‘It’s very difficult for me as president to call on the American people to make sacrifices to help shore up the financial system if there’s no sense of mutual obligation and mutual help… We’re all in this together’
US President Barack Obama, March 2009
As the recession hits western countries in particular, governments are seeking to balance budgets through a series of fiscal measures; cutting government expenditure and raising taxes. In addition, wages have been frozen (or cut in real terms), pension conditions changed and employment protection reduced. To justify these policies, governments have tried to create the impression, that although the measures are tough, they are necessary and fair. In short, all the population are taking a ‘hit’ and as President Obama claims, ‘we are all in this together’.
