by
Antonis Zairis*
I would say that on certain conditions, and in contrast with the facts regarding the froantloading and callous budgetary policy adjustment meaning that consecutive pay and pension reductions, could be beneficial for an Economy such as the Greek one. It should be noted that, if the taken measures since the outburst of the crisis were less of 18-20%, the fall in GDP wouldn’t be 24% - 25% today, but it would be around 15% - 18% and probably we wouldn’t resent thousands of unemployed people in a range of 24% - 25% and especially of the younger ones numbering 50% - 55%.
However, those conditions, which could probably justify the deficit, are related to the immediate adoption of anti-recessional measures/policies with growth orientation and particularly: on the one hand, the structural reforming program’s expedition, which begins from the market liberalization by the bounds of protectionism, for example closed professions, until the intensification of the investment projects’ implementation with the initiative and the active cooperation both Public and Private management…on the other hand, the organization of public administration and the efficient State’s operation, the improvement of the public Health system and the substantial provision of social welfare and healthcare.
It is well-known that the lending of a state, which has been delivered to public productive investments, to the modernization of the unsound Educational system, to the Sanitary protection and to the Re-establishment of the welfare-State, ends up to be a lending which is going to be retaliated through raising of the people’s educational attainment, business growth, attracting new investment, reducing the unemployment, improving the population’s living standards.
As a result, this deficit considered as not so troublesome, the whole governmental effort should target to a balance between the high primary surpluses which are trapping the economy in stagnation and recession (especially when at the same time they have been “stuck” the great structural reforms for variable reasons) and between the low surpluses or even deficits for a short time, which are nevertheless succeeding the demand revival and the recovery of the real economy from deep recession.
But instead of this theory, all the Greek Governments, during the last 8 years, are constituting their short-sighted policy to the short-termed, obsessive tax collection without any reduction of the expenditure, sacrificing in this way, in a long term, a serious Development Plan…for an another, different Greece that we all desire. And I am suspecting this is happening for two reasons. Firstly because they do not have a vision and they obviously have disability of thinking in a long-term horizon and then in order to extend themselves to the future (leadership characteristics). Secondly, they are serving stakeholders and they are growing up customer relations. Given the fact that, both those two characteristics are engaged with the short-term pursuit of goals.
De facto, we can understand that we do not have much to expect from an old, drained, sclerotic, anachronistic, obsolete and repetitive Political system.
But the worst is that we have nothing also to expect from people who are permissive to lie, enjoy fake stories, feel unable to balance between the fantasy and the realism, do not resist and they are deeply impregnated into consuming, as well as they do not know when they should revolt. On the contrary, they are drifted without self-criticism, repeating non-stop the same mistakes since the Hellenic State’s establishment.
Our last hope can be found on the final quote of Pythia’s oracle, concerning Phoebus (Apollo, God of the Sun) focused on the expectation and desire for light -thus prosperity- to come and stay forever close to us.
*VP SELPE
By: N. Peter Kramer
