It’s the economy, racist

Back in the day, the overwhelming majority of Greeks stayed in their villages. Even moving to the nearest town or city was a big decision that had to be carefully considered. Apart from being a difficult journey - usually carried out on foot and occasionally by mule - there was the severing of ties with family and friends, with the exception of a few letters here and there, and they, too, often had trouble reaching their destination.

The ability to own a car made things easier and, more importantly, cheaper. Domestic migrants could suddenly return to their villages for Easter, Christmas and the summer holidays. Progress in transportation (and especially air travel) also made it possible for those who had moved further afield to travel back home. Today there are Greeks who work in other European countries and fly back for the weekend - and it's not just the Euro MPs.