Many people in the world woke up one morning and heard from the news that Greece has serious financial problems and is very close to bankruptcy. Some of them remembered their lovely vacation at the small and sunny European country...Some of them remembered that this country organized the Olympics of 2004... Some of them relieved that it's Greece and not their country....Some others just saw what they were expecting the last years...Some just changed the channel without bothering.
Well, Greece is known in the world for many reasons. Unfortunately, most of them are referring to the past, even to the very long past. Maybe the sun is a continuous trademark for Greece, but the past makes Greece look huge to the eyes of the people of this planet. Today, Greece is going through one of the worst crisis in their 36-year free democratic existence. What happened then????
Thirty six years ago,....
Thirty six years ago,....
the military junta was thrown down by force after continuous demonstrations from the public. Democracy was restored and Greece had the opportunity for a new beginning. The government that first ruled tried to organize a democratic function of the state and at the same time to force Greece into the European Community (E.C.), as it existed then. And they had succeeded the latter, but the first was the ultimate task that should have been managed on top of everything. However, along with the entrance into the E.C., Greece had secured million of Greek drachmas (exchange from Deutsche Marks, French Fraques etc) along with the "generous" deposition of the USA. In this point, I shall explain what I have heard by many Greeks that lived through junta. Although that junta is a fascist regime restricting any freedom of speech, act and living, there are many Greeks that point out that during junta the State went on many public works (motorways, railroads etc) and because there was none to object to them, they empowered the population in the countryside of Greece, which then was not only underdeveloped but non-existed. Of course, nothing can excuse a junta, but keep that in mind for later in this article.
After the restoration of democracy, Greece became member of the E.C. and the member states began the money flow for the development of Greece, which was at least 50 years behind the - then - current status of a developed European country. The first seven years of the new Greek era included money, political diversion, the "burying" of the past, the first meeting with technology and curiosity for the future, ethical interventions. And all these happened under a conservative, right-wing government under the leadership of public respected and capable politicians (of course, the History will define the right or wrong evaluation of them!). In 1981, the left-wing, socialist party came into power. I will not refer to any names, because the government is a collective instrument of power and the leaders often express joint agreements and not personal desires (this is only part of the whole truth). Then, the socialist party decided that the Greek citizens had suffered enough because of junta, previous civil clashes, poverty etc. What the people wanted was money flow....easy, free, without fiscal schedule financing of the Greek families. Of course, Greece did not have any money, but the state could issue new drachmas, the E.C. was giving money for the renovation of Greece and the foreign banks was financing through loans a State that was under development, open to new investments, with a new Stock Exchange. The Greeks were happy, happy, happy! They could have money for everything: buy new houses, new clothes, new TV, new technology gadgets....everything. And the government took its part. European funds were given to politicians and their lobbies at the same time that none of this funds ended to the foundation of healthy economy. The top priority was to give people money, to make them "good consumers" and maybe....maybe finance some public works. Most of Greeks were employed by the State and the civil services became the most popular employer. Guaranteed wage for life!!!! The "collective agreement", which were signed by the State and the Trade Unions, were agreements for life....once a civil servant, always a civil servant. The Trade Unions became powerful instruments of the Society. In any way, this was not so bad, because the privileges were huge. However, this tend meant the beginning of the end for Greece.
The Trade Unions became the right hand of every government. The leaders of the Unions became "ministers" that led the workers into movements, strikes and they finally conquered the civil services, which until now are their refuge and their palace. Noone can interrupt a trade union leader from his work. A stupid coincidence led many of these leaders to the top of the hierarchy of the political parties and many of them even became ministers. They took advantage of their power to control the masses of the simple workers in order for them become ministers and be part of the Greek corruption system. It is now inevitable to control the "unionism" in Greece. They are like a mafia that no one, not even the government, can set them aside. You are either with them or against them. Nothing in the middle....NO COMMON SENSE!!!!
On the other hand, the unions had managed to restrict the politician from gaining everything out of the people work and money. During 1981 - 1988, the generation that led to the restoration of democracy in Greece, became its worst nightmare. They thought that their fight against junta gave them the right to destroy Greece with any possible way. Though, because they kept the people happy by giving them part of the borrowed money (without telling them the source), they had the alibi to steal from the State money, to construct rotten foundation of the new Greek Economy, to advertise "the Greek Lover" as main tourist campaign, to become rich. The new aristocracy was the politicians and everyone that followed them, investing on them, helping them....and the deficit grew bigger and bigger and bigger. BUT we had the drachma!!!! The solution of the devaluation of the drachma was a survivor-button for any difficult time or when the cash-flow was stopping. And then, they went on and on with corruption...
The proof of the corrupted State was the events at the end of the 80s. The prime minister was accused for stealing money from the State with the cooperation of filthy businessmen and the Supreme Court began a trial against him and his fellow ministers and political companions. The trial was on TV everyday live. The Greek people watched and heard historic documentation that proved that a whole corruption system was built and at the top was the prime minister. However, in the end everyone was innocent, no money was stolen and the prime minister used the Mass Media to announce himself a "hero" that survived the "Dirty" attack of the rival conservative party (that was alleged to trigger the whole accusation). This period was named the "Dirty 1989". That is when the Greeks realised that Justice was part of the corruption regime and that the politicians have immunity for life.... (to be continued)
After the restoration of democracy, Greece became member of the E.C. and the member states began the money flow for the development of Greece, which was at least 50 years behind the - then - current status of a developed European country. The first seven years of the new Greek era included money, political diversion, the "burying" of the past, the first meeting with technology and curiosity for the future, ethical interventions. And all these happened under a conservative, right-wing government under the leadership of public respected and capable politicians (of course, the History will define the right or wrong evaluation of them!). In 1981, the left-wing, socialist party came into power. I will not refer to any names, because the government is a collective instrument of power and the leaders often express joint agreements and not personal desires (this is only part of the whole truth). Then, the socialist party decided that the Greek citizens had suffered enough because of junta, previous civil clashes, poverty etc. What the people wanted was money flow....easy, free, without fiscal schedule financing of the Greek families. Of course, Greece did not have any money, but the state could issue new drachmas, the E.C. was giving money for the renovation of Greece and the foreign banks was financing through loans a State that was under development, open to new investments, with a new Stock Exchange. The Greeks were happy, happy, happy! They could have money for everything: buy new houses, new clothes, new TV, new technology gadgets....everything. And the government took its part. European funds were given to politicians and their lobbies at the same time that none of this funds ended to the foundation of healthy economy. The top priority was to give people money, to make them "good consumers" and maybe....maybe finance some public works. Most of Greeks were employed by the State and the civil services became the most popular employer. Guaranteed wage for life!!!! The "collective agreement", which were signed by the State and the Trade Unions, were agreements for life....once a civil servant, always a civil servant. The Trade Unions became powerful instruments of the Society. In any way, this was not so bad, because the privileges were huge. However, this tend meant the beginning of the end for Greece.
The Trade Unions became the right hand of every government. The leaders of the Unions became "ministers" that led the workers into movements, strikes and they finally conquered the civil services, which until now are their refuge and their palace. Noone can interrupt a trade union leader from his work. A stupid coincidence led many of these leaders to the top of the hierarchy of the political parties and many of them even became ministers. They took advantage of their power to control the masses of the simple workers in order for them become ministers and be part of the Greek corruption system. It is now inevitable to control the "unionism" in Greece. They are like a mafia that no one, not even the government, can set them aside. You are either with them or against them. Nothing in the middle....NO COMMON SENSE!!!!
On the other hand, the unions had managed to restrict the politician from gaining everything out of the people work and money. During 1981 - 1988, the generation that led to the restoration of democracy in Greece, became its worst nightmare. They thought that their fight against junta gave them the right to destroy Greece with any possible way. Though, because they kept the people happy by giving them part of the borrowed money (without telling them the source), they had the alibi to steal from the State money, to construct rotten foundation of the new Greek Economy, to advertise "the Greek Lover" as main tourist campaign, to become rich. The new aristocracy was the politicians and everyone that followed them, investing on them, helping them....and the deficit grew bigger and bigger and bigger. BUT we had the drachma!!!! The solution of the devaluation of the drachma was a survivor-button for any difficult time or when the cash-flow was stopping. And then, they went on and on with corruption...
The proof of the corrupted State was the events at the end of the 80s. The prime minister was accused for stealing money from the State with the cooperation of filthy businessmen and the Supreme Court began a trial against him and his fellow ministers and political companions. The trial was on TV everyday live. The Greek people watched and heard historic documentation that proved that a whole corruption system was built and at the top was the prime minister. However, in the end everyone was innocent, no money was stolen and the prime minister used the Mass Media to announce himself a "hero" that survived the "Dirty" attack of the rival conservative party (that was alleged to trigger the whole accusation). This period was named the "Dirty 1989". That is when the Greeks realised that Justice was part of the corruption regime and that the politicians have immunity for life.... (to be continued)
περιμενουμε με ανυπομονησια το δευτερο μερος.
ReplyDelete