The ideas of each age tend to become that of the ruling ideology and we are seeing an extraordinary example of that at the moment. As a response the ECB/IMF attack on Greek democracy an online fund it campaign has been set up to fund the 1.6 billion interest owed and so far 1,863 people have contributed.
The first problem is the obvious practical one that the 1.6 billion if raised only represents the latest interest instalment on an unplayable debt over 300 billion. So even if successful such a project would only kick the ball down the road for a month or two.
The ideas of each age tend to become that of the ruling ideology and we are seeing an extraordinary example of that at the moment. As a response the ECB/IMF attack on Greek democracy an online fund it campaign has been set up to fund the 1.6 billion interest owed and so far 1,863 people have contributed.
The first problem is the obvious practical one that the 1.6 billion if raised only represents the latest interest instalment on an unplayable debt over 300 billion. So even if successful such a project would only kick the ball down the road for a month or two.
But more fundamentally it simply reproduces the central tenent of neoliberalism that the value of something is purely measured in how much people will pay for it. That we live in an economy rather than a society and therefore economic considerations alone should drive all our decision making.
What is needed is not lots of individuals each deciding to throw in 10 euro to fund the latest interest payment but to abolish the sort of society where that can seem like a reasonable solution to millions of people being threatened with escalating poverty.
The Greek working class is not being screwed into the ground by the Trokia because its desperate for the money but as a disciplinary lesson to workers all over Europe and in particular in the PIIGS. That’s why in Ireland Enda Kenny has been keen to strongly side with the Trokia, he certainly doesn’t want ordinary workers in Ireland getting the idea that the 8 billion a year we are going to be paying the Trokia is something we could refuse.
If you want to side with ordinary people in Greece and against the Trokia keep you money in your pocket for useful solidarity and instead turn up at the solidarity protest at the Central Bank in Dublin this Saturday at 12.
WORDS: Andrew Flood (Follow Andrew on Twitter )
First published 30 June on WSM FB