Austerity proved to be more than just wishful thinking on the part of the experts at the international conferences of Brussels and Genoa. Chapters 6 and 7 will investigate how these experts successfully implemented the international code of austerity. We will begin by looking at Britain, a country that pioneered austerity starting in 1920, then explore how, starting in 1922, Mussolini’s Italy painstakingly followed in those footsteps. Th at these dates are so close to the two international conferences (Brussels and Genoa) is telling of the rapid ascent of austerity across Europe.

Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, loc. 820