Bankruptcy: The Case for Relief in an Economy of Debt

Description

A decade after the Global Financial Crisis and Great Recession, developed economies continue to struggle under excessive household debt. While exacerbating inequality and political unrest, this debt - when combined with wage stagnation and a shrinking welfare state - has played a key role in maintaining economic growth and allowing households faced with rising costs of living to make ends meet. In Bankruptcy: The Case for Relief in an Economy of Debt, Joseph Spooner examines this economic model and finds it increasingly unsustainable. In a call to action to reduce debt burden, he turns to bankruptcy law, which is uniquely situated as a mechanism of social insurance against the risks of a debt-dependent economy. This book should be read by anyone interested in understanding the problem of consumer debt and how best to address it.

Joseph Spooner is an Assistant Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science Law Department. He researches issues of law, policy and politics relating to household debt and over-indebtedness. He has worked on the World Bank's Report on the Treatment of the Insolvency of Natural Persons (2013) and the Law Reform Commission of Ireland's project on personal debt management (2010-12). He has published articles on the law and politics of bankruptcy and household debt in leading journals including the Journal of Law and Society and Modern Law Review.

'This reviewer highly recommends this book for people who want to learn more about the consumer debt-based economy and ways to make it fairer and more efficient.' R. H. Scott, Choice 'The book is essential reading for anyone who is interested in understanding the problem of consumer debt and how best to address it. It is an indispensable addition for all university libraries.' Eugenio Vaccari, Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation