When we are strong, we will show no mercy. It wont be democratic anymore
April 21, 2013 1:36 PM Subscribe
Like 1930s Germany': Greek Far Right Gains Ground
Golden Dawn, with it's growing presence in public high schools is now targeting pupils at primary schools. Its official website recently hosted pictures of neatly-dressed 6 to ten-year-olds, accompanied by parents, at a “national awakening” session held at a branch office outside Athens.
Recently 28 migrant workers working at a strawberry production farm in Manolada, Greece were shot because they demanded to get paid.
From one tweet about the incident: Modern Greece has many things in common with Ancient Greece. For example slaves.
An anti-foreign nurse swoop on a Peloponnese hospital exploded in violence as Roma patient's friends confronted the neo-nazis.
The Greek government needs to take action against the extreme right, including the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, says the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, Nils Muiznieks. This could even involve outlawing the party.
Golden Dawn, with it's growing presence in public high schools is now targeting pupils at primary schools. Its official website recently hosted pictures of neatly-dressed 6 to ten-year-olds, accompanied by parents, at a “national awakening” session held at a branch office outside Athens.
Recently 28 migrant workers working at a strawberry production farm in Manolada, Greece were shot because they demanded to get paid.
From one tweet about the incident: Modern Greece has many things in common with Ancient Greece. For example slaves.
An anti-foreign nurse swoop on a Peloponnese hospital exploded in violence as Roma patient's friends confronted the neo-nazis.
The Greek government needs to take action against the extreme right, including the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, says the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, Nils Muiznieks. This could even involve outlawing the party.
We recently did a fundraiser for some green antifa folks that rolled through most of North America. Here's a link to a video of their presentation.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 2:02 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 2:02 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
I think the historical record will show that outlawing radical parties always works as desired.
posted by freebird at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by freebird at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
Are we doomed to dance this tragic old dance yet again?
posted by JHarris at 2:07 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 2:07 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Golden Dawn previously
posted by Blasdelb at 2:09 PM on April 21, 2013 [48 favorites]
"Long after the Nazi party took power in Germany in 1933, after the Reichstag had been burned and anti-semitic violence became official state policy, European governments remained more worried about the possibility of a socialist Germany than a fascist one. Almost until the Second World War, it remained more important to many world leaders that Germany pay down its debts. Drawing historical parallels with Nazism is a weary rhetorical technique that commentators on left and right have cheapened by tossing the simile into discussions of food labelling and over-enthusiastic traffic control. In this case, however, it's not rhetoric.Don't miss awesome comments by talos and taz in that thread
Actual fascists in actual black shirts are actually marching around Athens waving swastikas and burning torches, and maiming and murdering ethnic minorities, and world governments appear frighteningly relaxed about it as long as the Greek people continue to pay off the debts of the European elite. When the lessons of history are taught by rote, they can be easy to miss when most needed. This time, Europe must remember that the price of fostering fascism is crueller and costlier by far than any national debt."
posted by Blasdelb at 2:09 PM on April 21, 2013 [48 favorites]
Ugh, missed the edit window. Green should read 'greek', of course.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 2:09 PM on April 21, 2013
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 2:09 PM on April 21, 2013
And did the European elite suffer much during the German occupation and subsequent Cold War?
posted by Brocktoon at 2:21 PM on April 21, 2013
posted by Brocktoon at 2:21 PM on April 21, 2013
Don't forget Hungary, being dismantled as a democratic state in slow motion before Europe's eyes.
Austerity economics, bad policy responses and a democratic deficit, plus ineptitude, and many countries being throttled in an illogical single currency is going to lead to a train wreck unless something changes.
posted by C.A.S. at 2:27 PM on April 21, 2013 [10 favorites]
Austerity economics, bad policy responses and a democratic deficit, plus ineptitude, and many countries being throttled in an illogical single currency is going to lead to a train wreck unless something changes.
posted by C.A.S. at 2:27 PM on April 21, 2013 [10 favorites]
thsmchnekllsfascists: Yeah, the DC IWW hosted the same group. They had some pretty depressing stories to tell about anti-immigrant violence, and police cooperation with the Golden Dawn.
posted by phrontist at 2:31 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by phrontist at 2:31 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
On the bright side, anarchists and other left-wingers have organized pretty impressive anti-fascist motorcycle patrols (EDIT: more footage).
posted by phrontist at 2:34 PM on April 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by phrontist at 2:34 PM on April 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
Are we doomed to dance this tragic old dance yet again?
About the only silver lining I can see is that Greece is in no way comparable to Early 20th century Germany. Germany was one of the most populous countries in the world and had, what, the 2nd highest industrial production after the United States?
So this is terrible news for people in Greece but at least it in no way threatens the rest of the world like Germany did in the early 30s.
posted by Justinian at 2:47 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
About the only silver lining I can see is that Greece is in no way comparable to Early 20th century Germany. Germany was one of the most populous countries in the world and had, what, the 2nd highest industrial production after the United States?
So this is terrible news for people in Greece but at least it in no way threatens the rest of the world like Germany did in the early 30s.
posted by Justinian at 2:47 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
What's austerity's biggest success? I worry that I'm just a liberal and thus innately biassed towards using a deficit like a bullet-chomping bastard, but there must be some success stories where a broken economy fixed itself by turning itself off, right?
As for the Greek fascists: what can a chap in the UK do? Our fascists are (so far) provided for entertainment value only.
posted by Devonian at 2:49 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
As for the Greek fascists: what can a chap in the UK do? Our fascists are (so far) provided for entertainment value only.
posted by Devonian at 2:49 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
What's austerity's biggest success? I worry that I'm just a liberal and thus innately biassed towards using a deficit like a bullet-chomping bastard, but there must be some success stories where a broken economy fixed itself by turning itself off, right?
There haven't really been any austerity success stories. And of course, this week saw the research that has been the basis of austerity policies of the last several years dismantled due to what basically came down to an error in Excel, although whether it was deliberate or not is apparently still up for debate. Not that it matters, really. The austerity freaks, whether they're from Greece or the UK or the US, have been looking for ways to punish the most sensitive to economic downturns for years, this just gave them intellectual ammunition.
posted by zombieflanders at 2:56 PM on April 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
There haven't really been any austerity success stories. And of course, this week saw the research that has been the basis of austerity policies of the last several years dismantled due to what basically came down to an error in Excel, although whether it was deliberate or not is apparently still up for debate. Not that it matters, really. The austerity freaks, whether they're from Greece or the UK or the US, have been looking for ways to punish the most sensitive to economic downturns for years, this just gave them intellectual ammunition.
posted by zombieflanders at 2:56 PM on April 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
While austerity may have no successes, certainly deficit excess has been linked to hyperinflation and that has been used to justify cutbacks in nations that have adopted austerity.
posted by chrchr at 3:04 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by chrchr at 3:04 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
RE anti austerity success stories, how about Iceland?
posted by shnarg at 3:04 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by shnarg at 3:04 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Iceland, Lithuania and Estonia are usually cited as "successes"
posted by cacofonie at 3:07 PM on April 21, 2013
posted by cacofonie at 3:07 PM on April 21, 2013
as Depressing as this is, Justinian somewhat touches upon one of the key factors of germanys sink into the shitter that led to the second world war.
Their industrial capacity was one of the most productive in the world and in a war of that grand a scale, industry retooled for war, with a massive productionrate is one of the keys to unlock a successful strategy. :/
I recently touched upon this very subject re: greece recently when a SAP representative here in Sweden was ousted for ... Reasons. outright lies in the media "omg muslims who want eurabia!!!" more or less, and i'm seeing more and more of a normalization of racism, structural, institutional and slentrian.
people who were writing in support of or wondering why the media were lying about his viewpoints were instantly adhommed by members belonging to the nationalistic sweden democrats.
as someone belonging to two historically spited ethnicities, it's fair to say that i'm worried.
posted by xcasex at 3:33 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
Their industrial capacity was one of the most productive in the world and in a war of that grand a scale, industry retooled for war, with a massive productionrate is one of the keys to unlock a successful strategy. :/
I recently touched upon this very subject re: greece recently when a SAP representative here in Sweden was ousted for ... Reasons. outright lies in the media "omg muslims who want eurabia!!!" more or less, and i'm seeing more and more of a normalization of racism, structural, institutional and slentrian.
people who were writing in support of or wondering why the media were lying about his viewpoints were instantly adhommed by members belonging to the nationalistic sweden democrats.
as someone belonging to two historically spited ethnicities, it's fair to say that i'm worried.
posted by xcasex at 3:33 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
Just once I'd like humans to respond to bad economic times with kindness and generosity. Cause damn, folks really need to be nicer to each when the shit hits the fan.
posted by teleri025 at 3:38 PM on April 21, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by teleri025 at 3:38 PM on April 21, 2013 [14 favorites]
The austerity freaks, whether they're from Greece or the UK or the US, have been looking for ways to punish the most sensitive to economic downturns for years, this just gave them intellectual ammunition.
It's a classic Friedman Shock Doctrine writ large, isn't it? Dismantle the welfare state/social safety net/wealth redistribution mechanisms on the pretext that “we can't afford them”, but more to allow the reemergence of feudal-style hierarchies, with more concentration of control in the hands of elites.
posted by acb at 3:39 PM on April 21, 2013 [17 favorites]
It's a classic Friedman Shock Doctrine writ large, isn't it? Dismantle the welfare state/social safety net/wealth redistribution mechanisms on the pretext that “we can't afford them”, but more to allow the reemergence of feudal-style hierarchies, with more concentration of control in the hands of elites.
posted by acb at 3:39 PM on April 21, 2013 [17 favorites]
I really hate the use of 'elites' when what people really mean is capitalists or owners.
Elites excel at something rather than being someone that merely uses Excel.
posted by srboisvert at 3:45 PM on April 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
Elites excel at something rather than being someone that merely uses Excel.
posted by srboisvert at 3:45 PM on April 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
Elites excel at something rather than being someone that merely uses Excel.
Elites are those at the top of a pyramid-shaped society. Some got there by excelling at things (usually Machiavellian intrigues; inventing a better mousetrap/a cure for cancer/Rearden Metal or being a rock star/film star won't catapult one to the very top in the real world) or by having inherited the title from someone, whose ancestors were probably apex predators of some sort in mediaeval times.
posted by acb at 3:51 PM on April 21, 2013 [6 favorites]
Elites are those at the top of a pyramid-shaped society. Some got there by excelling at things (usually Machiavellian intrigues; inventing a better mousetrap/a cure for cancer/Rearden Metal or being a rock star/film star won't catapult one to the very top in the real world) or by having inherited the title from someone, whose ancestors were probably apex predators of some sort in mediaeval times.
posted by acb at 3:51 PM on April 21, 2013 [6 favorites]
Iceland, Lithuania and Estonia are usually cited as "successes"
I don't really see how Iceland could be considered a classic case of austerity, because the government that took over tried innovative strategies to recover from the financial crisis, including nationalizing the banks, and Iceland itself, unlike Greece, did not adopt the Euro until after the crisis.
Estonia (which has a highly developed economy compared to its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Latvia), has something like 13% unemployment following the the crisis, higher than Britain's current unemployment rate as a matter of fact, and higher than any unemployment level in Britain since 1984.
Estonia is kind of an interesting parallel to the United States, where there seems to be a lot of jobs in technology for people with the skills, aptitude and access to education to do those jobs, but not many jobs in other sectors. Estonia is also home to a sizeable ethnic minority - Russians - who are excluded from a lot of things, including the formal labour market, because they don't speak Estonian.*
Lithuania is not really a good comparison, because it's economy is far less developed than Estonia or Iceland's, or Greece's. Anyway, Lithuania also has a 13% unemployment rate.
*I am applying for Estonian citizenship
posted by KokuRyu at 4:02 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I don't really see how Iceland could be considered a classic case of austerity, because the government that took over tried innovative strategies to recover from the financial crisis, including nationalizing the banks, and Iceland itself, unlike Greece, did not adopt the Euro until after the crisis.
Estonia (which has a highly developed economy compared to its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Latvia), has something like 13% unemployment following the the crisis, higher than Britain's current unemployment rate as a matter of fact, and higher than any unemployment level in Britain since 1984.
Estonia is kind of an interesting parallel to the United States, where there seems to be a lot of jobs in technology for people with the skills, aptitude and access to education to do those jobs, but not many jobs in other sectors. Estonia is also home to a sizeable ethnic minority - Russians - who are excluded from a lot of things, including the formal labour market, because they don't speak Estonian.*
Lithuania is not really a good comparison, because it's economy is far less developed than Estonia or Iceland's, or Greece's. Anyway, Lithuania also has a 13% unemployment rate.
*I am applying for Estonian citizenship
posted by KokuRyu at 4:02 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I don't really see how Iceland could be considered a classic case of austerity
You've misunderstood; it was being cited as an anti-austerity success. :)
posted by smoke at 4:04 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
You've misunderstood; it was being cited as an anti-austerity success. :)
posted by smoke at 4:04 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sorry I added a bunch of stuff in the edit window. But point taken, and I guess after my misunderstanding I look a bit ridiculous
posted by KokuRyu at 4:05 PM on April 21, 2013
posted by KokuRyu at 4:05 PM on April 21, 2013
So this is terrible news for people in Greece but at least it in no way threatens the rest of the world like Germany did in the early 30s.
If neo-Nazism is allowed to put its roots down into Greece, it's not very likely that it's just going to stay contained there, especially given how badly the last five years have undermined the legitimacy of the existing European political and economic establishment.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 4:09 PM on April 21, 2013 [14 favorites]
If neo-Nazism is allowed to put its roots down into Greece, it's not very likely that it's just going to stay contained there, especially given how badly the last five years have undermined the legitimacy of the existing European political and economic establishment.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 4:09 PM on April 21, 2013 [14 favorites]
What's austerity's biggest success?
Reducing government deficit spending (aka austerity) has enabled Greece to qualify for additional loans from the IMF and ECB.
"The recent steps taken by the authorities suggest that the March milestones are likely to be achieved in the near future and hence the disbursement of the related €2.8bn from the EFSF tranche remaining from the previous Review could be agreed soon by the Euro area Member States.."
Without austerity the Greeks would be in an even more dire situation. The political left has completely and utterly failed Greece and that is why the political right is gaining power.
Socialists, as they have always done, prefer to blame others for their own failures.
posted by three blind mice at 4:16 PM on April 21, 2013
Reducing government deficit spending (aka austerity) has enabled Greece to qualify for additional loans from the IMF and ECB.
"The recent steps taken by the authorities suggest that the March milestones are likely to be achieved in the near future and hence the disbursement of the related €2.8bn from the EFSF tranche remaining from the previous Review could be agreed soon by the Euro area Member States.."
Without austerity the Greeks would be in an even more dire situation. The political left has completely and utterly failed Greece and that is why the political right is gaining power.
Socialists, as they have always done, prefer to blame others for their own failures.
posted by three blind mice at 4:16 PM on April 21, 2013
Qualifying for IMF aid via austerity? What a great idea! What could possibly go wrong?
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:22 PM on April 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:22 PM on April 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
Reducing government deficit spending (aka austerity) has enabled Greece to qualify for additional loans from the IMF and ECB.
Forgive me for outright laughing at this comment.
posted by phaedon at 4:24 PM on April 21, 2013 [20 favorites]
Forgive me for outright laughing at this comment.
posted by phaedon at 4:24 PM on April 21, 2013 [20 favorites]
Without austerity the Greeks would be in an even more dire situation.
This is preposterous: the austerity targets were absolutely arbitrary - the ECB could just as easily have given the money without those; they were absolutely unnecessary.
Besides, I would argue that many of Greece's economic woes, as mentioned above, stem not from spending, per se, but rather from revenue and spending on the wrong things.
All of which has little to do with the rise of fascism there, except insofar as inequality, poverty, and migrant populations help fuel the latter.
posted by smoke at 4:31 PM on April 21, 2013
This is preposterous: the austerity targets were absolutely arbitrary - the ECB could just as easily have given the money without those; they were absolutely unnecessary.
Besides, I would argue that many of Greece's economic woes, as mentioned above, stem not from spending, per se, but rather from revenue and spending on the wrong things.
All of which has little to do with the rise of fascism there, except insofar as inequality, poverty, and migrant populations help fuel the latter.
posted by smoke at 4:31 PM on April 21, 2013
Reducing government deficit spending (aka austerity) has enabled Greece to qualify for additional loans from the IMF and ECB.
You do realize that you're not actually providing evidence of austerity policies actually working, but rather austerity was made a condition for the loan itself, right? Not to mention that if Greece falls, the Euro falls and takes them along with it, which for reasons that should not need explaining, is a worse option for the IMF and ECB than loaning them a couple billion Euros.
posted by zombieflanders at 4:33 PM on April 21, 2013 [6 favorites]
You do realize that you're not actually providing evidence of austerity policies actually working, but rather austerity was made a condition for the loan itself, right? Not to mention that if Greece falls, the Euro falls and takes them along with it, which for reasons that should not need explaining, is a worse option for the IMF and ECB than loaning them a couple billion Euros.
posted by zombieflanders at 4:33 PM on April 21, 2013 [6 favorites]
My adolescent stint of studying metaphysics is making these articles hard to keep a straight face while reading. Every time I come across "Golden Dawn", my brain jerks with dissonance. The name of this ultra-right group is "Golden Dawn"? Dg, why didn't they just outright go with "Nazi"? (While probably not affiliated with Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn", having some quasi-mystic association isn't unknown for ultra-right wing groups.)
posted by _paegan_ at 4:38 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by _paegan_ at 4:38 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Wasn't the term Golden Dawn taken from Homer? If so, it'd go with the blood-and-soil romanticism that the far right tends to favour.
posted by acb at 4:51 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by acb at 4:51 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
You don't need a massive industrial complex to terrorize ethnic minorities.
posted by Brocktoon at 4:54 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Brocktoon at 4:54 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
I just started reading Boomerang this morning, people. I don't need the real world to accord with my nonfiction.
posted by Going To Maine at 4:58 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 4:58 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Socialists, as they have always done, prefer to blame others for their own failures.
Meanwhile, Capitalists, as they have always done, pretend their own failures don't exist.
posted by KingEdRa at 5:16 PM on April 21, 2013 [28 favorites]
Meanwhile, Capitalists, as they have always done, pretend their own failures don't exist.
posted by KingEdRa at 5:16 PM on April 21, 2013 [28 favorites]
I just started reading Boomerang this morning, people. I don't need the real world to accord with my nonfiction.
From the book description:
The tsunami of cheap credit that rolled across the planet between 2002 and 2008 was more than a simple financial phenomenon: it was temptation, offering entire societies the chance to reveal aspects of their characters they could not normally afford to indulge.
Icelanders wanted to stop fishing and become investment bankers. The Greeks wanted to turn their country into a piñata stuffed with cash and allow as many citizens as possible to take a whack at it. The Germans wanted to be even more German; the Irish wanted to stop being Irish.
Truly a nightmare.
posted by Brian B. at 5:31 PM on April 21, 2013
From the book description:
The tsunami of cheap credit that rolled across the planet between 2002 and 2008 was more than a simple financial phenomenon: it was temptation, offering entire societies the chance to reveal aspects of their characters they could not normally afford to indulge.
Icelanders wanted to stop fishing and become investment bankers. The Greeks wanted to turn their country into a piñata stuffed with cash and allow as many citizens as possible to take a whack at it. The Germans wanted to be even more German; the Irish wanted to stop being Irish.
Truly a nightmare.
posted by Brian B. at 5:31 PM on April 21, 2013
Of course, getting labelled 'x-Nazi' is also a surefire way of getting some international media coverage on your party...
posted by derReisende at 5:34 PM on April 21, 2013
posted by derReisende at 5:34 PM on April 21, 2013
Greece in its current state is not very much like Germany of the 1930s.
It's more like Italy of the 1920s.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:34 PM on April 21, 2013 [16 favorites]
It's more like Italy of the 1920s.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:34 PM on April 21, 2013 [16 favorites]
About the only silver lining I can see is that Greece is in no way comparable to Early 20th century Germany. Germany was one of the most populous countries in the world and had, what, the 2nd highest industrial production after the United States?
Golden Dawn isn't the only Fascist party in Europe, it's just the most popular one. The UK has the BNP, the UKIP, and the street thugs of the EDL, France has the Front National, etc. etc. and as we saw with Anders Breivik, these fascist fucks all talk to each other on some level.
posted by DecemberBoy at 5:46 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Golden Dawn isn't the only Fascist party in Europe, it's just the most popular one. The UK has the BNP, the UKIP, and the street thugs of the EDL, France has the Front National, etc. etc. and as we saw with Anders Breivik, these fascist fucks all talk to each other on some level.
posted by DecemberBoy at 5:46 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
The Euro was a monumental blunder. Monetary union without political union is now proved not to work, and political union is further away than ever.
Everyone needs to go back to national currencies, but no one seems willing to say it. The longer they wait, the worse it's going to get. You may see revolutions. You may see war.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:54 PM on April 21, 2013 [8 favorites]
Everyone needs to go back to national currencies, but no one seems willing to say it. The longer they wait, the worse it's going to get. You may see revolutions. You may see war.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:54 PM on April 21, 2013 [8 favorites]
You know what prevents alternate currencies from happening in the United States?
NOTHING. They already exist (Berkshares for example).
More relevantly, in the event of complete insolvency, there is only one thing that municipalities and states have to do before issuing IOUs in lieu of paying in dollars, which is regulations requiring the IOUs not be easy to counterfeit.
They did this in the Depression. California came close to doing it again in 2008. A small town in Austria tried it too (Worgl Experiment).
Greece could do it. Issue euro-denominated IOUs, and pay people with them to get the economy moving again. The scrip would obviously trade at a discount against the euro, but it would trade. As in, people would exchange the scrip for goods and services. And then it would be up to Brussels to figure out how to get the scrip redeemed and taken out of circulation without it becoming a new drachma. And if it does become the new drachma, so be it.
That said, I have to say: Greeks, yo, seriously, shoot at people after witholding pay for 6 months?? Really? Wow. Y'all make Israelis look ethically minded. You're really doing the Mediterrenean proud there.
posted by ocschwar at 6:15 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
NOTHING. They already exist (Berkshares for example).
More relevantly, in the event of complete insolvency, there is only one thing that municipalities and states have to do before issuing IOUs in lieu of paying in dollars, which is regulations requiring the IOUs not be easy to counterfeit.
They did this in the Depression. California came close to doing it again in 2008. A small town in Austria tried it too (Worgl Experiment).
Greece could do it. Issue euro-denominated IOUs, and pay people with them to get the economy moving again. The scrip would obviously trade at a discount against the euro, but it would trade. As in, people would exchange the scrip for goods and services. And then it would be up to Brussels to figure out how to get the scrip redeemed and taken out of circulation without it becoming a new drachma. And if it does become the new drachma, so be it.
That said, I have to say: Greeks, yo, seriously, shoot at people after witholding pay for 6 months?? Really? Wow. Y'all make Israelis look ethically minded. You're really doing the Mediterrenean proud there.
posted by ocschwar at 6:15 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
The Euro was a monumental blunder. Monetary union without political union is now proved not to work, and political union is further away than ever.
This has nothing to do with political union. The economic union is what failed. Deregulation of markets, removing international tariffs and a country's ability to stabilize the cost of its own goods and service and devalue its currency in order to do so has fucked things up. Not to mention the manner in which the bond market crashed and all the outside investors want their money "now."
What exactly do you expect Greece to do in an economic union where it cannot protect itself from Germany? You could almost argue that this happen by design. That the stronger industrial Euro nations would break the backs of countries like Greece, Italy and Spain. Add to that wild speculation, predatory lending and political corruption and relatively benign third-world economy brought to its knees and you have new phrases like "austerity measures" and concepts like "well, you have to pay what you owe" while children are starving in the streets and pension plans are being raided.
All because what, Greece needed a fancy airport and a new metro? Comments about laziness aside, the Greeks can be blamed for falling in love with free money. Of course, this feeds into the idea that we're better than everybody else. But anyone who refers to the "tsunami of cheap credit that rolled through the planet between 2002 and 2008" of course forgets that the banksters pulled this same shit in the 1990's in Asia and that at the end of the day, this was about greed. People with a shit-ton of money looking for a bunch of schmucks who would say yes to borrowing it. And the weaker entrants to the EU were the perfect victim.
posted by phaedon at 6:27 PM on April 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
This has nothing to do with political union. The economic union is what failed. Deregulation of markets, removing international tariffs and a country's ability to stabilize the cost of its own goods and service and devalue its currency in order to do so has fucked things up. Not to mention the manner in which the bond market crashed and all the outside investors want their money "now."
What exactly do you expect Greece to do in an economic union where it cannot protect itself from Germany? You could almost argue that this happen by design. That the stronger industrial Euro nations would break the backs of countries like Greece, Italy and Spain. Add to that wild speculation, predatory lending and political corruption and relatively benign third-world economy brought to its knees and you have new phrases like "austerity measures" and concepts like "well, you have to pay what you owe" while children are starving in the streets and pension plans are being raided.
All because what, Greece needed a fancy airport and a new metro? Comments about laziness aside, the Greeks can be blamed for falling in love with free money. Of course, this feeds into the idea that we're better than everybody else. But anyone who refers to the "tsunami of cheap credit that rolled through the planet between 2002 and 2008" of course forgets that the banksters pulled this same shit in the 1990's in Asia and that at the end of the day, this was about greed. People with a shit-ton of money looking for a bunch of schmucks who would say yes to borrowing it. And the weaker entrants to the EU were the perfect victim.
posted by phaedon at 6:27 PM on April 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
What could work is if the Germans and, say, the Dutch and the Fins pulled out of the Euro and went back to their own currencies.
If the Germans were to announce this all they would need to do is stop deposits coming in, rather than going out, which is possible.
Germany and whoever else left would have their exports suffer but they would no longer be involved in the repeating bail outs.
Meanwhile, the Euro could be allowed to inflate, as France, Italy and others seem to want. This would help their exports and stimulate their economy.
This is pretty much what the Alternative for Germany Party is advocating.
posted by sien at 6:54 PM on April 21, 2013
If the Germans were to announce this all they would need to do is stop deposits coming in, rather than going out, which is possible.
Germany and whoever else left would have their exports suffer but they would no longer be involved in the repeating bail outs.
Meanwhile, the Euro could be allowed to inflate, as France, Italy and others seem to want. This would help their exports and stimulate their economy.
This is pretty much what the Alternative for Germany Party is advocating.
posted by sien at 6:54 PM on April 21, 2013
Just once I'd like humans to respond to bad economic times with kindness and generosity. Cause damn, folks really need to be nicer to each when the shit hits the fan.
The reason this doesn't happen is because the tried and true strategy for gaining a popular mandate for austerity is divide and conquer. Taxes and the deficit are blamed on unions and/or welfare recipients. Political elites find cover in getting middle and lower classes to point the finger at each other. Kindness and generosity are anathema to creating that those conditions.
posted by dry white toast at 7:28 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
The reason this doesn't happen is because the tried and true strategy for gaining a popular mandate for austerity is divide and conquer. Taxes and the deficit are blamed on unions and/or welfare recipients. Political elites find cover in getting middle and lower classes to point the finger at each other. Kindness and generosity are anathema to creating that those conditions.
posted by dry white toast at 7:28 PM on April 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
of all the depressing news trends to follow, the rise of fascism can be the hardest to take. because it's not just ignorance and stupidity and fear and malice and the darkest side of human nature rising to the surface like a pus-filled boil, it's all those things at once.
posted by ecourbanist at 7:29 PM on April 21, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by ecourbanist at 7:29 PM on April 21, 2013 [8 favorites]
Socialists, as they have always done, prefer to blame others for their own failures.
Not true. Just the other day I, a moderate socialist, bought the wrong kind of grout for regrouting my bathroom sink backsplash, and I admit that the error was mine and mine alone, and admitted as much when I went to return it.
The fascists in Greece have shown a worrying willingness to get involved in crap that doesn't concern them; they were active (for example) in supporting the Serbs during the Yugoslav wars. The borders aren't just open to goods and services. They are open to every kind of diseased thinking known to man, and with Greece bordering a region known for its right-wing insanity and mass murder of ethnic minorities there is ample room for the contagion to spread.
posted by 1adam12 at 8:59 PM on April 21, 2013 [12 favorites]
Not true. Just the other day I, a moderate socialist, bought the wrong kind of grout for regrouting my bathroom sink backsplash, and I admit that the error was mine and mine alone, and admitted as much when I went to return it.
The fascists in Greece have shown a worrying willingness to get involved in crap that doesn't concern them; they were active (for example) in supporting the Serbs during the Yugoslav wars. The borders aren't just open to goods and services. They are open to every kind of diseased thinking known to man, and with Greece bordering a region known for its right-wing insanity and mass murder of ethnic minorities there is ample room for the contagion to spread.
posted by 1adam12 at 8:59 PM on April 21, 2013 [12 favorites]
Not that I'm really advocating for this, but it would be nice to see a right-wing group like this spending their time going around and bashing the heads of the fat-cats who actually caused the problems rather than railing against ordinary people who are resented just because they're in competition for scarce jobs and basic resources.
posted by Ickster at 8:59 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ickster at 8:59 PM on April 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Last year, This America Life/Planet Money did a show on the European financial crisis. Greece figures rather prominently.
This is a great listen and provides some great background. Give it a listen 455: Continental Breakup
posted by dougzilla at 9:30 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
This is a great listen and provides some great background. Give it a listen 455: Continental Breakup
posted by dougzilla at 9:30 PM on April 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
This is a great listen and provides some great background.
That was really interesting, thanks!
posted by phaedon at 10:50 PM on April 21, 2013
That was really interesting, thanks!
posted by phaedon at 10:50 PM on April 21, 2013
Everyone needs to go back to national currencies, but no one seems willing to say it.
People have said it. But no one knows how do it without tanking their economies (and those of the rest of the world). There's even a $400K prize for anyone who can come up with a viable way to for countries to leave the Euro without kicking off another banking crisis.
Planet Money did an interesting story on the problems with leaving a shared currency.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 12:13 AM on April 22, 2013
People have said it. But no one knows how do it without tanking their economies (and those of the rest of the world). There's even a $400K prize for anyone who can come up with a viable way to for countries to leave the Euro without kicking off another banking crisis.
Planet Money did an interesting story on the problems with leaving a shared currency.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 12:13 AM on April 22, 2013
It has a lot to do with political union as well as monetary union, as they are interlinked issues. The gulf between being a currency issuing state, with a central bank of its own, and total control over monetary AND fiscal policy, and the current hodgepodge, is one large factor in the euro not working.
The other is that it could never work, as growth rates, unemployment vary hugely across the union. Capital is free to move around Europe while labour is, while legally free, culturally rooted and in practical terms immobile other than for a handful of elites.
And the solution to the above situation is random, undemocratic centralisation of fiscal policy and assumption of the power to do that, in order to paper over the gaps.
This democratic deficit, which is being expanded in order to attempt to fix the fiscal/monetary mismatch, has no obvious solution.
posted by C.A.S. at 12:34 AM on April 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
The other is that it could never work, as growth rates, unemployment vary hugely across the union. Capital is free to move around Europe while labour is, while legally free, culturally rooted and in practical terms immobile other than for a handful of elites.
And the solution to the above situation is random, undemocratic centralisation of fiscal policy and assumption of the power to do that, in order to paper over the gaps.
This democratic deficit, which is being expanded in order to attempt to fix the fiscal/monetary mismatch, has no obvious solution.
posted by C.A.S. at 12:34 AM on April 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Capital being free to move while labor is rooted is in large part the point of neoliberalism, isn't it?
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:06 AM on April 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:06 AM on April 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
a normalization of racism, structural, institutional and slentrian.
For other curious readers, slentrian turns out to be a Swedish word meaning "routine" and I suppose in this context means "everyday" like it's just part of daily life. The internet* says that in other Scandinavian languages it can have a connotation of carelessness. Not intending to derail, but I had to know and figure someone else is asking themselves the same question.
posted by whatzit at 3:38 AM on April 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
For other curious readers, slentrian turns out to be a Swedish word meaning "routine" and I suppose in this context means "everyday" like it's just part of daily life. The internet* says that in other Scandinavian languages it can have a connotation of carelessness. Not intending to derail, but I had to know and figure someone else is asking themselves the same question.
posted by whatzit at 3:38 AM on April 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
What's austerity's biggest success?
Finland's rise from the worst recession of it's history was through austerity politics. The current European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro Olli Rehn was in the 90s special financial advisor to the prime minister of Finland and I think it's safe to presume that his experience there has strongly influenced his strong push for austerity Europe-wide. Unfortunately what works for a small country in the throes of a mostly localized recession does not seem to work for Europe as a whole.
posted by Authorized User at 4:35 AM on April 22, 2013
Finland's rise from the worst recession of it's history was through austerity politics. The current European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro Olli Rehn was in the 90s special financial advisor to the prime minister of Finland and I think it's safe to presume that his experience there has strongly influenced his strong push for austerity Europe-wide. Unfortunately what works for a small country in the throes of a mostly localized recession does not seem to work for Europe as a whole.
posted by Authorized User at 4:35 AM on April 22, 2013
"Capital being free to move while labor is rooted is in large part the point of neoliberalism, isn't it?"
No, I think neoliberalism would have labor and capital free to move, and push back against anti immigration constraints. It would see the anti immigration push back as anti-liberal.
In a way, the EU common market was an attempt to create this freedom for both, but culture and practical constraints make the right for Europeans to work anywhere much less likely despite being allowed.
posted by C.A.S. at 5:22 AM on April 22, 2013
No, I think neoliberalism would have labor and capital free to move, and push back against anti immigration constraints. It would see the anti immigration push back as anti-liberal.
In a way, the EU common market was an attempt to create this freedom for both, but culture and practical constraints make the right for Europeans to work anywhere much less likely despite being allowed.
posted by C.A.S. at 5:22 AM on April 22, 2013
The other problem with austerity's previous application was that it was tried during a time of general demand expansion, and interest rates going from medium to low.
In this environment, interest rates are already down to the zero bound, can't go lower, and general demand has crashed globally in a way that wasn't the case in the 90s. In fact, in Finland, demand for things like Nokia globally in the 90s made it a different case than even if we were talking about Finland today doing the same today.
This is the great problem with austerity....the last analogy for where we are now is the 30s, and before that the 1870s.
posted by C.A.S. at 5:25 AM on April 22, 2013
In this environment, interest rates are already down to the zero bound, can't go lower, and general demand has crashed globally in a way that wasn't the case in the 90s. In fact, in Finland, demand for things like Nokia globally in the 90s made it a different case than even if we were talking about Finland today doing the same today.
This is the great problem with austerity....the last analogy for where we are now is the 30s, and before that the 1870s.
posted by C.A.S. at 5:25 AM on April 22, 2013
the basis of austerity policies of the last several years dismantled due to what basically came down to an error in Excel
Yeah, not really.
Too bad what happened to "austerity" though, it used to be a useful word. It still would be if people would limit its application to situations such as Greece where it might be appropriate. Instead one sees any and every effort by any government to reduce its deficit spending by the slightest bit described as austerity. Reducing the amount of caviar served at your orgies by 3% is not likely to transform them into affairs that could be reasonably described as austere.
But that's got little to do with the more important topic. I have some hope that as the Golden Dawn continues to become more widely recognised as literally neo-Nazi their popularity will start to evaporate.
posted by sfenders at 6:39 AM on April 22, 2013
Yeah, not really.
Too bad what happened to "austerity" though, it used to be a useful word. It still would be if people would limit its application to situations such as Greece where it might be appropriate. Instead one sees any and every effort by any government to reduce its deficit spending by the slightest bit described as austerity. Reducing the amount of caviar served at your orgies by 3% is not likely to transform them into affairs that could be reasonably described as austere.
But that's got little to do with the more important topic. I have some hope that as the Golden Dawn continues to become more widely recognised as literally neo-Nazi their popularity will start to evaporate.
posted by sfenders at 6:39 AM on April 22, 2013
There was some comparison of Israel with Greece upthread (something about Nazi strawberries or something similarly anodyne in the context of this discussion), and it seems that Netanyahu is opposing austerity (so countries that are anti-austerity are like Israel?)
posted by KokuRyu at 6:50 AM on April 22, 2013
posted by KokuRyu at 6:50 AM on April 22, 2013
A recent poll (multilingual headlines) found that 30% of respondents said Greece was better off during the years of the military junta even though 88% agrees that there is more freedom of speech nowadays. 46% says the standard of living was better. Fuck. I think unemployment at 27% says a lot.
Without austerity the Greeks would be in an even more dire situation. The political left has completely and utterly failed Greece and that is why the political right is gaining power.
Socialists, as they have always done, prefer to blame others for their own failures.
Your definition of the political left in Greece must be quite different from mine. I find it a bit funny that you are dead set against socialists yet chose to move to Sweden.
That said, I have to say: Greeks, yo, seriously, shoot at people after witholding pay for 6 months?? Really? Wow. Y'all make Israelis look ethically minded. You're really doing the Mediterrenean proud there.
Yo, these guys don't represent anyone else apart from themselves. Especially other Greeks who are also having their pay withheld.
posted by ersatz at 8:23 AM on April 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
Without austerity the Greeks would be in an even more dire situation. The political left has completely and utterly failed Greece and that is why the political right is gaining power.
Socialists, as they have always done, prefer to blame others for their own failures.
Your definition of the political left in Greece must be quite different from mine. I find it a bit funny that you are dead set against socialists yet chose to move to Sweden.
That said, I have to say: Greeks, yo, seriously, shoot at people after witholding pay for 6 months?? Really? Wow. Y'all make Israelis look ethically minded. You're really doing the Mediterrenean proud there.
Yo, these guys don't represent anyone else apart from themselves. Especially other Greeks who are also having their pay withheld.
posted by ersatz at 8:23 AM on April 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
More than a small part of the problem is the Greek Police.
One of the reasons the Greek police gave for photoshopping out the young anarchists' injuries was that they wanted the public to remember their faces.
In february fifteen people arrested in Athens says they were subjected to what their lawyer describes as an Abu Ghraib-style humiliation.
Last October a senior Greek police officer claimed that the far-right Golden Dawn party has infiltrated the police at various levels.
posted by adamvasco at 9:31 AM on April 22, 2013
One of the reasons the Greek police gave for photoshopping out the young anarchists' injuries was that they wanted the public to remember their faces.
In february fifteen people arrested in Athens says they were subjected to what their lawyer describes as an Abu Ghraib-style humiliation.
Last October a senior Greek police officer claimed that the far-right Golden Dawn party has infiltrated the police at various levels.
posted by adamvasco at 9:31 AM on April 22, 2013
I have some hope that as the Golden Dawn continues to become more widely recognised as literally neo-Nazi their popularity will start to evaporate.considering how primed the world is for fascism at this moment, even in america and even on the "left", i am cheered by but do not second your optimism
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 9:36 AM on April 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
three blind mice: "Reducing government deficit spending (aka austerity) has enabled Greece to qualify for additional loans from the IMF and ECB."
Such is the wisdom of parents, withholding the pudding until the kids eat their meat.
(The pudding is Crow Pie)
posted by vanar sena at 1:43 PM on April 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Such is the wisdom of parents, withholding the pudding until the kids eat their meat.
(The pudding is Crow Pie)
posted by vanar sena at 1:43 PM on April 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Ugh. Fuck these people.
"Worship the strong and persecute the weak:
the two commandments of the truly Greek."
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 3:46 PM on April 22, 2013
"Worship the strong and persecute the weak:
the two commandments of the truly Greek."
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 3:46 PM on April 22, 2013
Mod note: Few comments removed.Do not turn this to a thread about Israel, starting now. Thank you.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:34 PM on April 22, 2013
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:34 PM on April 22, 2013
Golden Dawn is a hard core right wing fascist group with extremely nationalist rhetoric.
If you watch only one short video about their insanity, I suggest it be the true face of Golden Dawn and if possible, I suggest trying to find a copy of The Cleaners by Konstantinos Georgousis.
Choice quotes include "we're ready to open the ovens" "make them into soap ... to wash the streets" with regard to immigrants.
The Golden Dawn is absolutely insane and must be stopped.
posted by ioerror at 5:47 PM on April 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
If you watch only one short video about their insanity, I suggest it be the true face of Golden Dawn and if possible, I suggest trying to find a copy of The Cleaners by Konstantinos Georgousis.
Choice quotes include "we're ready to open the ovens" "make them into soap ... to wash the streets" with regard to immigrants.
The Golden Dawn is absolutely insane and must be stopped.
posted by ioerror at 5:47 PM on April 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
Crooked Timber: Greece's Trap
Greece is at the hard end of another European policy problem, related to austerity, but this time to do with immigration, and it’s turning into a serious human rights and humanitarian crisis. According to Europe’s border control agency Frontex, 93% of migrants to Europe came through eastern and central Mediterranean routes in 2011.With the tightening of the patrolling of Spanish and Italian access routes, most of these arrived first in Greece, with legal rights under the European Convention of Human Rights to seek asylum status there.posted by the man of twists and turns at 1:06 PM on April 28, 2013
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posted by phaedon at 1:43 PM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]