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Greek public sector workers strike for higher pay – Interview in PRESS TV 14-11-2018

Stavros Mavroudeas November 15, 2018 Stavros Mavroudeas Blog

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Summary:
After a considerable period of calm there is currently a resurgence of popular mobilisations in Greece. The Greek people are suffering from a barbaric EU-IMF austerity program for 8 years. Initially there were massive popular reactions to austerity policies. Then they calmed down as SYRIZA’s election in government was supposed to ameliorate people’s living standards. ...

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After a considerable period of calm there is currently a resurgence of popular mobilisations in Greece.


The Greek people are suffering from a barbaric EU-IMF austerity program for 8 years.


Initially there were massive popular reactions to austerity policies.


Then they calmed down as SYRIZA’s election in government was supposed to ameliorate people’s living standards.


This was disproved as SYRIZA continued the same austerity policies as its predecessors.


The recent resurgence of popular mobilisations is fomeneted by the following reasons.


First, SYRIZA and the EU are – deceivingly and for their own political and geopolitical reasons – declaring that the Greek crisis is over. This is not true. The Greek crisis is still simmering. However, the people think that if the crisis is over then it is time for recuperating at least some of the huge losses that it has suffered. Keep in mind that the Greek workers and middle classes have curried the burden of austerity whereas the Greek capitalists are largely unscathed.


Second, 2019 is a multi-election year. We have euroelections, local elections and ultimately general elections. So, the people sense that establishment parties are in a vulnerable position and if they don’t want to suffer huge electoral losses then they have to make concessions.


The Greek and EU establishment want to make as little concessions as possible, surpass the elections and then renew the austerity drive.


However, history has taught that once the genie of popular action is liberated from its cage then the corrupt Greek and EU establishments might not be able to contain it.


This is a glimpse of hope for Greece.


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About Stavros Mavroudeas
Stavros Mavroudeas
He is currently Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Social Policy of Panteion University. He was previously Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Economics of the University of Macedonia. He studied at the Economics Department of the National Kapodistriakon University of Athens, from where he received his BA Economics (1985 - First Class Honours).
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