Cynicism

There seems to be little point anymore in publishing the notorious lists containing the names of people who owe large sums of money to the state.

It is, unfortunately, not unusual for Greece's unionist instincts to result in one group of professionals causing an enormous amount of hassle for thousands of citizens, with the purpose of putting pressure on whichever government is in power by turning public opinion against it.

Despite the hyperbole and possible motives of some of those who drafted the motion passed by the European Parliament, the rule of law and the quality of the news media are a serious concern for all Greek citizens.

The barrage of information regarding the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, when and how the lockdown might be gradually lifted, and government assistance to businesses and individuals affected by the crisis appears to have overshadowed the tragic reality that over 1,000 lives have been lost.

There is just one problem with this narrative: it is deeply misleading. And, for political reasons, that confusion matters.

As the philosopher Martha Nussbaum reminds us in her fascinating new book The Cosmopolitan Tradition, asked where he came from, Diogenes the Cynic answered with a single word: kosmopolités, meaning "a citizen of the world."

Mario Draghi, the outgoing president of the European Central Bank, is heavily credited with helping to save Greece from economic collapse at the height of its protracted financial crisis.

Greece's progress does not depend only on the ambition, the plans and the actions of the government but also on the magnitude of the reaction and on society's support or indifference.

All that was revealed by the Prime Minister about the management of the aftermath of the deadly Mati wildfire highlights the shoddiness and the perpetual inadequacy of the state as well as the cynicism of power.

In Poland, it is no secret that the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party is packing governing institutions with its lackeys, misusing public media, rewarding cronies and undermining the independence of the courts.

Nonetheless, PiS trounced Poland's opposition parties in the European Parliament election in May.

The government seems to be trying to create chaos on the political scene. It is playing with the country's institutions and has clearly set a goal of driving a wedge between the center-right and the center-left of the political spectrum for its own benefit.