Description

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The Long Crisis deals with the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001-2010). The author argues, however, that while the various crises were hitting the headlines there were two "elephants in the room"-the Philippines' relationship with the USA and the country's dysfunctional economy-that merited far more attention than they received. Therefore, while the book necessarily deals with the well-known scandals, these are considered to be mere symptoms of the "real long crisis" that has afflicted the Philippines for decades. Thus, discussion of the headline events is followed by separate chapters on the USA's role and the economy (the latter being the longest chapter in the book). A final chapter considers how a broad nationalist movement might begin to rectify the various ills by giving the country a national vision and sense of purpose. First published as an e-book in 2013, the fundamental problems The Long Crisis identifies have still to be tackled in a determined and consistent fashion, and thus this 2019 paperback retains the original text.Ken Fuller is a former labor union official from London. He is the author of a three-volume history of the Philippine left, a labor history of London busworkers, a study of the politics of US detective writer Dashiell Hammett, and a comic novel set in the Philippines.