World Affairs: Europe: The Trouble With Greece

[hopelesscynic]

It's happening again. The image above is not of a historical remake of Nazi Germany. It is Greece, 2012. Anti-bailout movements, financial ruin, austerity cuts, over 50% unemployment - an opportunity for neo-Nazism to rise up among the ruins of what was once the greatest civilisation known to man.

Politics in Greece has become increasingly primitive as Greek society has become increasingly desperate. The public humiliation of HIV-positive sex workers was avidly supported by ministers of public order and health, including the degradation of young girls who were trafficked as sex slaves into the country. In addition to breaching the human rights of said sex workers in front of television cameras and journalists, previous to the general election members of the coalition government and the mainstream media have pin-pointed immigrants as scapegoats for Greece's problems.

Hmmm, that reminds me of something:

 "The year has ended. The struggle continues!"

For a brief overview of Greek politics:

• Golden Dawn (top photo) - far-right extremism, 21 MPs and 0 MEPs (Members of European Parliament)
• New Democracy - liberal conservatism, 108 MPs and 7 MEPs
• Panhellenic Socialist Movements (PASOK) - social democracy, 41 MPs and 8 MEPs
• Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) - democratic socialism, 52 MPs and 1 MEP
• Independent Greeks - national conservatism, 33 MPs and 0 MEPs
  
• Communist Party of Greece - Marxism/Leninism, 26 MPs and 2 MEPs
  
• Democratic Left - democratic socialism, 19 MPs and 0 MEPs
• Popular Orthodox Rally - far-right extremism, 0 MPs and 2 MEPs

There are many other parties, however they bear hardly any weight in Greek and European politics at present. Greece operates with a two-party political system; at present, the coalition consists of New Democracy and PASOK. Despite promoting "democracy", both parties have been dabbling in far-right extremism for a while. Before the elections, they formed a coalition government with Popular Orthodox Rally – an extreme right-wing party that has had close relations with Golden Dawn. Golden Dawn also reportedly have supporters in the police force, and its members don black shirts. A bit like this:

[Benito Mussolini with the Black Shirt Legion]

The television campaign slogan for Golden Dawn in reference to immigrants was "Let's rid this country of the stench". Interestingly enough, Michaloliakos, the leader of the party, a man who forces journalists to rise when he enters a room, denies allegations of neo-Nazism, stressing that Golden Dawn in primarily "nationalist". Disturbingly, he claims that "Those who betray this country – it's time for them to be afraid. We are coming."

"...it's time for them to be afraid. We are coming."

Remind you of anyone?

"Avada Kedavra!"

Unfortunately, this maniac is undoubtedly popular among the millions of frustrated Greeks living in financial ruin. "We will fight to free Greece from the global loan sharks, for a Greece of dignity and independence," he claims, "and for a Greece that is not a social jungle with all these millions of illegal immigrants that were brought here."

Anti-bailout ideas are extremely popular in Greece. Both Golden Dawn and SYRIZA campaign against the "humiliating" EU bailout. There are also disturbing similarities between the current situation in Greece and the political situation that led up to Hitler's Third Reich. The resentment towards the bail-out is akin to that of the November Criminals. Both Greek society and pre-Nazi German society used immigrants as scapegoats for financial ruin, in addition to the US and other wealthy(ier) countries controlling the situation. Both resent global humiliation. And thus arises political extremism, The Way Out.

I know whose shoes I definitely wouldn't want to be in right now:

[Illegal Immigrants in Greece]

For anyone unaware of the Greek debt crisis, here's a wee timeline of events.

For anyone unaware of the debt crisis in the Eurozone and the bailout schemes, here's a nifty little visual aid.

[Beth DeLong]

I feel Greece is treading a line between "this is oppressive and painful" and "Oh my God, it can get worse." The sociopolitical issues that are occurring that, as you mentioned, are being placed on foreigners, neighboring countries, the Euro, the weather, vegans, and the Vienna boys choir...basically they are blaming everyone and everything except themselves. I know, I know. Finger pointing. But, when you have a country that, in 2008, was accused of trying to hide their massive deficit from the EU you can't not send a few fingers in their direction. "Oh, whats behind the couch...oh its nothing. Certainly not a 15.4% GDP deficit...no." And, on the Nazi rising note, I think that with the amount of eyes currently fixed on Greece, they can try but I see no success in their future. Honestly, with the progression of media, technology, and the "unity" of the European front, I don't see any rising up as a threat. The thing that gets me is that Greece has (had) one of the most fiscally productive tourism markets in Europe and you know what they do, the tourism laborers go on strike. I do understand principles but I also understand that when you don't have money and you may loose your job, don't say, "you know what, I don't feel like making a profit off of all these evil foreigners that have entered my country with money that they would love to just give to me." Again, I know, too much. So Europe is in a pickle. Greece, Spain, and Ireland are down for the count, France's PM's name is translatable to "male genitalia" in Arabic (like they needed another reason to not like France), and 60 years after WWII,  Germany has the most influence and strongest economy in Europe. I think Greece may be the least of our worries. At least N. Korea is (slightly) less crazy.

[God ~blogs admin ~]

Seems rather obvious, considering the past example.
Look at Germany after world war one. We - the Allies - damned them economically, their currency was near worthless, their industry ruined and land once held was now lost. Of course, things aren't as dramatic as thus yet in Greece. But if they were to leave the EU, the country risks the chance of simply spiralling down. Germany enjoyed the Golden years before the great depression in the swinging twenties, they somewhat recovered before the debts hit the deck near the end of the decade. Alas, I don't see such a break looming in Greece's future.  

[LeAnn]

This is so terrible! It always amazes me when things that seem to belong in history happen in modern day scenes. It just goes to show how humanity has a lot to learn about learning from the past.

[CD]

Yes.  It is awful.

It is also something people having been warning about since the early 90s, and especially since 911.  Saying that there has been a nazi upsurge and being told "nah nah nah you're an extremist we live in democracy"

Greece is just getting there quicker.

[Janeece Woodson Woodson]

This is awful.