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Laws are like a spider's web. If a fly or mosquito goes into one, it gets trapped, but if a wasp or bee does, it breaks it and leaves. The same applies to the law: if a poor man strays away, he gets caught while the rich and powerful exempt themselves from the law and walk away.
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Thus spoke Zaleucus, a Greek philosopher and legislator in the 7th Century BC. Nothing much changed in the past 28 centuries then. The poor are yet again going to be stung for the tax-avoidance of the rich and powerful who have walked away with their riches and left the have-nots to face another bout of stinging cuts (which will achieve nothing and be a massive waste of bail-out money). The general feeling on this island is disappointment that their vote was ignored and resignation that there is no more to be wrung out of the working population. Their jobs are secure as the well-off Greek diaspora still want to holiday on Hydra. Most of the folk I talk to are keen to get their children jobs abroad, they see no future here. Someone should have listened to Zaleucus.
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B to B, Honestly, this is one of the most obscene spectacles I've ever seen in my 68+ years on the planet and I'm not sure Zaleucus consoles us much except to say 'I told you so!'. It's hard to imagine the rage we'd feel if we were put in the position of being robbed to maintain the wealth of the financial schemers who wrecked Greece's economy. What a heartache.
ReplyDelete. . it is not, of course, wasted - the bulk of the money (circa 90%) goes towards repaying the German and French banks that speculated and would have lost if capitalism wasn't socialising the externalities. Only 10% is going towards Greek liquidity.
ReplyDeleteGreece is the major example...but everyone in Europe except the rich pays for the irresponsible gambling by the banks. Ordinasy people everywhere should wake up to what is being done to their societies.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, Annie, little changes. The wealthy have always been able to slip away from the table leaving the rest of us to pick up the tab.
ReplyDeleteMy son loves Greek language and mythology, I will show this writing to him - and you're so right, many of my Greek friends fleeing their native land as hopes are vanishing, so very sad.
ReplyDelete7th century BC....amazing isnt it...we learn nothing. I suppose its a positive that the people you speak to on Hydra feel secure knowing that the rich will still come. Jx
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