We wake up to yet another morning of hearing that the Greek crisis will find a conclusion, perhaps even a solution, soon, imminently, before the end of the day, before the end of the week. It is tempting to lose patience and faith. It is easy to fall into the rhetoric (and many countries do) of labelling Greeks as lazy scroungers who have never done a serious day's work in their lives, waiting on hand-outs from the EU. (The similarity of the language in UK newspapers about people on benefits is astounding and unsettling).
From personal experience, having assisted at many a family discussion in Greece, where much is said but very seldom a decision is made, where the next steps are never clearly spelled out or tasks and responsibilities assigned, I can readily understand the desire to see cultural patterns developing there. Negative patterns. Stereotypes. And the longer the eurozone crisis goes on, the more fractured the European Union becomes. A family with all the cracks exposed as the strain begins to show.
Of course, we shouldn't be rushing to label the Greek people. And of course their politicians are posturing, each pandering to combative spirit and national pride, each trying to show their own commitment until the inevitable bloody end (whatever the outcome) to the best interest of the people.
The best interest of the people might not necessarily be the same thing as the best interest of the country. But this procrastination shows not only that the stakes are high, but also that the politicians are desperate to regain the trust of the electorate. Unfortunately, that trust seems to have eroded completely. After years of mismanagement, corruption, scandals and growing disparity between rich and poor, the Greek people do not trust politicians at all. They feel alone and maligned, they cannot understand the outburst of vituperation and lecturing that is engulfing them from all sides, they fear an international conspiracy.
Other countries may not be in quite such dire economic straits (for now), but they would do well to look and learn from the example of Greece, as to what happens to a society when trust has gone. When it feels that those in government live in an ivory tower far removed from reality and reward only their own or those rich enough or dishonest enough to buy their way out of trouble and taxes. When it feels that the poor and barely-making-ends-meet are being asked to bear the brunt of austerity measures. When the economy drags on quarter after quarter with downwardly adjusted growth forecasts and no one can come up with any alternatives or solutions.
Make no mistake about it: Greece is a warning for us all!
