ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the hypothesised link between economics and Euroscepticism. It discusses an analysis through the lens of economics, such that limitations are inevitably imposed on this work through bypassing other social science disciplines that have been utilised to examine the phenomenon of Euroscepticism. The chapter also discusses the changing scope of EU economic policymaking that has evolved from micro- to macro-level competencies, although the actual economic costs/benefits have generally been opaque. Second, it presents a brief overview of the recent economic crisis, particularly focusing upon its impact on those economies that have been most severely affected. To analyse the trends in greater depth, to focus upon these two macroeconomic indicators in relation to what have become known as the 'crisis countries' of the EU periphery (Ireland, Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal), while for comparative purposes the trends for the overall Eurozone and EU are also depicted.
