What would have once been, without these ideas, simply the old-fashioned musings of cynical policy makers and their ancient economic advisors was now given a firm, and very liberal, theoretical foundation. Their evidentiary basis, however, was another matter entirely. The fact that these theories rest upon incredibly narrow operational premises and have scant evidence going for them is beside the point. That they are highly effective policy rhetorics that only narrow the menu of choice for governments is what matters.

Mark Blyth, Austerity, loc. 425