Greece, more than two millennia after bringing us democracy, is once again opening our eyes to issues that need solutions, especially for the youth. We are talking about Socialism with a big, red “S.” Socialism is back in Europe, more than 20 years after the fall of the USSR. In a context of conservatism, austerity, recession and the saddening rise of racism in Europe, what is happening right now in Greece could not be better for the Greek people and for concerned youth all over the world.
The radical left party in Greece, Syriza, announced it would tackle the issues full on. They will oppose Europe and re-negotiate the debt, reboot the public sector and work toward youth employment. Syriza’s program and promises will look to set a new precedent in re-negotiating the gravity of its debt against the “Troika” (the three organizations with the most power over finances in Greece: the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank).
“The northern European bondholders, investors, central bankers and Euro bureaucrats that are the true faces behind the Troika, whose policies directly represent their interests, are confronted by a serious democratic challenge by the new Greece and Syrizan government. A challenge that could spread like political wildfire throughout Europe if not contained,” reported Telesurtv, an online news organization. Recent demonstrations in Spain, and maybe soon in other countries, who suffered from austerity show that this is a big step for people from financially oppressed countries. The new Greek ideals will change and save a European policy of austerity that has failed.
However, rest assured that this does not represent a threat to the U.S. Greece itself has the third-highest debt in the world, at twice as much as the U.S., and currently has a 24.3 percent-rate of unemployment. Greece’s economy was growing until they went into a recession in 2007. After Syriza was elected, the Euro stock went down to an 11-year-old low. Recent troubles have made the euro plunge, and, while that means a direct trade partner is in the gutter, the U.S. gets the better end of it. The situation sounds terrible. But Greece will stay within Europe while pursuing its interests. The recent events change nothing for the relationship the U.S. has with Europe. However, the U.S. and especially the Greek youth should rejoice at the idea of having a more socialist government in Europe.
Syriza wants to address youth unemployment in Greece. We, as college students, should take notice of that. A job is not something that is given to us when we get out of college, and in a country like Greece, people our age are suffering. The youth in Greece took action by electing Syriza, a left wing party that fights for the people. More socialist policies are a benediction for the youth. Socialism presents an ideal in which the people actually have a voice, where the government fights for the people against big corporations and businesses, like those that govern us here in the U.S. Syriza is the first domino on the countries that still suffer from the crisis of 2008 — the crisis our banks and our capitalist system here in the U.S. put us though. Most of all, Syriza symbolizes hope, and hope is what will always attract and fuel the power of youth.
