The Tragic End of Metapolitefsi - by Nicolas Mottas*

Sent by Mr. Alexandros Kitas - Mineapolis, U.S.A.


When the tank was flattening the front gate of the Athens Polytechnic, on November 17th 1973, a bloody chapter of Greece's modern history was closing. After almost three decades of political instability, a civil war and a seven-years long military dictatorship, the country was inserting a brand new era. Since the restoration of democracy in 1974 this period is known as the 'Metapolitefsi', having as a starting point the legislative elections of that year.



Thirty-six years later, being in the edge of bankruptcy and under the strict financial regulation of the International Monetary Fund, Greece experiences the tragic end of 'Metapolitefsi'. Last Wednesday, thousands of angry protesters besieged the Parliament shouting "thieves, thieves!" expressing a strong opposition to the austerity measures demanded by a multibillion-dollar international bailout for the country. On the same day, the nation mourned three people who were killed after extremists set a bank ablaze during the mass demonstration in the center of Athens. The 'Metapolitefsi' period has come to an end.

How did the country come to this point? Less than six years since the glorious summer of 2004 and Greece is making international headlines again – this time as the black sheep of the European Union, just one step before fiscal precipice. The truth is that the present situation is nothing more than the denouement of a modern Greek drama. During the decades of 1980s and 1990s, a massive – yet unproductive – public sector was created, mainly as a result of client-based relations between politicians and people. Rousfeti, the Greek word for political favors as an exchange for votes, became a password of political corruption.

The Greeks, although hard-working and conscientious people in their vast majority, relied on a false prosperity created by their governments. For at least three decades the standards of living were adjusting to the global situation of spending spree without any change in the actual productive structure of the country. Greece was gradually modernized but, still, the political attitude remained the same as it was fifty years ago – partisan patronage, corruption and rousfeti remained in the body of Greek society like a loathsome decease. Relying mostly on EU funds and other loans the governments of Athens finally created a caricature of welfare state while bureaucracy and lack of meritocracy were mounting year by year. The Greeks never liked this situation of the state – but they didn't do enough in order to change it. In fact, they gradually became part of it.

The dominance of the Socialist Andreas Papandreou during the 1980s enhanced social justice, established the National Health System and strengthened the voice of the less privileged Greeks. But, apparently, that wasn't enough. Between 1989 and 1992 the country's political environment was stigmatized by scandals and corruption, while the rest of Europe was changing rapidly. Despite the efforts for modernization of the public sector – especially after 1996 – the major problems weren't solved: tax evasion, financial mismanagement and debt accumulation.

The 'Metapolitefsi' reached its peak in 2004 when Greece organized the glorious – but costly – Olympic Games in Athens. The world admired the capability of such a small nation to successfully organize such an important event of international importance. But the truth is that Greece had actually swept all the dirt under the carpet. During the last five years, the center-right government of Costas Karamanlis failed to capitalize the positive effects of the Olympiad. On the contrary, the Greek political leadership completely lost its contact with people and their needs, sinking into numerous scandals.

However, we shouldn't exclusively scapegoat the Greek socio-political system for today's failure – Europe has its own responsibilities. Contrary to its fellow EU members Greece lies in a historically and diplomatically troubled area. Being a neighbor of traditionally trouble-making governments, such as the ones in Ankara and Skopje, Greece spent billions of drachmas and euros during the 'Metapolitefsi' for military equipment. Although a member of the EU since 1980, Athens never gained any concrete guarantee from the EU regarding the security of its eastern and northern borders – the failure for the creation of a common Foreign and Security Policy within Europe forced Greece to buy preposterously expensive weaponry for defense purposes. Its therefore not an exaggeration to say that some of those who today blame "Greek corruption" have contributed to this situation, directly or indirectly.

The images of thousands of angry protesters in front of the Greek Parliament prove that, indeed, the country passes its most significant economic, political and moreover institutional crisis since 1974. But, on the same time, it means the end of an era – it can be the prologue of an even deeper crisis which would doubt the whole social and political model of 'Metapolitefsi', as the director of 'To Vima' daily Pantelis Kapsis points out successfully. The end of this thirty-six years long period reminds me of the last but one scene in "Zorba the Greek" film, when the project of Zorba and Basil for hauling down wood ends in disaster. But, finally, the two men join hands and dance by the sea. There is a strong belief that Greece will pass through the crisis, thus opening a new, promising, chapter in its modern history.

*Nicolas Mottas, born in Greece in 1984, is a doctoral candidate (Ph.D) and an article-writer. He studied in London and Paris, graduating with a Bachelor in Political Science from the University of Westminster and holds a Master of Arts in Diplomacy from the Diplomatic Academy of London. He has been a Foreign Affairs editor for the Greek newspaper 'Macedonia' while he contributes as an Op-Ed author to various, both Greek and English-speaking, sources.

American Chronicle

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/155140