While examining their political choices the Greeks, like most other residents of southern Europe's beleaguered, bewildered and bankrupt countries, are spending their time lined up at their banks withdrawing their savings as fast as they can. The banks, the bond markets, the stock markets, all the financial markets and the corporate media around the globe are unanimous - it's clear where the world's 1% stand.
Many Greeks who, like Socrates, have examined the history of recent defaults in Argentina, Iceland, Russia and Indonesia know that there is an upside to default. Greece can default, defy the IMF and private bankers and escape from this debt trap. By Defaulting Greece will show the world not only that there is an alternative, but that the alternative could be very good.
Syriza's leader, Alexis Tsipras has spent the week barnstorming around Greece. On Sunday, it was Chios. On Monday, Heraklion, the capital of Crete. On Tuesday, Athens. At every stop his message is the same. "We speak the language of hope," says Tsipras, "where others speak the language of fear." One part of that hopeful message from Syriza, a party which pays homage to Che Guevara, says that it will look to Russia and China for aid. What better use could China make of its huge reserves of US dollars that to support those who defy the vulture capitalists. Go Greece Go, a life of subservience is not a life worth living.
