General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A lot of people here seem to have no clue about what's happening in Greece..... [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)over centuries. Lots of mistakes were made. WWII and WWI were mostly German mistakes.
The Napoleonic Wars and reverting back to monarchy every so many years were a couple of France's big mistakes.
We have made mistakes too.
But I think that the reality of domination by the Ottoman Empire, domination over a Christian country by a country that held Greece in contempt, is a cultural legacy that makes it hard for Greece to organize a rational government. Greece needs a development plan along with either forgiveness or stretching out the debt repayment.
Germany enjoyed the forgiveness of a lot of its debt from 2 world wars. That's just history.
Here: a couple of experts on economics and economic history on Greece's debt and Germany's debt forgiveness after WWII.
Thomas Piketty: Germany Shouldn't Be Telling Greece To Repay Debt
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/06/piketty-germany-greek-debt_n_7735866.html
Richard Wolff on the crisis
Economist Richard Wolff on Roots of Greek Crisis, Debt Relief & Rise of Anti-Capitalism in Europe
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/7/7/economist_richard_wolff_on_roots_of
And William Black , U. of Missouri, who was a leader in dealing with the US S&L crisis.
TRNN: "US Hedge Funds Get Bailed Out if Greeks Pass Bailout Referendum"/Bill Black & Michael Hudson
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017275705