Beyond the Bailouts : The Anthropology and History of the Greek Crisis

"Since the nineteenth century, Greek financial and economic crises have been an enduring problem, most recently engulfing the European Union and EU member states. The latest crisis, beginning in 2010, has been - and continues to be - a headline news story across the continent. With a radically different approach and methodology, this anthropological study brings new insights to our understanding of the Greek crises by combining historical material from before and after the nineteenth century War of Independence with extensive longitudinal ethnographic research. The ethnography covers two distinct periods - the 1980s and the current crisis years - and compares Mystras and Kefala, two villages in southern Greece, each of which has responded quite differently to economic circumstances. Analysis of this divergence highlights the book's central point that an ideology of aspiration to work in the public sector, pervasive in Greek society since the nineteenth century, has been a major contributor to Greece's problematic economic development. Shedding new light on previously under-researched anthropological and sociological aspects of the Greek economic crisis, this book will be essential reading for economists, anthropologists and historians."-- Provided by publisher Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Introduction How did the crisis start and why does it go on and on? Greece’s geopolitical position The ethnography 1. Astifilia and the Roots of the Greek Crisis What is astifilia? Post-Ottoman centralisation Athens: centre of non-productivity Diaspora wealth: colonials in their own country The diaspora before the War of Independence The education system in the nineteenth century The War of Independence and the growth of Hellenism From Ottoman control to virtual European protectorate Emigration in preference to proletarianisation Conclusion 2. Obstacles and Disincentives to Development in Mystras Exodus The ethnography and out-migration 1980s decentralisation Mystras The higher villages Economic opportunities undermined by emigration Obstacles and disincentives to economic development Olive cultivation Under-exploitation of a non-agricultural resource: Old Mystras The Archaeological Authority Sparta 3. Social Relations in Mystras Emigration and stagnation Education Education’s urban image Urban influence a retrograde force 4. Kefala: Bucking the Trend Kefala in the 1980s Background to Kefala Earlier relations of production in Kefala Olives Livestock Viniculture Maximisation The household Enterprise Experiments 5. Social Relations in Kefala Gender relations Preference for endogamous marriage Interpersonal relations Conclusion 6. Provincial Changes from the 1990s: Stagnation versus Prosperity Sparta Kefala Future prospects and the ‘crisis’ 7. The ‘Crisis’ in Athens The public sector Debt Tax evasion Bailouts and the troika The state Unemployment and pensions On the ground in Athens Property Inequality and allilengii Public sector cuts Volunteers Health Conclusion 8. Back in the Provinces: Depopulation versus Productivity The future Conclusion Back from the Cliff Edge Notes Bibliography Index