This volume contains most of the papers of a conference organised by the Association of Greek University Teachers and Research Staff in Western Europe, which took place in London on March 1983. The objective was to give a comprehensive account of the changes which occurred in Greek society under the initially enthusiastic drive of the ruling PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) party which swept to victory at the polls in the October 1981 General Election and formed the first socialist-orientated government in Greece for nearly half a century. Thus the conservative grip on the country’s political life was effectively and decisively broken. Many of the Greek participants were or had been either members of Parliament or of the Government, directors of key public sector institutions and academics at home and abroad.
The editor of the volume, Dr Zafiris Tzannatos, has done his best to ensure that the contributors’ papers are up-dated to cover the Government’s first term in office (1981-85). Despite this consideration, the balance-sheet is somewhat incomplete and does not fully reflect the true course of events, the results and effectiveness of many policies initiated and implemented by PASOK. The editor’s introductory chapter is also a useful guide to Greece’s post-war political developments, putting into context PASOK’s meteoric rise to power after the fall of the military regime (1967-74). However, the editor does not resist the temptation to enter the debate on PASOK’s “real or true nature”. Indeed, PASOK’s unique characteristics as a popular movement and as a political party in government have given rise to a great number of different analyses of so wide a range that little is left to add. Unfortunately, many of these approaches are static and cannot deal convincingly with the dynamics of PASOK itself or the modifying influence of political circumstance. In this respect the introduction is rather misplaced and leaves out of the analysis some aspects of PASOK, such as its obvious populist component, on which a lot of discussion has been focused in recent years.
This collection of pages concentrates on economic policies and planning and the problems of Greece’s industrialisation, the new social legislation enacted by PASOK and the position of women in Greek society in particular. There are also sections on the trade union movement since 1949, the establishment of a National Health System, adult education, university reform and the organisation of technical and scientific research institutions, areas which the Government has most emphasised. Two chapters of particular interest to political analysts deal with the antinomies of democratic socialism in Greece and the rise of PASOK with the emergence of a new political personnel.
One notable omission is foreign policy, and the editor’s justification for leaving it out – on the grounds that it is a field dominated by Greek-Turkish relations and a no-change area since 1974, is ill-conceived, to say the least; not only because foreign policy was openly discussed by a special panel at the London Conference, but also because it serves no useful purpose to sweep the issues under the carpet. On the contrary, they must be publicly and frankly discussed.
Besides, the claim that nothing has changed in the domain of foreign affairs is certainly a gross misrepresentation of the situation. There have been a lot of changes both in substance and style in the content of Greek foreign policy by PASOK in many important areas, e.g. Cyprus and Greek-Turkish relations, the EEC and NATO and Greece-US relations, not to mention the pursuit of a nuclear-free zone in the Balkans and the genuine concern and initiatives on issues of nuclear disarmament. One has only to register New Democracy’s (the main opposition party) criticism, voiced strongly at any available opportunity, in order to appreciate the differences between the period 1974-1981 (the period of conservative rule) and that since 1981. Unfortunately, a consensual approach to the country’s fundamental foreign policy problems, a notion to which the main political parties pay lip service, has yet to emerge. There is no reason, therefore, to duck crucial issues.
Nevertheless, the volume is an extremely useful one and full of valuable information and insight. However, in view of the later developments in economic policies and external relations, one is tempted to suggest to the organisers a follow-up conference in order to set the record straight for Greece’s first ever attempt at political, social and economic reforms inspired by socialist ideologies.
Socialism in Greece by Zafiris Tzannotos (ed.), Gower, London 1986, pp. 220.