Back in February, I wrote an article about Greece and the European debt crisis. Basically I was annoyed by German and Greek media happily indulging in mutual allegations and aggressive stereotypization. Well.. things haven’t gotten much better since then.
Earlier this month, the Greek government announced deep cuts over the next few years. There have been massive strikes and protests in Athens and other Greek cities. Toonpool.com member Elias Tabakeas AKA “etc” was born and raised in Athens and works there as a cartoonist and teacher. I asked him a couple of questions about the current situation in Greece.
Elias, I haven’t heard anything new about the situation in Athens since those riots two weeks ago. What’s going on? Are there still demonstrations?
Yes. Every day. And strikes, etc… Just no deaths to be internationally reported.
How did you perceive the whole protest thing?
It would be strange if there were no protests! Work benefits and rights that have been conquered after decades or even centuries of struggles are been thrown away as so much garbage. At the same time, the very rich, especially those who became rich through kickbacks, speculation, stock market dirty games and pure stealing, stay untouched.
Were you there?
No. I am more of an observer than a doer. Also, I am not so mobile after a stroke a few years ago.
Are you affected directly by the Greek government’s plans for budget reconciliation?
I, personally, am below even the lower direct cuts. But indirectly, with all the cuts, I am affected.
Do you already know which cuts will affect you?
Yes and no. The situation is pretty fluid financially for the whole of Greece. By the time you think you heard the worst of the austerity measures, new, stricter, ones are announced. But somehow it seems that the weaker members of society are affected – the elderly, the poor, the women, the unemployed – while the richer, especially the very rich, do not seem to be particularly affected. Not even the ones whose scandals and corruption brought Greece to the current mess.
As far as I can tell, most German cartoons about money for Greece are about how you are destroying our currency, putting the European Union to danger and begging for our hard earned money…
Yes, the cartoonist should be careful of oversimplification. of repeating the multinational mass media sound bites…Of not noticing that the king is naked, as well as of playing for the crowds. Populism, oversimplifications. and scapegoat-hunting have led us down some very dangerous roads in the past.
What do Greek cartoons about the situation look like?
You can find a selection of cartoons on the Greek Cartoonist Association‘s website at and a more global view at www.north-vs-south.gr. My personal view is that there is a mix of cartoons – some with brilliant insights, some with the populist approach I mentioned above, just in the opposite direction. I like, for example, this cartoon by Tasos Anastasiou and this one by Yiannis Kalaitzis.
On a slightly different note – I have always been a non-editorial cartoonist, fascinated with the humor of the absurd, of the paradox. But a few weeks ago, I couldn’t ignore the current economic plight anymore. So lately all my cartoons are about the crisis. I realize I cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be a Georg Grosz but at least I can be the best “etc”. And, anyhow, I haven’t really strayed far from my original intention. I still deal with the absurd and the paradox!
What do you think will happen in the next few months, crisis- and demonstration-wise?
Well, if the politicians continue to go on as they have up to now, I see the crisis deepening and the resentment growing. I do not want to be a somber prophet but I foresee a surge of anger and protest that will make the Athens riots of ’08 look like a kindergarten party.
What will come out of all this?
The people of Greece have completely lost faith in politicians. In all the Gallup polls concerning political parties and politicians, first always comes the answer “No one” by far!
If there was a serious popular movement in Greece, it could perhaps have helped towards a series of actions leading to a just solution for all. Right now organized action is confined to the strikes and demonstrations. Which I think are not enough. But perhaps a young popular movement will emerge as the crisis deepens even further. Who knows? I am not even going into a discussion about the role of the “saviors”, IMF and the EU.
Thanks for your time!
© toonpool.comTags: crisis, Elias Tabakeas, Greece, Griechenland
