The social chaos and extremist rightwing backlash in Greece is getting worse [View all]

[phantom power]

The police are now mostly in league with the fascist Golden Dawn party, and conspire to terrorize and intimidate anyone who doesn't look "Greek."

While we can tut tut and shake our heads, it's crucial to note that this isn't happening in a vacuum. These are the wages of austerity little different from the fate of immiserated Germany after World War I. When a proud and previously prosperous people are suddenly thrown into extreme poverty and their safety net destroyed, nationalist, anti-immigrant, anti-"other" sentiment is the inevitable result. One would think the Germans of all people would recognize this pattern.

The austerity crowd isn't just temporarily destroying economies. They're toying with entire cultures, failing to learn lessons that should have been permanently etched into the world's memory over 70 years ago.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-wages-of-austerity-by-davidoatkins.html