greece - the rise of fascism
DESCRIPTION
The economic crisis in Greece, deepened by the measures imposed by the Troika, have brought the country into a state of decay. Almost all layers of the population are hit and despair is reigning supreme. The support for the traditional 'moderate' parties is fading away, resulting a a polarization of the society. The missed chances of the radical left resulted in a serious push of fascism. They are increasingly, openly and proudly using violence against migrants. The weakening Greek state and the police force, of which over 50% voted for the fascists, do not intervene. The radical left has the historical responsibility to put forward appealing, radical left policies in order to counter the fascist threat.TRANSCRIPT
skimminglight.netGreece
1/538 Oct 2012
Overview * Society in decay * Rise of Golden Dawn * The workers' movement * Conclusions
Greece
skimminglight.netGreece
2/538 Oct 2012
Societyin decay
> Chrysi Avgi
skimminglight.netGreece
3/538 Oct 2012
Society in Decay
> Society in Decay
http://www.statista.com/statistics/14538/gross-domestic-product-growth-rate-in-greece/
skimminglight.netGreece
4/538 Oct 2012
Society in Decay● Impoverishment
– Homelessness
– Hunger
– Unemployment
● Despair● Exodus● Austerity: now 13.5 bln €
> Society in Decay
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_25/07/2012_453677http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_01/12/2011_417027http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_01/10/2012_463880http://www.tradingeconomics.com/greece/unemployment-ratehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18391248http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13512/58161http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_27/07/2012_454163
skimminglight.netGreece
5/538 Oct 2012
> Society in Decay
Athens News 28/09/12 - http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13513/58349
skimminglight.netGreece
6/538 Oct 2012
> Society in Decay
“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
skimminglight.netGreece
7/538 Oct 2012
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)
> Society in Decay
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/29/christine-lagarde-pays-no-tax
skimminglight.netGreece
8/538 Oct 2012
Privatizations> Society in Decay
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
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_28/09/2012_463511
skimminglight.netGreece
9/538 Oct 2012
Polarization> Polarization
Government Radical left Nat.Fasco Fasco-Lib.Eco.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Greece
Threat of chaosPromise to renegotiate
Idea of left government
skimminglight.netGreece
10/538 Oct 2012
skimminglight.netGreece
11/538 Oct 2012
Rise of Golden Dawn(Chrysi Avgi)
> Chrysi Avgi
skimminglight.netGreece
12/538 Oct 2012
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
> Chrysi Avgi > Fascism
skimminglight.netGreece
13/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > symbolism
<Click to start video>
skimminglight.netGreece
14/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > symbolism
skimminglight.netGreece
15/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > symbolism
skimminglight.netGreece
16/538 Oct 2012
● 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.”
● The following pictures were published1 by Chrysi Avgi...
Chrysi Avgi in action
1. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/sumbainei-twra-epeisodia-sthn-korintho-fwtografies
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
skimminglight.netGreece
17/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
skimminglight.netGreece
18/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
skimminglight.netGreece
19/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
skimminglight.netGreece
20/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
“Informative action”
http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enhmerwtikh-drash-stis-geitonies-tou-peiraia-kai-ths-nikaias
Pireus, 10 September 2012
skimminglight.netGreece
21/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
“Informative action”
http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enhmerwtikh-drash-stis-geitonies-tou-peiraia-kai-ths-nikaias
skimminglight.netGreece
22/538 Oct 2012
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
“Informative action”
http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enhmerwtikh-drash-stis-geitonies-tou-peiraia-kai-ths-nikaias
skimminglight.netGreece
23/538 Oct 2012
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
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
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-telos3. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enochlhthhkan-oi-tourkoi-apo-tis-draseis-ths-chrushs-aughs
skimminglight.netGreece
24/538 Oct 2012
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
> Chrysi Avgi > Violence
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-telos3. http://www.xryshaygh.com/index.php/enimerosi/view/enochlhthhkan-oi-tourkoi-apo-tis-draseis-ths-chrushs-aughs
click for video
click for video
click for video
skimminglight.netGreece
25/538 Oct 2012
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/58542
Intensifying violence on immigrants<Watch video>
skimminglight.netGreece
26/538 Oct 2012
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/58542
Intensifying violence on immigrants
[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.
Certain accounts assert that police “left” or “stood by” during the attack.
The centre was ransacked after a group of 30-40 residents & GD members visited the night before, threatening trouble if they did not close.
<Watch video>
skimminglight.netGreece
27/538 Oct 2012
Social Services● Support fire fighters
> Chrysi Avgi > Social Services
skimminglight.netGreece
28/538 Oct 2012
Social Services● Support fire fighters● Blood donations
> Chrysi Avgi > Social Services
skimminglight.netGreece
29/538 Oct 2012
Social Services● Support fire fighters● Blood donations ● Food distribution
=> support
> Chrysi Avgi > Social Services
click for video
skimminglight.netGreece
30/538 Oct 2012
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
> Chrysi Avgi > Support
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
skimminglight.netGreece
31/538 Oct 2012
Law and order
● Taking over responsibilities of state– Social services
– Police tasks
> Chrysi Avgi > Law & order
skimminglight.netGreece
32/538 Oct 2012
Law and order
> Chrysi Avgi > Law & order
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/greek-police-victims-neo-nazi
skimminglight.netGreece
33/538 Oct 2012
Law and order
> Chrysi Avgi > Law & order
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/greek-police-victims-neo-nazi
[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."
skimminglight.netGreece
34/538 Oct 2012
Law and order
> Chrysi Avgi > Law & order
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/greek-police-victims-neo-nazi
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."
skimminglight.netGreece
35/538 Oct 2012
skimminglight.netGreece
36/538 Oct 2012
Workers'movement
> Workers's movement
skimminglight.netGreece
37/538 Oct 2012
● Weaknesses– Influx bureaucrats
– Weak local activity
– Weak(ening) demands
– Migration?
● No lead– Against gov & troïka / fascism
● Does not reach its potential– Evolutions?
> Workers's movement > SYRIZA
SYRIZA
http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13512/58165
skimminglight.netGreece
38/538 Oct 2012
● 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
> Workers's movement > Until elections
Until Elections
skimminglight.netGreece
39/538 Oct 2012
● 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?”
> Workers's movement > Since elections
Since Elections
http://www.athens24.com/news-article.html?news_id=1930
skimminglight.netGreece
40/538 Oct 2012
> Polls
Since Elections
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_06/09/2012_459953
skimminglight.netGreece
41/538 Oct 2012
http://news247.gr/eidiseis/politiki/sto_0_5_h_diafora_nd-syriza.1940262.html
Government Radical left Nat. Fascist
“26% appreciates the actions of Golden Dawn towards immigrants while 69.5% does not.”
%
> Polls
skimminglight.netGreece
42/538 Oct 2012
Last 2-3 weeks● General strike 26/09
– “24h strikes won't help. Something bigger needed”
– “Spain & Portugal?”● Start antifa movement
– Defense committees
> Workers's movement > Last 2-3 weeks
skimminglight.netGreece
43/538 Oct 2012
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?
> Workers's movement > Last 2-3 weeks
skimminglight.netGreece
44/538 Oct 2012
Anarchists
> Anarchists
skimminglight.netGreece
45/538 Oct 2012
Anarchists
> Anarchists
skimminglight.netGreece
46/538 Oct 2012
Anarchists
> Anarchists
<click for video>
skimminglight.netGreece
47/538 Oct 2012
Anarchists
> Anarchists
<click for video>
Fighting symptoms, not causes
skimminglight.netGreece
48/538 Oct 2012
skimminglight.netGreece
49/538 Oct 2012
Conclusions
> Conclusions
skimminglight.netGreece
50/538 Oct 2012
> Conclusions
Conclusions
● Capitalism failed → radicalisation● 2.5 years of workers' struggle
– Radical left missed opportunities
– Disillusion & despair
– Temporal setback consciousness
– Lessons
skimminglight.netGreece
51/538 Oct 2012
> Conclusions
Conclusions
● Fascists took the initiative– Preparing years in advance
– Gained confidence
– Considerable support
– Climate of intimidation & fear amongst immigrants
● Defense being built
skimminglight.netGreece
52/538 Oct 2012
> Conclusions
Conclusions● Outlook
– Rythm of class struggle● Mood changing● Internationalization● SYRIZA
skimminglight.netGreece
53/538 Oct 2012
Questions / Discussion