Exilian
Art, Writing, and Learning: The Clerisy Quarter => Discussion and Debate - The Philosopher's Plaza => Topic started by: Jubal on July 05, 2015, 10:30:26 PM
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/jul/05/live-results-greek-referendum
Buckle your seats, get your popcorn; Europe is entering possibly its most dangerous and fractious period in decades.
I really feel like the Troika are playing with fire here. The damage being done to Greece's social fabric will not heal easily, and it's really not so very long that Greece has even been an attempt at a functional, stable democracy. Writing off a large chunk of Greek debt would be more than worth it just to keep Greece stable at this stage.
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Here's a selection of commentary in the wake of the No vote, in no particular order, and at least partly as a set of bookmarks for me.
First up, a bit of a rant (http://www.interfluidity.com/v2/5965.html) which has been doing the rounds on Facebook in the last day or so. I don't know who the author is, but they seem to understand quite a bit about economics and the banking system. They're clearly very angry about the way Greece has been treated and the breakdown of some of the basic principles of the European project.
Second, a Financial Times article (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b7ea4b6c-21a2-11e5-aa5a-398b2169cf79.html#axzz3f8alfWuk) from Wolfgang Münchau, about why the Yes campaign lost. (NB. The FT has a paywall, so this article might not always be available). There are some choice quotes, for example:
There is no reputable economic theory according to which an economy that has experienced an eight-year-long depression requires a new round of austerity to bring about economic adjustment.
If you have been unemployed for five years, with no prospect of a job, it makes no difference whether the money you do not get is denominated in euros, or in drachma.
Third, as a rather more than ironic contrast, a Guardian article (http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/27/greece-spain-helped-germany-recover) from 2013, marking the 60th anniversary of the post-War cancellation of half (!) of West Germany's debt, by countries including Greece.
Then there's Yanis Varoufakis' blog post (http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2015/07/06/minister-no-more/), announcing his resignation as Greek finance minister. He's another one who doesn't mince his words: I shall wear the creditors’ loathing with pride.
And finally a blog post from Paul Mason (http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/yanis-varoufakis-economist-play-politics/4081), exploring whether there are more reasons for that resignation than just the relationship with the Troika.
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I can also offer up what some of you have already seen - my thoughts on the matter:
https://thoughtsofprogress.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/some-brief-thoughts-on-greece/
I just don't know where this is going, and I don't think anyone else does.
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Zeus be with us!
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http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/zeus-not-keen-to-face-off-against-merkel-2015070699895
:P
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Touche.
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Living in this modern debt colony, I can tell you things are pretty messed up.
Remember that "mr" Junker proposed to give us humanitarian aid for the situation he (as head of the European commission), the "institutions" (IMF, ESM, ECB) and their "yes-men" (call them Sam and Ben) created here.
Unfortunately Varoufakis resigned, Tsipras accepted their demands, and mind you fascists are already eager to take over.
The European Union is heading on a slippery course: No democracy, minimum citizens' rights, neo-liberal anti-reforms, violence and alliances with the dark side (see Ukraine and Svoboda, the f*cked up piggies [no offence to those delicate, nourishing animals] and the E.U.'s backed government).
PS1: Whaaaaaaaat? Dimos is back?
PS2: 6,000 people have already commited suicide due to the "debt crisis" (or the economic crash of 2008-and beyond) and if the new memorandum will be implemented, many more will follow. 300,000 Greek scientists and academics already emigrated to other, more "prosperous" lands...
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Welcome back! :D
And yes, it's all rather grim looking :(
Certainly my generally pro-Europe outlook has been rather shaken in recent months. Not sufficient for me to vote to leave the EU in 2017, but I think much more major and far reaching reforms are needed to democratise the EU and ensure that it's not up to the Germans to demand privatisations etc in other countries.
I found this interesting - an economic argument that it is actually Germany that should leave the Euro:
http://www.businessinsider.com/its-time-for-germany-to-leave-the-eurozone-2015-7?utm_content=bufferc6d46&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&IR=T
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Whaaaaaaaat? Dimos is back?
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Who let dimos out? Who? Who? Who who?
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The files on that subject are classified :P