Unwelcome Attention

When the Idols Break

The Commentariat is paying more attention to Greece at present than that country has experienced in many years.  The focus, of course, is upon Election II, since Election I failed to produce a government.

Our view is that Greece needs to get out of the Euro so that it can have the depression it really needs to have.  At the moment it is being sustained on life-support by Euro loans, but the death is long, slow, and painful.  Better to get it over quickly: Greece could then at least have an opportunity to begin to rebuild its dysfunctional economy.

The problem, however, is that Greeks have drunk socialist cool-aid for far too long.
  They really do believe the world owes them a living and that the fundamental duty of the state is to see that it does.

The Commentariat has been startled by the rise of one Alexis Tsipras, leader of the Syriza Party.  He may well end up "kingmaker" after Election II.  The Guardian describes his youthful energy on the stump:

In his fresh linen suit and crisp white shirt, Alexis Tsipras cuts a dashing figure. And on the podium on Sunday, exactly one week before Greeks cast their ballots in the most crucial election since their country emerged from the ashes of civil war, the young leftist leader was on vintage form, fists punching the air as the crowd cheered on the man many have come to see as Greece's salvation in its greatest hour of need.

A saviour has come forth.  But in what direction is he promising to take Greece?

In recent weeks he has spoken of the need to nationalise banks, expand the public sector and stop all forms of privatisation, including the handover of public beaches to private firms. His economic policy would extend unemployment benefits, raise the minimum wage and cut taxes in what would amount to a complete reversal of the policies Greece has been forced to adopt in exchange for financial assistance.

Here is a chap who believes other people's money has not run out.  The Greek government can, therefore, continue to spend German's money forever.  Ironically, if Tsipras does win the election at least to the point of becoming the kingmaker (thus significantly controlling government policies) Greece will be forced back to the drachma.  That would be incredibly painful, but at least there would be the possibility of rebuilding the economy.

But only if the population turns its back on socialist dogma.  And there's the rub.  If socialist folly ironically drives Greece out of the euro, it is unlikely to cede to a withering away of the statist tax-and-spend entitlement mindset that so many Greeks now passionately believe in (along with most of the West, we concede).

Government-as-saviour.  It has a nice ring to it.  Maybe it will please the Lord God to give us Greece as a working example of what happens when a people reject Him and choose Caesar as their god.  Will we learn the lesson?  Unlikely.  The West is far too wedded to "other people's money" and the government as exactor from some and distributor to others.  Our national religion has become very deeply believed.