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Greece skimminglight.net

Greece

Overview
* Society in decay
* Rise of Golden Dawn
* The workers' movement
* Conclusions
8 Oct 2012 1/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi skimminglight.net

Society
in decay

8 Oct 2012 2/53

Greece > Society in Decay skimminglight.net

Society in Decay

http://www.statista.com/statistics/14538/gross-domestic-product-growth-rate-in-greece/

8 Oct 2012 3/53


Society in Decay
● Impoverishment
– Homelessness
– Hunger
– Unemployment
● Despair
● Exodus
● Austerity: now 13.5 bln €
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_25/07/2012_453677
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/greece/unemployment-rate
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18391248
http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13512/58161
8 Oct 2012 4/53


Athens News 28/09/12 - http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13513/58349
8 Oct 2012 5/53


“Striking doctors and healtcare
professionals warn that immediate funding
is needed to avert collapse of primary
healthcare”
Athens News 28/09/12

Athens News 28/09/12 - http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13513/58349
8 Oct 2012 6/53


Society in Decay
● Christine Lagarde, head IMF
– More sympathy for victims of poverty in sub-
Saharan Africa than Greeks
– Greeks "should also help themselves collectively"
by paying their taxes.
– As an official of an international institution, her
salary of $467,940 (£298,675) a year plus $83,760
additional allowance a year is not subject to any
taxes. (The Guardian, May 29, 2012)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/29/christine-lagarde-pays-no-tax

8 Oct 2012 7/53


Privatizations
The Greek government announced a wide
ranging privatization programme, spanning
rail and road transport, airports and ports,
utilities, gaming and public real estate
holdings. (minfin.gr)
The island of Pezonisi, also known as Nisi
ton Oneiron (Island of Dreams), is set to
become the first island to be leased to the
private sector for tourism development.
http://www.minfin.gr/portal/en/resource/contentObject/id/2f09efef-f916-4450-8236-de0606f1e12d
8 Oct 2012 8/53

Greece > Polarization skimminglight.net

Polarization

Threat of chaos
Promise to renegotiate
Idea of left government

Government Radical left Eco. Lib. Fasco Fasco- Nat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Greece
8 Oct 2012 9/53


8 Oct 2012 10/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi skimminglight.net

Rise of Golden Dawn
(Chrysi Avgi)

8 Oct 2012 11/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi > Fascism skimminglight.net

Fascism
● Authoritarian
– Dictatorship
– Destructions of workers' organizations
– Social & cultural control
● Extreme nationalist
– Racism
– Denial of class contradictions of capitalism
● Open use of violence
● Phenomenon of capitalism in decay

8 Oct 2012 12/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi > symbolism skimminglight.net

<Click to start video>

8 Oct 2012 13/53


8 Oct 2012 14/53


8 Oct 2012 15/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi > Violence skimminglight.net

Chrysi Avgi in action
● Corinth, 23/08/12
● Chrysi Avgi members, led by MP Eystathios
Boukouras clash with riot police over the transfer
of 250-400 illegal immigrants to an army camp.
● It is a “criminal action” to convert facilities of the
Greek Army into “tourism centres for illegal
immigrants.”
1
●
The following pictures were published by Chrysi
Avgi...
1. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/sumbainei-twra-epeisodia-sthn-korintho-fwtografies

8 Oct 2012 16/53


8 Oct 2012 17/53


8 Oct 2012 18/53


8 Oct 2012 19/53


“Informative action”
Pireus, 10 September 2012

http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enhmerwtikh-drash-stis-geitonies-tou-peiraia-kai-ths-nikaias

8 Oct 2012 20/53




8 Oct 2012 21/53




8 Oct 2012 22/53


Violence
●
Intensifying1
● Video
– Election debate (7/6/12)
– Assault in Rafina near Athens2 (5/9/12)
– Cleaning market Messologgioy3 (8/9/12)
● Next
– Political adversaries & workers' movement
– Currently limited
1. http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_14/08/2012_456870
2. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/chrush-augh-paremporio-telos
3. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enochlhthhkan-oi-tourkoi-apo-tis-
draseis-ths-chrushs-aughs
8 Oct 2012 23/53


Violence
●
Intensifying1
click for video
● Video
click for video
– Election debate (7/6/12)
– Assault in Rafina near Athens2 (5/9/12)
click for video

– Cleaning market Messologgioy3 (8/9/12)
● Next
– Political adversaries & workers' movement
– Currently limited
1. http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_14/08/2012_456870
2. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/chrush-augh-paremporio-telos
3. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enochlhthhkan-oi-tourkoi-apo-tis-
draseis-ths-chrushs-aughs
8 Oct 2012 24/53


Intensifying violence on immigrants
<Watch video>

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/58542

8 Oct 2012 25/53


Intensifying violence on immigrants
<Watch video>

[The centre was used to] watch football and
host children's birthday parties, among other
activities. The center was attacked the night
of September 25th, by a mob believed to be
linked with Golden Down.
The centre was ransacked after a group of 30-
40 residents & GD members visited the night
before, threatening trouble if they did not close.
Certain accounts assert that police “left” or
“stood by” during the attack.
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/58542

8 Oct 2012 26/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi > Social Services skimminglight.net

Social Services
● Support fire fighters

8 Oct 2012 27/53


Social Services
● Blood donations

8 Oct 2012 28/53


Social Services
● Blood donations
click for video

● Food distribution
=> support

8 Oct 2012 29/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi > Support skimminglight.net

Support
● Radical break methods other parties
● Criticise foreign speculators
● Ideas via press, parliament, own newspaper, ...
● Currently 9% - 12% (3th party)
● Tolerated by state
– Growing impotence state
– Chrysi Avgi taking over tasks state
– “Only party helping Greeks” (Chrysi Avgi)2
– Police > 50% supports Chrysi Avgi1
– Danger: out of control
1. http://rt.com/news/greek-police-vote-nazis-350/
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/greek-police-victims-neo-nazi
8 Oct 2012 30/53

Greece > Chrysi Avgi > Law & order skimminglight.net

Law and order
● Taking over responsibilities of state
– Social services
– Police tasks

8 Oct 2012 31/53


Law and order

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/greek-police-victims-neo-nazi

8 Oct 2012 32/53


Law and order

[C. Avgi] is increasingly assuming the role of
law enforcement officers on the streets of the
bankrupt country, with mounting evidence
that Athenians are being openly directed by
police to seek help from the neo-Nazi group,
analysts, activists and lawyers say.
“They immediately said if it's an issue with
immigrants go to Golden Dawn."

8 Oct 2012 33/53


Law and order

But the hand-outs come at a price:
allegiance to GD. "A friend who was being
seriously harassed by her husband and was
referred to the party by the police very soon
found herself giving it clothes and food in
return. She's a liberal and certainly no racist
and is disgusted by what she has had to do."


8 Oct 2012 34/53


8 Oct 2012 35/53

Greece > Workers's movement skimminglight.net

Workers'
movement

8 Oct 2012 36/53

Greece > Workers's movement > SYRIZA skimminglight.net

SYRIZA
● Weaknesses
– Influx bureaucrats
– Weak local activity
– Weak(ening) demands
– Migration?
● No lead
– Against gov & troïka / fascism
● Does not reach its potential
– Evolutions?

http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13512/58165
8 Oct 2012 37/53

Greece > Workers's movement > Until elections skimminglight.net

Until Elections
● 2.5 years of workers' struggle
– 17 general strikes
– No victories
● Elections
– Hopes on the electoral front.... NOT!
– Disillusions, decline consciousness & combativity
● Space for Chrysi Avgi

8 Oct 2012 38/53

Greece > Workers's movement > Since elections skimminglight.net

Since Elections
● Decreasing support government
– Gov. not keeping its promisses
– 90%: “new cuts unfair”1
● Strikes and demos ongoing
– Sometimes: funeral marches
– “Better than nothing” & “What else can we do?”

http://www.athens24.com/news-article.html?news_id=1930
8 Oct 2012 39/53

Greece > Polls skimminglight.net

Since Elections

8 Oct 2012 40/53

Greece > Polls skimminglight.net

%

“26% appreciates the actions of Golden
Dawn towards immigrants while 69.5%
does not.”

Government Radical left Nat. Fascist

http://news247.gr/eidiseis/politiki/sto_0_5_h_diafora_nd-syriza.1940262.html
8 Oct 2012 41/53

Greece > Workers's movement > Last 2-3 weeks skimminglight.net

Last 2-3 weeks
● General strike 26/09
– “24h strikes won't help. Something bigger
needed”
– “Spain & Portugal?”
● Start antifa movement
– Defense committees

8 Oct 2012 42/53

Greece > Workers's movement > Last 2-3 weeks skimminglight.net

Last 2-3 weeks
● GENOP/DEI (electrical workers):
– "Workers’ occupations of the main ministries, public
agencies, all the banks, all tax offices, the airports and
ports"
– "Coordinated call for repeated 48-hour general strikes
and massive daily rallies at Syntagma Square.”
– Other unions → same direction
● Union of doctors in public hospitals
– Indefinite general strike
● New phase in class struggle?
8 Oct 2012 43/53

Greece > Anarchists skimminglight.net

Anarchists

8 Oct 2012 44/53


Anarchists

8 Oct 2012 45/53


Anarchists

<click for video>

8 Oct 2012 46/53


Anarchists

Fighting symptoms,
not causes
<click for video>

8 Oct 2012 47/53


8 Oct 2012 48/53

Greece > Conclusions skimminglight.net

Conclusions

8 Oct 2012 49/53


Conclusions
● Capitalism failed → radicalisation
● 2.5 years of workers' struggle
– Radical left missed opportunities
– Disillusion & despair
– Temporal setback consciousness
– Lessons

8 Oct 2012 50/53


Conclusions
● Fascists took the initiative
– Preparing years in advance
– Gained confidence
– Considerable support
– Climate of intimidation & fear amongst immigrants
● Defense being built

8 Oct 2012 51/53


Conclusions
● Outlook
– Rythm of class struggle
● Mood changing
● Internationalization
● SYRIZA

8 Oct 2012 52/53


Questions / Discussion
8 Oct 2012 53/53

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Greece - The rise of fascism

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