Greeks Vote Again – Why Bother?
I am here in Athens for the elections this weekend. I must state, at this point in the game it appears to be just Greek theater with the politicians playing merely parts with the strings beging pulled from Brussels. Whoever governs is almost really a moot point, for it seems that the political forces are not interested in any honest democratic process which was invented in Athens. The political forces appear to be simply prepared to fit in with whatever the country’s international creditors demand.
The Greek people seem to be staring into the abyss with no chance of reversing the economic decline. What governments do not comprehend is rather stark. When the people lose the right to vote, then dictatorship emerges. That historically leads to revolution. If the political forces of Europe do not listen to the people, this is what will lead to civil unrest, uprisings, and revolution. Often, government sensing it will face an uprising, then seeks and external enemy to blame. Revolution can then only be avoided by war with another nation. This is the cold blunt truth of history.
Between the capital controls and the protests, the one thing Greece had was tourism. My sources on the ground tell me that tourism has been off by about 30% this summer. The tourists who did come to Greece seem to have headed to the islands rather than Athens. While the banks were closed to citizens, a tourism could still use their credit cards and access cash at an ATM with a foreign card.
The new elections this weekend have barely caused even the slightest ripple in the tidal flows of capital and market movements. The left-wing Syriza’s government turned strangely right-wing doing whatever Brussels demanded. The previous anti-austerity stance of the people was ignored and the wings of this movement appears to have been clipped by leader Alexis Tsipras’ betrayal of the Greek people. The polls now suggest either Syriza, or the more establishment New Democracy, will be the lead partner in a pro-bailout coalition.
Ah how things have changed. It appears that this is indeed right on target for 2015.75 for the politicians of Greece will simply ignore the hardship of the Greek people and buy into Europe to stay with the political club as lap-dogs of Brussels.The price of this betrayal may be very costly going into 2017.
FSA is just throwing a temper tantrum. Nobody really cares. They will stop when they areweak frum starvation. At some point hunger forces a person to W-O-R-K.
The Greek youth should claim refugee status in Germany. And follow the Mexican plan. Collect welfare , pile in 4 to a room, and work off the books.
Every weekend return to Greece for an afternoon in the sun
Mark,
Sweden has much better welfare benefits that Germany.
They should go there, even the Muslim “refugee’s” know that.
If there are no jobs, a willingness to work is irrelevant–and there are many Greeks who are willing to work. Problem: No jobs.
Whence cometh the moolah for welfare? The “bailout” money comes in–and immediately goes back out to the various banksters holding the debt-paper. Nothing left over for Danegeld.
Overcliff-Every dictator in history has use starvation as a weapon against his people.Not pretty