, but is dragging them into a fatal tailspin.
欧洲首先需要打破目前所处的衰退、失业和紧缩的恶性循环。这首先意味着把经济政策的注意力重新集中到增长、就业和制度创新上来。通过一路抛弃欧洲人民推进政治统一是不可能的，而这正是一根筋的紧缩给人带来的印象。太多欧洲人相信，牺牲并不能给更好更繁荣的欧洲创造基础，只能把他们拖入致命的混乱。