Wow...whoever wrote that has the IQ of a baboon. Austerity isnt meant to grow an economy, but the writer obviously thinks thats what austerity is for.
Its like say I make $50k per year and I run my credit card up to $200,000 in debt. Then I try to implement "austerity" on myself because my debt is getting out of control. I quickly find out that without my credit card, I cant enjoy things like cable TV, internet, a nice car, I have to downsize my house, I have to take my kids out of private school and then, like a genius, I say...Wow...austerity is STUPID! I have way less stuff, since I stopped spending money I dont have!