Neue Debatte - Special Edition - Long Essay on Left Strategy #002 - 04/2017 | Page 37

6 On the Greek experiences
torate say “NO”, just “NO” to the Brussels administration plans and
extortions. Sorry, I never grasped this event. On the first glimpse this
procedure seems radical and utterly democratic but on a second one
you could not move the people a millimetre off the wall - on the con-
trary the wall grew thicker. In my view the referendum was a defen-
sive, desperate move. Again sorry, the whole happening resembled a
naughty kid throwing a tantrum, screaming “NO! NO, I will not!” The
strict parents insisted: “You have to! No chance!” and the child had
to give in and obeyed.
To be earnest, Yanis, this referendum was a “thumping event” but in
terms of demonstrating the Greek people’s utter helplessness and
their government’s absolute lack of power. Prime Minister Alexis
Tsipras had to surrender and to handle a collaborative, failed policy
alone for his Finance Minister and Professor of Economics abandoned
the economic battle field, the government and his Greek voters. This
depressing left downfall shall serve as an inspiring springboard for a
broad DIEM25-coalition of European democrats? That is weird! Of
course it is difficult for everybody to put himself in your dramatic sit-
uation last summer. Anyway, facts are facts.
6.2 An “immodest proposal” for a Greek offensive
Coming out with such an extremely critical assessment one should be
able to name an alternative policy, a radical yet viable, promising and
attacking one. Let me try to outline roughly such a way as I see it.
1. Money was loaned as long as it existed. And there was never argu-
ing on paying back as agreed. If a debtor failed to do so he was either
imprisoned in a debt tower, or the money taken from his property, or
he had to work as a debt slave for the