Many politicians
and economists blame austerity – urged by Greece’s creditors – for the
collapse of the Greek economy. But the data show neither marked
austerity by historical standards nor government cutbacks severe enough
to explain the huge job losses. What the data do show are economic ills
rooted in the values and beliefs of Greek society.
Greece’s public
sector is rife with clientelism (to gain votes) and cronyism (to gain
favors) – far more so than in other parts of Europe. Maximum pensions for public employees relative to wages
are nearly twice as high as in Spain; the government favors business
elites with tax-free status; and some state employees draw their
salaries without actually turning up for work.as a share of business income in Greece are a whopping 46%,
according to the latest available data Italy came in second at 42%, with France third, at 41%. (Germany’s share
is 39%; the United States’, 35%; and the United Kingdom’s, 32%.)
Insiders receive subsidies and contracts, and outsiders find it hard to
break in. Astoundingly, young Greek entrepreneurs reportedly fear to
incorporate their firms in Greece, lest others use false documents to
take away their companies. According to the World Bank,
Greece is one of the hardest places in Europe to start a business. The
result is that competition for market share is weak and there are few
firms with new ideas.
This stunted system springs from Greece’s corporatist values, which emphasize social protection, solidarity instead of competition, and discomfort with uncontrolled change. These values may well be beneficial for family life; but, even with the best of intentions, they are a recipe for a static economy and stultified careers.
Indeed, Greece’s labor productivity (GDP per worker) is only 72% of the level in the UK and Italy, and a mere 57.7% of that in Germany. And surveys indicate that mean life satisfaction in Greece is far below that found in the wealthiest EU countries (the EU15). Contrary to claims by the Greek government, corporatism impoverishes the less advantaged. EU data on poverty rates in 2010 put Greece at 21.4% – far higher than the mean EU15 rate of 16.7%.
A study has found that young women in Greece are offering sex for the price of a sandwich, an indicator of the austerity in the country.
Sociology professor Gregory Laxos and his team at Panteion University in Athens found that young Greek women had now overtaken Eastern European women as the dominant group in the prostitution industry, metro.co.uk reported.
The researchers compiled data on more than 17,000 sex workers operating in Greece and found that sex in Greece was some of the cheapest on offer in Europe.
“Some women just do it for a cheese pie, or a sandwich they need to eat because they are hungry,” Laxos was quoted as saying.
Prostitution rates have fallen from 50 euros for a half-hour sex session to as low as two euros.
Most women entering the sex industry are between 17 and 20. “They are growing at a steady and consistent pace,” he added.
More alarmingly, Laxos and colleagues found that the number of young women, who are the ones offering the cheapest rates, appears to be rising.
This stunted system springs from Greece’s corporatist values, which emphasize social protection, solidarity instead of competition, and discomfort with uncontrolled change. These values may well be beneficial for family life; but, even with the best of intentions, they are a recipe for a static economy and stultified careers.
Indeed, Greece’s labor productivity (GDP per worker) is only 72% of the level in the UK and Italy, and a mere 57.7% of that in Germany. And surveys indicate that mean life satisfaction in Greece is far below that found in the wealthiest EU countries (the EU15). Contrary to claims by the Greek government, corporatism impoverishes the less advantaged. EU data on poverty rates in 2010 put Greece at 21.4% – far higher than the mean EU15 rate of 16.7%.
A study has found that young women in Greece are offering sex for the price of a sandwich, an indicator of the austerity in the country.
Sociology professor Gregory Laxos and his team at Panteion University in Athens found that young Greek women had now overtaken Eastern European women as the dominant group in the prostitution industry, metro.co.uk reported.
The researchers compiled data on more than 17,000 sex workers operating in Greece and found that sex in Greece was some of the cheapest on offer in Europe.
“Some women just do it for a cheese pie, or a sandwich they need to eat because they are hungry,” Laxos was quoted as saying.
Prostitution rates have fallen from 50 euros for a half-hour sex session to as low as two euros.
Most women entering the sex industry are between 17 and 20. “They are growing at a steady and consistent pace,” he added.
More alarmingly, Laxos and colleagues found that the number of young women, who are the ones offering the cheapest rates, appears to be rising.
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