The socio-cultural roots of the greek economic crisis

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  • Onur
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2010
    • 2389

    The socio-cultural roots of the greek economic crisis

    This is a good read, written by a Greek journalist;


    THE SOCIO-CULTURAL ROOTS OF THE GREEK ECONOMIC CRISIS

    The economic crisis in Greece which threatens to act as a locomotive power that will force most of the countries in the european south to exit the Eurozone, has triggered many discussions and predictions concerning the future of Europe as an entity. Numerous analyses find their way to the media on a daily basis, all attempting to explain the repercussions of Greece’s inability to reform and lead itself to an economic growth that will eventually free the country from the constantly increasing need of borrowing money to satisfy its basic needs.

    However, all those reports and economic analyses have something in common. They fail to deeply examine the socio-cultural roots of the greek crisis. If one does not take into account the idiosyncrasy and the psycho-synthesis of the modern greek people, will just miss the point.

    Modern Greece is by no means related either genetically or culturally to the ancient cosmos and the people who once occupied this land. The modern greeks are just an intermixture of balkan tribes (albanians/arvanites, slavs, wlachs) which in the process of time mingled with northern africans, armenians and other tribes of Anatolia, not to mention the francs and the venetians who were also dominantly present in this land.

    Those groups were mainly involved in agriculture and animal breeding. A significant number of them had been employed by the ottomans to serve in the army because the local inhabitants were hard natured and warlike.

    During the byzantium era, those tribes were christianized while the few remaining descendants of the ancient greeks who refused to convert to christianity were either persecuted and killed by the christian emperors or died of several plague waves that occurred quite frequently back in those days. Another factor that contributed to the reduction of the population was piracy. It is a well known fact that the city of Sparta had been almost abandoned and unoccupied for 400 years while Athens and especially the area around the Acropolis was a place for pasturing sheep.

    The attempts to “hellenize” those intermixed tribes were mainly made by european sovereign states which needed a protectorate to promote their interests. The geographic location of Greece is still considered as the connecting doorway between East and West. The european romantics who dreamed of reviving the ancient hellenic cosmos through the mountain savages also bear a degree of responsibility for the false identity that was given to the modern greeks.

    The superfluous and simultaneously disastrous decision to name as “hellenes” (greeks) that intermixture of tribes eventually placed a very heavy burden upon them simply because they lacked the proper educational background that would enable them to develop the necessary awareness that would help them identify themselves with the ancient inhabitants of this land.


    These mountainous hard natured shepherds were made to believe that they were not only the offsprings of the ancient greeks but also the christian God's blessed people. Everyone can observe that there is no comparison between these people and the ancient greeks. No resemblance whatsoever physically, aesthetically and mentally.


    The Eastern Church was forcefully against any kind of education as it wanted its subservient believers not to read anything but the Bible. The role that the Church played during the years of the ottoman presence was catastrophic for the majority of the people because it was the main and the most effective collaborator of the sultan either through collecting taxes or contributing to the suppression of every revolt against the ottoman authority. The Church was surely rewarded by the Divan with a humongous amount of land enough to rank it as the biggest landowner of the country.

    The confusing identity of being a hellene and a christian at the same time still haunts most of the people in this land. Most of the people in Greece have been made to believe that they are the pure descendants of Pericles, Socrates, Leonidas and Alexander the Great while they consider it quite natural to be christian orthodox as well. Two completely conflicting worlds co-exist abnormally in the socio-cultural background of modern greeks.

    The revolution of 1821 against the ottomans that eventually led to the formation of the modern greek state couldn’t have been achieved without the contribution of the european superpowers of that era. The seabattle of Navarino that marked the creation of modern Greece reflects the need of the europeans to use this land as their protectorate governed by regimes that were either appointed or imposed by the european financial interests. Modern Greece has always been victimized and exploited by the superpowers while its role in the sociopolitical arena has never been autonomous.

    The modern greek citizens who had never experienced the gifts of Renaissance, Enlightment and Industrialization remain culturally underdeveloped even today. Greece has been governed by the offsprings of the family clans that ruled the land right after the collapse of the byzantine empire and although it is true that democracy was born in this part of the world, it is not true that the ancestors of modern greeks are the ones who first created it.


    The Church continues to dominate the politics in this land. Greece is the last theocratic state in Europe. If someone wishes to have a career in politics, he had better "bow" to the local Church bosses first.


    In the 50’s and 60’s thousands of modern greeks were forced to abandon their villages and either migrate abroad or seek employment in the big city centers where factories were built and needed cheap labor. The countryside was abandoned and the cities experienced an unprecedented overpopulation that led to severe demographic and environmental problems since there was no urban planning (there isn’t one even today).

    The rural depopulation, however, created another great problem that few politicians have dared to tackle: The disease of urbanism. The constant flow of villagers showed that the motives to abandon their villages were not only based on their need for employment but also on their desire to experience the “urban style” of living with a sense of hedonistic lust. Contrary to the US southerners who take pride in their heritage and their land, the greek villagers preferred to come to big city centers and work as industrial workers or clerks instead of remaining in their land and cultivating it. They believed that “easy living” can only be found in the big cities.

    The military junta in 1967 encouraged the “love for urbanism” of the villagers even more.

    Two main political parties emerged after the fall of the military junta. The “New Democracy” party and the “Panhellenic Socialist Party” also known as “PASOK”. The first one had a conservative approach and the second one a supposedly socialist one. Both of them, however, had one thing in common: They made sure that everything should be directly or indirectly controlled by the state. In order to achieve their goal which was no other than to remain in power as long as possible, they found a destructive way of doing that. Thus, the state was transformed into an enormous employment agency.

    Those two political parties hired thousands of unqualified individuals to work in the public sector. The regimes borrowed money from the European Union to finance the fat salaries and the special privileges of their public servant armies. Prosperity in the private sector came only if it interweaved with the public one. No matter what somebody did, no matter what public service he wished to have, he simply couldn’t have it unless he bribed. Bureaucracy and corruption have always been interwoven.

    The degree of corruption in modern Greece is by far higher than the one in many Asian, South American and African countries. The country stopped producing anything since ¼ of its workforce was employed by the state. Finding a job in the public sector became every young person’s dream. It was no longer important what academic credentials one had. What mattered was what kind of political connections he had so as to be placed somewhere in the public sector where he would be handsomely paid without doing anything! The populist rhetoric applied by both those political parties created a new kind of roman-like ethics among the people. Undoubtedly, this grotesque political system is a unique modern greek invention. Having conservative (right wing, anti-communist) regimes with a stalinistic approach of implementing the authority of the state is something that can only be found in the country of Greece.


    The modern greeks are noted for having mastered the art of creating conspiracy theories. The whole world is supposedly plotting against them because of their racial "superiority".


    John Maynard Keynes’ suggestion of “first stabilize and then reform” cannot find any application here because the greek economy can never be stabilized as it overflows with useless and counterproductive public servants.

    All the above mentioned facts may sound a bit surprising to someone from another western state. Well, nothing should be surprising, nothing at all.

    It is impossible for the descendants of chicken and sheep thieves, who lived on top of mountains and inside caves, rarely took a shower, kidnapped their hick wives from their parents and robbed villages, to understand how civilized nations function not to mention to feel europeans. It is also impossible for a nation that never experienced the gifts of Enlightment, Democracy and the Industrial Revolution to be able to adapt to the constantly evolving international economy.

    If someone wonders why the rest European Union countries are so stiff against Greece, it is perhaps because they are ignorant of the real situation here. They lack the necessary knowledge to fully comprehend the socio-cultural roots of the modern greek state.

    Greece will never be a purely european country. It can’t be. It doesn’t want to be.

    Dimitris Epikouris

    http://www.freeinquiry.gr/pro.php?id=2367
    Last edited by Onur; 08-21-2012, 10:47 AM.
  • Louis
    Banned
    • Jun 2012
    • 109

    #2
    You think this is a good read?!? Then, show me a bad one.
    Epicures is not a journalist, he's an English teacher interested in the Greek blues music scene. He has written some material about it, but it's mostly promotional.
    Last edited by Louis; 08-21-2012, 12:40 PM.

    Comment

    • fatso
      Member
      • Sep 2008
      • 301

      #3
      Onur should be more concerned about the Kurds. He ejaculates every time he posts something negative about Greece.
      This rodent was to scared to sit and have a beer with me, yet he warned the Turkish authorities about me entering Turkey.

      Nice try you puke, I ended up going to Ephesus.

      Comment

      • George S.
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 10116

        #4
        So you did enter turkey or were you prevented.? how was it?How was ephesus.?Did it meet your expectations??Turkey is pretty popular with tourists.Did you end up in Izmir?If so how was it as a tourist destination?
        Last edited by George S.; 08-21-2012, 04:13 PM. Reason: ed
        "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
        GOTSE DELCEV

        Comment

        • Risto the Great
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2008
          • 15658

          #5
          Originally posted by Louis View Post
          You think this is a good read?!? Then, show me a bad one.
          Epicures is not a journalist, he's an English teacher interested in the Greek blues music scene. He has written some material about it, but it's mostly promotional.
          What do you disagree with?
          Risto the Great
          MACEDONIA:ANHEDONIA
          "Holding my breath for the revolution."

          Hey, I wrote a bestseller. Check it out: www.ren-shen.com

          Comment

          • Louis
            Banned
            • Jun 2012
            • 109

            #6
            Originally posted by Risto the Great View Post
            What do you disagree with?
            Well, all the 22 paragraphs AND the 3 captions.

            BUT, I do enjoy this website which reminds me of the bulgarmak website (which is soon coming back by the way). This one doesn't have a specific point of view, but it's gathering all sort of content as long as it is anti-Greek. That is an interesting concept.

            Comment

            • Soldier of Macedon
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2008
              • 13670

              #7
              Originally posted by Louis View Post
              Well, all the 22 paragraphs AND the 3 captions.
              Do you disagree with the below?
              The revolution of 1821 against the ottomans that eventually led to the formation of the modern greek state couldn’t have been achieved without the contribution of the european superpowers of that era.
              In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.

              Comment

              • makgerman
                Member
                • Nov 2009
                • 145

                #8
                Originally posted by Louis View Post
                Well, all the 22 paragraphs AND the 3 captions.

                BUT, I do enjoy this website which reminds me of the bulgarmak website (which is soon coming back by the way). This one doesn't have a specific point of view, but it's gathering all sort of content as long as it is anti-Greek. That is an interesting concept.
                Yes I bet!

                BUT, for many Greek hypocrites (not to mention names) this website is not as interesting as the macedoniaonteweb, macedonians.com etc - is it Louis?

                Comment

                • Louis
                  Banned
                  • Jun 2012
                  • 109

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Soldier of Macedon View Post
                  Do you disagree with the below?
                  I disagree with the whole paragraph and the whole lack of point besides trying to overall diminish Greece. The Greek revolution was achieved in March 1821 and was denounced (for various reasons) by all European superpowers (England, France, Austria and Russia). It took them more than two years to change their stance for one or more of the following reasons:
                  -The Greek revolution was stabilized and promising
                  -There was a huge public support in these countries (since Greeks were Christians and because of the Greek bases in their education)
                  -English were afraid that Russians will take Greece’s side first and monopolize all the benefits

                  Originally posted by makgerman View Post
                  Yes I bet!

                  BUT, for many Greek hypocrites (not to mention names) this website is not as interesting as the macedoniaonteweb, macedonians.com etc - is it Louis?
                  Well, why don’t you mention names and speak straight so that maybe I’ll understand what you’re asking.

                  Comment

                  • makgerman
                    Member
                    • Nov 2009
                    • 145

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Louis View Post
                    Well, why don’t you mention names and speak straight so that maybe I’ll understand what you’re asking.

                    There is no need to mention names, as just about every Greek who has been on this forum falls into that category. I thought you were smarter and you would have worked it out by now.

                    I do speak straight, particular towards people who are in constant denial when it comes to the wrongdoings committed by their country.

                    Comment

                    • Louis
                      Banned
                      • Jun 2012
                      • 109

                      #11
                      Originally posted by makgerman View Post
                      There is no need to mention names, as just about every Greek who has been on this forum falls into that category. I thought you were smarter and you would have worked it out by now.
                      I still don't get you. I've never been in these websites. I admire... Peter Weir but I have no relation to Australia whatsoever.

                      Comment

                      • Daskalot
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2008
                        • 4345

                        #12
                        Well written article, it matters little if the writer of it is a janitor or a scholar. The information given speaks for it self. Simple logic and reason is all you need to have when dealing with the Greek myth.

                        Thank you Onur for sharing.
                        Macedonian Truth Organisation

                        Comment

                        • makgerman
                          Member
                          • Nov 2009
                          • 145

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Louis View Post
                          I still don't get you. I've never been in these websites. I admire... Peter Weir but I have no relation to Australia whatsoever.
                          Although I find it hard to believe, I recommend you go there and just browse through the anti Macedonian propaganda directed towards us.

                          There, I bet you will find everything you were hoping to find here and all of you will be on the same wavelength.

                          And perhaps, you will love it so much that you won't come back to this website.

                          PS. For your information macedoniantruth.org is indeed related to Australia which means you are related to an Australian website.

                          Comment

                          • Phoenix
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2008
                            • 4671

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Louis View Post
                            ...I admire... Peter Weir but I have no relation to Australia whatsoever.
                            C'mon Louis, you're clearly not trying hard enough...the Aboriginals it is claimed, have been in Australia for some 40,000 years...as a 'greek' I'm sure you could make some connection...

                            Comment

                            • Louis
                              Banned
                              • Jun 2012
                              • 109

                              #15
                              Makgreman
                              Sorry, I thought you implied I was someone from macedonians-on-the-web. I know (most of) you are Australian, but I'm not. I'm not interested in sites of Greek propaganda, I'm interested in the exact opposite.

                              Originally posted by Phoenix View Post
                              C'mon Louis, you're clearly not trying hard enough...the Aboriginals it is claimed, have been in Australia for some 40,000 years...as a 'greek' I'm sure you could make some connection...
                              I thought it was 50,000 years.

                              Comment

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