Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

"Real Despair" Sweeps Through Greece as Severe Austerity Measures Demanded by EU-IMF Cripple Nation

Greece continues to face political turmoil over a sovereign debt crisis that has embroiled the country for almost two years. On Monday, the Greek government said it would hold new elections in the face of massive demonstrations against a new austerity package that was approved on Sunday in exchange for a European Union-International Monetary Fund bailout. Under the austerity deal, Greece will fire 15,000 pubic sector this year and 150,000 by 2015. The minimum wage will be reduced by 22 percent and pension plans will be be cut. As lawmakers voted, 100,000 people protested outside the parliament building in Athens. Some protesters engaged in rioting, looting and setting fire to dozens of stores and buildings. Some 160 people were detained and dozens were treated for injuries. To discuss the latest in Greece, we’re joined by Maria Margaronis, London correspondent for The Nation magazine. She was in Greece last week covering the economic crisis there. Margaronis says Greece faces an “impossible choice” to “either default on its loans by March when it owes a massive loan payment, or to accept this desperate austerity program, which will further sink the economy. ...The Greek people have really had enough of this: People are exhausted and desperate. On the street in Athens, there’s a sense of everything breaking down."

Original Article
Source:  Democracy Now!
Author: -- 

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