Being a...

Had to make one of these since everybody else has one!

Can Greece’s financial issues develop into an outright Revolution?

People of Greece are utterly tired of these austerity measures that are being imposed on them on a regular basis. Today at the night of 13th February the Greek Parliament passed further austerity measures. These austerity measures were demanded by the EU and IMF. Passing the austerity demands by the EU and IMF guarantees Greece a further 130bn € rescue package. This was a very significant vote and the people of Greece were protesting against this decision. These protests marked some of the most violent protests in years. Policemen are accused of using flash bangs, teargas and even stones. Police is even accused of infiltrating within the protests to make peaceful protests appear violent. Thus the police is being accused of using dirty antics and unnecessarily harsh force.

Austerity measures will translate into: 15,000 less public sector jobs - 20% reduction in minimum vages to 600€ per month.



The violence has been very intense. There have been reports of teargas being thrown into the metro. People have been reported to have suffered problems in breathing. Further - elderly people have also been reported of being beaten by the police.

These videos prove that the protesters have also been violent.



Reading comments by ordinary Greek people over the social media there really comes a feeling of despair. Greeks blame the bankers and they are unsatisfied with their own government. People are calling for easy answers for these difficult questions. Slogans such as revolution and no to the EU and IMF are being shouted.

It is quite clear that the Greek state is in serious trouble. Legitimacy of the state is seriously threatened by its people. Not only is the state being threatened by its people, but also from the outside by the EU and IMF. The question is how long the state will be able to tackle these inner and outer threats. In theory, no state ought to survive the loss of legitimacy of its own people.

If Greece truly falls into the chaos of a revolution it will not only be a Greek issue. Significance of the Greek situation is going to be huge. If Greece falls into chaos it will translate into a huge blow to globalization and the current global financial system. Greece is just not any Zimbabwe it is a country within the core of the EU.

The question is…..if Greece falls will others follow and will the unrest spread?

Greek Parliamentary elections are set to be held in April 2012...

The Soviet Ghost

Vladimir Putin has risen to power with both luck and determination. He rose to power from being a quite anonymous KGB officer to become Mayor of St. Petersbourg. Later he became President Boris Yeltsins and the oligarch's favorite. Putin advanced soon to become head of the secret police. After the success in eliminating Yeltsins main political opponents Putins path for power was secured. Yeltsin himself and the oligarchs were in agreement: Putin would become the next President of Russia. This shows Putins great determination and natural talent in both personal realtionships and politics.

Since rising to power Putin has been occupied in molding the administration of the country to match his own wishes. Previous and humiliated KGB bureaucrats received a second chance. Putin has molded the administrative and political institutions to his own liking with the help of KGB.

After molding the administration to his way he could strike down the oligarchs. He proclaimed that they should not dare to get involved into politics. After the proclamation Kremlin begun absolving the huge oil and gas company Gazprom. Taking control of Gazprom gave the state massive control of natural resources and a massive economical instrument.

Kremlin has also institutionalized the media in Russia by seizing it from the oligarchs. Thus the support the oligarchs gave to Putin (media support and campaign finances) was a huge mistake on their behalf. Kremlin seizing the media control has given it a huge instrument for the control of the opinions of the people. Of course the internet age creates difficulties in total media control.

Putin is using elaborate means to be seen and heard on the streets. I would like to mention the Nashi Youth Movement which in some ways really draws parallels with Hitlerjugend (or the brown shirts). Nashi has massive financial backing to organize events (i.e. summer camps, protests, seminaries etc.) This is a movement which is a real political instrument. Young minds are quite easily manipulated, manipulate is what this organization does. This organizations purpose is also to wreak havoc and dismay to scare the political opposition. Other purpose is of course to show the legitimacy of the power holders. Whoever controls Nashi has a real instrument to ruin political opponent’s demonstrations by occupying their demonstration route.

Duma elections 2011 – Was a farce. Somehow Kremlin failed, or did not even care to hide the rigidness. Perhaps they under estimated the Russian people in the great wealthy cities of Russia. But the Duma elections 2011 have seriously been a vocal point. They have put the whole Putin systems legitimacy on the line. Currently in Russia there is a phase where Kremlin still tries to control the dismay through peaceful means. They want to hush Duma 11’. Battle is now fought in the public sphere of opinion. Kremlin has now pulled out its triumph card. They have loaded buses of people from the country side and brought them to Moscow to show the legitimacy within the people.

To make the conclusion we must wait for the presidential elections. Will the presidential elections turn the Russian situation from bad to worse? Or will there be a Kremlin victory? Time will tell.

Putin has through his personal abilities opened the door to KGB to assume power once again. This time it is in total control of the state machinery. Vladimir Putin is without doubt one of our times greatest political leaders. I really admire the way Putin has risen to power. One could not assume that he could have risen to what he is today. If you take into account his humble birth circumstances. His career as a KGB officer was also fairly insignificant (in the large scale of affairs). Putin can simply be described as a person who made the most of it when society was re-arranged. On the other side there is KGB. This organization was feared and loathed by the people. So one can understand how agreeing this organization was to get a new chance in power. However this time they would not be an instrument of oppression for the power holders. They would be the power itself. Looking at this from this perspective, it becomes clear that this organization will do whatever it takes to remain in power. Because if the organization loses its power they’ll be finished.

- Yeltsin ran into political trouble and needed the financial help from the oligarchs. Thus making Yeltsin a ''good man'' for them. Yeltsin secured the political interests of the oligarchs. Putin was thought to be a new Yeltsin. However he kept his poker face and revealed only his true self after assuming power.

Interesting read:
Click