Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Yanis Varoufakis — On the Euro Summit’s Statement on Greece: First thoughts

The recent Euro Summit is indeed nothing short of the culmination of a coup. In 1967 it was the tanks that foreign powers used to end Greek democracy. In my interview with Philip Adams, on ABC Radio National’s LNL, I claimed that in 2015 another coup was staged by foreign powers using, instead of tanks, Greece’s banks. Perhaps the main economic difference is that, whereas in 1967 Greece’s public property was not targeted, in 2015 the powers behind the coup demanded the handing over of all remaining public assets, so that they would be put into the servicing of our un-payble, unsustainable debt.
Neoliberals operate through coup d'etat as a policy tool. Why? Neoliberalism and democracy are antithetical. The goal is to replace democratic governance with technocratic — because technocrats are the wisest of us all.

Yanis Varoufakis
On the Euro Summit’s Statement on Greece: First thoughts

On the Euro-Summit ‘Agreement’ with Greece, my resignation and what it all means for Greece and Europe – in conversation with Phillip Adams

7 comments:

Matt Franko said...

Tom you continue to slander technocrats...

Here is Schable's CV from wiki:

Schäuble[1] was born in Freiburg im Breisgau, as the son of a tax finance advisor. He is the middle brother of three.[2] After completing his Abitur in 1961, Schäuble studied law and economics at the University of Freiburg and the University of Hamburg, which he completed in 1966 and 1970 by passing the First and Second State Examinations respectively, becoming a fully qualified lawyer.

In 1971 Schäuble obtained his doctorate in law, with a dissertation called "The public accountant's professional legal situation within accountancy firms".

He's a f-ing tax lawyer for crying out loud ... please...

U-N-Q-U-A-L-I-F-I-E-D

Ignacio said...

He has also been involved in corruption scandals. But he ain't Greek right...

lastgreek said...

I'd trade Varoufakis for ("Field Marshall") Schäuble in a heartbeat to have on my negotiating team ;)

5 months -- the Greek Finance Minister wasted 5 months trying to talk economic sense to a tax lawyer! How freakin' dumb is that?

Tom Hickey said...

As Yanis reveals now, there never was any attempt to arrive at a plan that would allow Greece to dig itself out of the hole that the previous leadership along with creditors and international institutions had put it knowing full well that the debts were not payable while observing the rules. He reports that they consistently refused even to respond.

It became obvious that the plan was either to force Greece out of the EZ or to break it so that it could be unilaterally restructured on neoliberal lines.

Why did not Yanis report this to the Greek people and lay out the alternative. Why was the referendum question framed in a way that did not give the people a real choice based on what YV and AT either knew or should have realized if they were not in denial?

NeilW said...

Once the Eurogroup knew that Greece wasn't prepared to leave the Euro, or the EU, or take control of their National Central Bank by force if necessary, then it was really a question of playing the fish until it tired.

Because it had already hooked itself.

Schofield said...

Too many metaphors in play here; Greece as "roadkill" or "dumb fish" or "PIIG Ignorant." Where's the No Cruelty To Animals Society when you need it?

Roger Erickson said...

You nailed it, Neil.