Shot Heard Around the World: How long will capitalists fight a losing battle?

[cyu]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...alexis-tsipras

A long bombardment of "neo-liberal shock" – draconian tax rises and remorseless spending cuts – has left immense collateral damage. "After two and a half years of catastrophe, Greeks are on their knees. The social state has collapsed, one in two youngsters is out of work, there are people leaving en masse, the climate psychologically is one of pessimism, depression, mass suicides."

the nation at the forefront of Europe's escalating debt crisis is also hardened.

"The [upcoming] vote in Greece will decide not just what happens here but what will happen internationally"

"On the one side there are workers and a majority of people and on the other are global capitalists, bankers, profiteers on stock exchanges, the big funds. It's a war between peoples and capitalism … and as in each war what happens on the frontline defines the battle. It will be decisive for the war elsewhere."

Greece was the first country to fall victim to the enforcement of hard-hitting "growth through austerity" policies pursued in the name of resolving the crisis.

"It was chosen as the experiment for the enforcement of neo-liberal shock [policies] and Greek people were the guinea pigs"

tear up the "memorandum of understanding" with creditors, which details the onerous conditions under which the country receives quarterly injections of cash.

The agreement was reached without the Greek people ever being consulted. in the wake of the 6 May vote, when more than 70% of those opposing the policies voted for "anti-bailout" parties, it is clear it has lost all legitimacy

if Athens stops paying its creditors, the problem then takes on a different hue. Greece is in a much stronger position than most think.

"If you owe £5,000 to the bank, it's your problem but if you owe £500,000, it's the bank's problem"