Ecosoc
The International Economic Crisis and the Greek
Case
[the eradication of unemployment and
poverty]
by. Dr. Thalis
Mylonas,
President of
the Institute of Inter-Balkan Relations In
the light of the economic crisis,the elimination of poverty is the most vital
and complicated problem of the international community, because it is connected
with the wellness and the dignity of the human being. Poverty is an extensive
phenomenon which is manifested not only in the poor countries but in the
wealthy as well. It is a multifaced and multidimensional problem, consequently
,the alleviation of this complex problem, must be examined in a holistic
systemic approach. Specifically,the main dimensions of poverty are the following.
1. The Economical Dimension
The provided means to the peoples are
unsufficient for the satisfaction of
their basic needs for food,
shelter, proper health
conditions, education and generally for a descent quality level of
life.
2.The Psychological Dimension
Poverty develops to the peoples strong negative
feelings such as disappointment, injustice, low self esteem, lack of
confidence, indignation , hatred, etc.
All these negative feelings lead the poor
peoples to hostile , rebellious and all kinds of negative behaviors ,against
the establishment,
3.The Social Dimension
. Poverty distorts the coercion of society,
promotes frictions among the peoples and leads to illegal actions, anomie,
criminality etc. The poor societies are vulnerable and easily exploitable by powerful forces such as, the multinational companies,other
rich countries,etc.
4. The Educational Dimension
Poverty is usually connected to
illiteracy, lack of education, special training
for various occupations,and the know how of modern technology. All these factors leed to the
exploitation of their wealth and their natural resources, by the mighty
and constitute a major handicap for
facing of poverty.
5.The Regional and Cultural Dimension
The geographical area as well as the local cultural and
religious characteristics of a country should be taken in serious consideration
, although they dont constitute the major cause for poverty.
6.The Political Dimension
The
political dimension of poverty may be considered as the most important one ,because
the political system,the law system,the
application of justice and legality, the protection of human rights, and the
responsibility of the Governors and
the Administrators, are the
decisive factors for all the above mentioned dimensions of poverty.
In addition, the recent economical
crisis has revealed another important aspect of the political role in the
development of poverty and that is the crisis of the ethical and moral
values in the world of the economy and politics and consequently,the
exploitation of the poor and weak by the rich and mighty,
As an expert in international law, and
president of the Institution of inter-balkan relations ,wich
is aiming to promote the peaceful relations among the Balkan States to all the
sectors, based on the international law, the international legality and the
democratic principles, I am going to focus my presentation to the political
dimension of poverty .As Aristotle said
< the happiness -evdaimonia-of the human beings is connected with the
ethical living, and the ethical living is identical to justice .Therefore, the
first goal towards the alleviation of poverty is to respect and promote
human rights, which in our era constitutes common law and to apply social justice, the supreme
social value which according Plato, the highest political
philosopher, consists the condition sine
qua non, for the peaceful coexistence of
human societies.
Let me now proceed to
the measures which the international
community must take , in order to eradicate the problems of poverty and unemployment.
Proper measures for the eradication of
poverty.
A. INTERNATIONAL LEGALITY
The application of the international legality, which is
mainly derived from the charter of the U.N.,the common and conventional law and
in our contemporary era,it constitutes the necessary condition for the welfare
of the international community,.Therefore, its violation creates international frictions, war affairs
and the destruction of the economy of the involving states. For this reason,
the U.N. must protect and secure the
sovereign equality of all its members, the territorial integrity,their
political independence and the safeguard from the interventions of the powerful
countries or group of countries to weak countries. It is well known that the interference of economical groups and enterprises, taking advantage of the free capital mobility, they enter the
local markets of the poor countries and
using their economical power and in cooperation with the domestic cartels, they monopolize their economical life of the
poor . These conditions promote unemployment and cause obvious tragical
consequences for the small and powerless countries,. Therefore, the U.N .must
observe the international economical companies, the rules of their competition and the investment of their
capitals which should be aimed at the
creation of job opportunities for the people and the development of the
country. Besides ,the U.N. should observe the application of the ethical
values, the ethical attitude of the staff, and the success of the business,
without any exploitation of
the poor countries.
The Socrates Example
The
international legality, which is derived mainly from the application of the
U.N. Charter, the Common and Conventional law, the Helsinki Final Act, the
charter of Paris etc. in combination with the national laws, constitutes the
supreme value of the civilized
societies.
As it was taught, in the ancient period by the
great Greek philosopher Socrates, < All the peoples must obey the
Laws> and had offered his life in
order to obey to the law, although he knew that his condemnation to death was
unfair.
Declaration of former U.S.A Presidents
In our contemporary era the president of the
U.S.A. Franklin Roosevelt had declared
in the American Congress, the relief of the human beings from poverty. The
assassinated president John Kennedy, in his
inauguration address characterized
poverty, as the main enemy of
humanity and finally
president Harry Truman, on the 24th of October 1945,
during the ceremony of the signing of the U.N. Charter, which took place in the
San Francisco Opera, addressing the three thousand diplomatic representatives
of all countries, journalist and participants coming from all nations, declared
that .<< The U.N.Charter which we have just signed constitutes a unique
creation on which we may rely to build a better world. History will honor you
for this, because you have succeeded a victory over the war, with this charter
you may attain to the future for a better life, with dignity and freedom – if
we will fail to use the charter, we will
be traitors to all those who sacrificed their live, to enable us to meet here
today secure and free. If we will claim to use the charter selfishly, which
means favoring the interest of one nation or a small group of nations, we will
all be equally “guilty” of this treasure”.
So, the application of the U.N. Charter,
the common and conventional law and especially the Ecumenical Declaration of
human rights, which constitute the international legality without of any discrimination,
is the basic presupposition, for the
establishment of a better world, they releases the world from the scourge of new wars, the under
development of the countries, the unemployment of the people, and the
poverty of the peoples,all over the world.
THE SAFEGUARD OF DEMOCRACY
B) The safeguard of the democracy
and freedom which is the supreme human values, as it is taught by the Aristotle
and applied three thousand years ago in Athens
Democracy which expresses the peoples
opinion, is the only regime which secure the international peace and security, it
protect and promote the individual rights and fundamental liberties and it creates
the presuppositions for economic development.
That’s why the international Community
must decide, for a long period of time, to support and accept a stable
democratic political system, which it secure the international peace and
security, the human rights, democracy
and liberty and it offers
equal opportunities for the progress to all.
JUSTICE AND EQUALITY
C) The safeguard of the highest
values of the human societies, which is justice
and quality. That’s why the ancient Greeks had worshipped justice, the daughter of
Heaven and Earth, as well as the first wife of Dias (Era].
According
to Plato: justice is the presupposition and the only way, for the human society, to preserve peace and
security, but its realization is possible only when the leaders of the peoples are
philosophers or the philosophers become leaders.
Especially, the international
community has the obligation to construct a Global Plan, in order to
protect the coming generations, from the danger of poverty which is expanding all over the world. For the success
of this aim the international community must proceed to the following measures.
1) The increasing of the financing of the poor countries
,
up to 3%, the budget of every wealthy country and technical support, at least for
five years, for the benefit of the peoples
in order to preserve social cohesion and to prevent manifestations, of the fasism, natsi, marxist
and totalitarian ideals, which are against Democracy and cause problems and barriers to economic
progress, of the liberal countries.
The international community, and by
saying international community I refer basically to the big and wealth economic powers, must support and guide the poor countries to became self sufficient in food, by developing their agriculture, cattle breeding, fishing etc.
instead of exploiting them, through several
means, as for instance happened to my
country.
Therefore in order to relieve the poor countries from illegal loans, surplus interest and consequently from the lost of their independence and
sovereignty, which promote poverty
and unemployment, additional measures,should be taken as.
2) The support of
the poor countries, by the international Community, for a long time of period,
in order to accept of a stable socioeconomic and democratic political
system, which will offer equal opportunities for progress to all and for avoidance
of the social frictions .
3]The promotion of ethical
values and the punishment of any
unethical and corruptive activities
of all the peoples and particular of the
leaders of the countries as the basic
attempt to eradicate the poverty and
harmonized the world.
4)
The elimination the restriction and control
of the dominant position of the
the big Companies, the big Banks and the Cartels, by the Leadership of the
world which are elected by the peoples, in order to cancel the monopolising of
the markets, the imports and exports of the raw materials and manufactured
products, the manipulation of the political leaders and to secure finance investments to the poor countries, equal
payment for equal work, social justice and punishment of the extensive
phenomenon of corruption .
5]The establishment
of an international Committee under the auspice of the U.N. which
will be in charge to abolish the lending of money, to the poor countries
, because the high interest loans causes poverty to the borrowing
countries, dominates their lives of the
poor , with tragic consequences.
As the ancient Greek Scholar Plutarxos taught, <<the men who lend
money become hostile and tyrant for the receiptor [of the money], abuse
the receiptors freedom as well as his political and private property. Consequently
the men must avoide to lend or to borrow
money >>.
Today, the economical crisis developed
the following phenomena [followed usury
by interest], arbitrariness unjustice, anomic, unethical attitude and the
demolition of the social coercion ,producing
the risk of social distortion and further more, the international peace
and security..
Today the military attacks in many cases have been substituted by economic attacks, The economic
crisis is more extended and succeeded,
because at the same time the corruption, has bee flourished, high rate interest,
injustice, anomie, the decline of morality and the distortion of the
social coercion of the peoples.
As an example of such a measure
I will refer to Solon the wise man of Athens
Solon the great lawmaker noticed the
tragic situation of the cityof Athens Athens
Finally I would like to emphasize the duty
of the International Community to restore the U.N. Prestige, as it was
viewed by the initiators and founders, after the second world war,and
especially , its resolutions which must be
respected and applied by all the countries
with no discrimination.
As an example I would like to refer to
the model of the Greek political philosophy, which it gives always an answer to our problems and this is the Delphic
Amfictiony in ancien Greece which was it established 3500 years ago and its
operation lasted for 1500 years since
the foundation .The long duration of its operation and its successful
mission was due to the application of the principles it
was based on,The principles of ethics and justice were highly respected and
the resolutions of the Delphic
Council were compulsory even if those resolutions were against the
interest of the big powers of that era, such as was Sparta and for
the application of their resolutions, it
had declared justice wars against the city-states, which refused to
apply these resolutions .
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Finished my
international review on the economic crisis , I am coming to the economic crisis of Greece Greece
It is occupying the center of the Mediterranean Sea , the meeting
point of East and West, North and
South, covering a vast area
which starts from the Balkan countries, the Ionian Sea , the Libyan
Sea, the Cretan
Sea , the Aegean up to Cyprus and the Asia Minor
countries.
Αccording to the archeological documents,
Greek people are
inhabitants in this area, since
7-8.000 (thousands) years, while the
civilization in the country reached
its year on the golden age, in
the city of Athens
As it is well known,
ancient Greek civilization belongs to the whole humanity, therefore there is no
need to mention anything more about it.
Also during the war the occupied military
forces of Germany and Italy forcing Greece to lend them money and for this
reason signed the Rome Agreement of March of 1942, and <borrow> money
from the Bank of Greece, which arrange the adequate supply of Bank notes in
drachmas, in order to secure the amount of 25 million marks monthly for the
needs of German army>.
This agreement was recognized before and after the war by Germany Germany Greece and consequently Greece
To
Summarize the above we can say that,
Germany owed to Greece for the loan ,as it was before the end of
war amounted to 38 million gold
sovereigns and by the end of the war the
loans would have amounted to no less than 45 millions sovereigns ,equivalent
to 4,05 billions of pounds and if we
applies a minimal 3 percent annual rate of interest to this sum, the
total amount will be hundred of billions
more and according to recent calculations the loan has reach up to a to 90
hundred billions .
So, if Germany proceed to pay to Greece the money which she owed, the economic
crisis of Greece
Also I would like to
refer that , after the W.W.II and while all the other countries, started to
heal their wounds, to get compensations for their losses and to rebuild their cities, Greece was not
compensated for its sacrifices, was not
satisfied in its national and legal
expectations, such as the acquisition of North Eperus, the arrangement of its
northern boarders and the unification with Cyprus, but
on the contrary, and regardless the Yalta’s resolutions by the Big
Powers, was invaded by the countries of our northern boarders, as of Albania,
Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, which belonged to the Soviet Union
block, having the support of the Greek Communistic Party, in order
to detach the northern part of our
country, Macedonia as the U.N. has confirmed, in an unified Soviet Popular Confederation of
the Balkans.
This plan failed, due to
the American Marshal Plan, for the support of Greece
Finally Greece suffering and the coup d ’Etat, by the Junta, which took place in order to abolish the democratic regime, the result of which was the 1974 invasion of Turkish army in Cyprus and the occupation of the 37%
of its territory.
This occupation is still
existing, in spite of the U.N. resolutions, which decided the termination of the illegal
occupation and their departure, but Turkey ,
as a fan of international anarchy, is
denying persistently to conform with the U.N. resolutions and to withdraw its
troops from Cyprus
Also another important
factor for the Greek status is NATO, to
which it became its member during the
cold war, in order to secure its territorial integrity and its national
independence, which was endangered by the Soviet Block. On this point I would
like to mention that, NATO constitutes a similar model of the military treaty
of the Ancient Peloponesian Alliance. According to this alliance, no decision
could be made without the consent of Sparta
The same is happens with NATO, which means that nothing can be done without the consent of
U.S.A.
After the above situations Greece realizing that the policy
of its allied countries, we’re treating
the country according their own interests and against the benefits of Greece
decided, in order to face its problems,
to be part of the E.U. and later of the Eurozone.
Nevertheless this
participation to E.U. and the Eurozone led Greece Greece
On the other hand, when
my country attempted to develop heavy shipping industry and repair services,
this plan was cancelled, first, by the negative reaction of the leftist
syndicates but mainly, by the antagonistic environment of North
Europe which was monopolizing the market.
Also E.U. has forbidden
Greece, to cultivate tobacco, a fine oriental quality, for the benefit of the
American Virginia tobacco, claimed the restriction of wine production in order
to alleviate the antagonism among the French and the Italian wines and restrictions
to the most valuable product for health,
the olive oil, favouring the promotion
of the margarines which was produced to central Europe
1.
Also
I will like to mention, that during the last 30 years about, no capital investment, haw been to the
country, for the economic development
and the exploitation of the Greek under soil
resources, such as, petrol, gas, raw materials, etc. On the contrary the
country suffered the attack of its economy, by multinational companies, through the Stock Exchange and via the gambling in the stock market has lost
the savings of the Greek people as well as their insurance deposits, etc. with
the final results.
1.Drastic diminishing of
financing to the market.
2.
Closed
of thousands of companies
3. Economic deficit, of the budget
4.
Deprivation
of income to the public
5.
Inability
of the country to meet its financial needs.
6.
Poverty
and unemployment of 20 per cent of the
people.
The above-mentioned
conditions led the country, to the international
market to loan money and signed several agreements of debts of extremely high interests, and for
this reasons it addressed
to the European Union to find the necessary amount of money, but
unfortunately instead of restore its economic situation, it became more worst, with the danger
of social unrest.
