Between two poor alternatives, either is ok(-ish)

Monastiriotis, Vassilis (2015) Between two poor alternatives, either is ok(-ish). LSE Greece@LSE (08 Jan 2015). Website.

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Abstract

The forthcoming snap elections in Greece will inevitably be conducted in a polarised setting, between a (perceived as) pro-memorandum pro-reforms camp, represented mainly by the parties of the coalition government (New Democracy and, less so, PASOK) and an (also perceived as) anti-austerity and anti-reform camp, represented mainly by SYRIZA. Quite inevitably then, the electoral debate is destined to be framed around two scare-mongering propositions. On the one hand (the ‘pro’ camp), that a vote for SYRIZA will jeopardise all the sacrifices made by the Greek people so far, will destabilise the economy and will lead to a deadlock in negotiations with the troika thus producing a very real threat for a Greek exit from the Eurozone. On the other hand (the ‘anti’ camp), that a vote for New Democracy (ND) will maintain the current status quo of permanent austerity and will moreover empower the country’s political and economic establishment to intensify their ‘neoliberal’ programme of market liberalisation and ‘impoverishment of the masses’. [A third emerging rhetoric supports the view that once/if elected into government, SYRIZA will inevitably register a humongous U-turn and more or less continue to implement, with minor differentiation, the programme and measures already pursued by Greek governments since 2010 – my take here is slightly different.]

Item Type:	Online resource (Website)
Official URL:	http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/greeceatlse/
Additional Information:	© 2015 The Author(s)
Divisions:	European Institute Spatial Economics Research Centre Hellenic Observatory LSEE - Research on South Eastern Europe
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory J Political Science > JC Political theory J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe)
Date Deposited:	31 May 2017 11:01
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2023 20:08
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/79354

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