Amidst A Fiscal Crisis, Fascism On The Rise In The Birthplace Of Democracy
Reading like something that would have been reported from the post-WWI German economic crisis about the rise of Nazism, this New York Times article about the Golden Dawn party in Greece is chilling. The Times, predictably, calls it a “right-wing extremist” movement, which is fantastically unfair. There’s nothing “right wing,” or conservative, about attacking businesses that don’t have the proper government permits to operate or pandering Greece’s version of the welfare class.
But since the left in America equates being on the political right with being racist, I guess it fits. But note that this is hardly a limited government movement. It’s being fed, much like the Occupy Wall Street movement here in America, by dissatisfaction over government austerities:
“It’s the current government that brought more power to Golden Dawn because the people are angry at what the government is doing,” said Iakovos Zorzios, 73, a retiree whose pension has been cut as part of Greece’s austerity measures.
“How can we not be angry when the government cuts our earnings so much?” said Mr. Zorzios, who is bracing for yet another reduction in the latest austerity plan forged this week. “How can they expect us not to support Golden Dawn?”
The Nazi comparison isn’t mere hyperbole in this instance. As you can see above, the group’s symbol is a sort of “stylized swastika,” as the Times describes it. And this is no fringe element. The Golden Dawn party has gained a foot hold in the nation’s parliament, holding 18 out of the 300 seats, and is expected by many to make more gains as the governing coalition pushes through more spending cuts.
This is the risk in making a society so thoroughly dependent on the government. Once disconnected from feeling personal responsibility and self-reliance, a populace is easily swayed into following whoever will keep the benefits flowing. Even tyrants, apparently.
Tags: fascism, golden dawn, greece
