Syriza at the gates - Spyros Dapergolas

An article by Spyros Dapergolas from the newspaper of the Swedish syndicalist union, SAC, about the limitations of a Syriza victory in Greece.

Submitted by Juan Conatz on January 25, 2015

October 18, 1981 was a symbolic day for post-war Greece. Not even 7 years after the return of Greek leftists from the exile and the tortures following the fall of the military junta, a left party suddenly managed, after participating in three elections, to multiply its percentage and take power. Its political program terrified the right-wing forces of the Greek society (the winners of the Greek civil war) as well as parts of the over class. The program included the exit of Greece from the European Community, its disengagement from NATO and the US sphere of influence, a mass socialization of enterprises and social control in factories, a dissolution/disintegration of the military parastate, an attack on the orthodox, far-right cancer/church, freedoms that are self-evident today and so on. The PanHellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) was a real left-wing party that propagated for a peaceful (with guns at their disposal if needed) socialist transformation. It was a radical party even for the 1980s.

The parallels with SYRIZA are obvious.

What is SYRIZA?
SYRIZA starts as a peculiar gathering. It is the evolution of a detestably vulgar and reformist historical Euro-communist current, in which leftist groupings that cover the entire spectrum of Leninists heretics coexist with grassroots movements and other activists. SYRIZA, just like PASOK, “becomes everything out of nowhere”. But, compared to PASOK, SYRIZA transforms faster, its political program is not even close to PASOK’s radical ideas of the 1980s, and it consists of only some thousands members.

In 2008 Tsipras’ taking over of SYRIZA’s leadership- as the chosen one from the party’s former leader- signified the abandonment of Euro-communism and the creation of a new political identity. This new identity aimed to support social struggles and demands through a rhetoric that flirted with the libertarian tradition [translators note: as in anarchist, not libertarian], an obsession with political rights and a militant presence in the streets. After all, the leftist parties brought along their experiences in street struggles as well as a, certainly reduced, number of militant members that the aforementioned new political identity was necessary for some kind of unity to be established.

At the same time, Tsipras attempted to reinforce SYRIZA’s influence within the trade unions primarily in the public sector as well as among organized university students.

Additionally, SYRIZA, which did not exceed 4% of the voters back then, continuously called for the unity of the whole left spectrum in Greece, in both general and emotional terms, although that had been openly rejected by both the Greek Communist Party (KKE) and other, that is to say outside SYRIZA, leftist forces.

Moreover, the 4% SYRIZA was the scapegoat for the whole far-right and fascist forces: SYRIZA’s pro-immigration positions, relative secular ideas, polemics against social discriminations and anti-nationalism were under constant and sometimes even hysterical attacks.

This old SYRIZA attracted a huge voting dynamic that SYRIZA’s political executives could never predict or plan. From an oppositional party that struggled to exceed the 3% barrier to enter the parliament, SYRIZA managed to overthrow the percentages of KKE and took the symbolic hegemony within the left, flirting with taking over power.

Some words about the political climate
Workers in Greece lived the end of the dream of prosperity and witnessed the lie behind the systemic promise made by both the EU and Greece. They found themselves either unemployed or with a lot lower wages, having to pay for their medicine, losing benefits.

For the elderly the situation is even worse since they not only lose their pensions but also experience a degraded healthcare system. Everything that constituted the “welfare state” shrank, became more expensive, and worse. The general corruption was divided. Within that framework the corruption that could be found among members of the social basis became an alibi for a mass cutback in social benefits. On the contrary, when it came to bourgeois or state corruption the members of the over class remained untouched.
The two former major parliamentary parties (PASOK and New Democracy) have been severely devaluated. Since they can no longer “buy” votes through simple “exchanges” (such as hiring people in the public sector, tax reductions and so on) and, at the same time, attempt to take back as much as they have given away through their political clientelism, they are but shadows of their past.

The right-wing New Democracy (ND) managed to survive because it was lucky enough to pass the bomb of the economic breakdown to the PASOK government back in 2009. ND has been in government since 2012 gathering a heterogeneous dynamic of far-right, conservative, liberals, bourgeois, oligarchs, political professionals, scared petit-bourgeois and elderly voters who reckon that they have few years of life in order to jeopardize their pensions and peace with a leftist government. Even so, it only gathers half of its previous parliamentary strength at this moment.

The other pole of the two-party system and member of the governmental coalition, PASOK, shrank to 4%, facing the risk of not even entering the next parliament especially after its disintegration a couple of weeks ago [translators note: Papandreou, the former prime minister and leader of Pasok, started a new party]
The two parties that will benefit from those voters that have decided to no longer vote for ND and PASOK are the fascists of Golden Dawn and SYRIZA. In a few days, on January 25, these dynamics will be depicted in the election results.

SYRIZA ANDE PORTAS
The narrative of realpolitik that every radical force creates every time it confronts power has been told many times before. SYRIZA is not there yet. SYRIZA’s current realpolitik is to please everyone. It propagates its dedication to democratic institutions at the same time as it promotes its relations to grass-roots movements. It is unreserved in supporting the scenario that Greece remains in the EU, only if the latter becomes an EU of equality, fraternity and justice. SYRIZA praises grass-roots struggles, but wants to see their dynamics reflected in voters’ numbers. It condemns violence and ruptures with the legal system during different kind of struggles, but does it with kid gloves. It condemns imperialism and all kinds of interventions, while remains silent about Greece’s position within NATO. It flirts with Russia, China and the US… It spreads rumours that it has made agreements with parts of the over class. At the same time, it supports anarchist squats, when they face repression, and hunger-strikers.

SYRIZA’s main concern is to keep everyone satisfied. How could it do otherwise, anyway, since it’s only interested in winning the elections?

We need to keep one thing in mind: when we talk about SYRIZA we refer to a political force whose election and social dynamics are mismatched. Whoever, either in Greece or in Europe, believes that SYRIZA is going to introduce important socialist changes, is flogging a dead horse.

The necessary conditions that would allow for radicalisms simply don’t exist: trade-unionism within the private sector is an unimportant movement controlled by the Stalinists of KKE (the Greek Communist Party). The student movement is loud and decisive but rather small, seasonal and linked to leftism. There are a few local struggles but SYRIZA is seriously challenged there by anarchists and the revolutionary left. Even in the cases of social rights, solidarity with prisoners and anti-fascism, SYRIZA desperately attempts to share a bit of the publicity and the political capital produced by anarchists in the streets.

The Greek society, the workers, the social basis, went through 5 tough years during which they tried out all the means of struggle that correspond to previous concepts of social conflicts and ways of fighting. And it was a total failure. With few exceptions that remain active (and these will hardly support SYRIZA in the elections), workers are isolated in their houses. Many of them waiting for SYRIZA with a faint hope.

Is it possible, in such a globalized environment, major ruptures to be put forth without a general social/class support? Are changes for the masses without the masses possible? No, it is not, and those who are active within SYRIZA know it very well.

No doubt, there are honest executives in the party (and for the Greek systemic customs this is rare). There are in SYRIZA experienced leftist militants that have never sold themselves to PASOK, even though they could, radicals from neighborhoods and working environments, good-willed activists. These people fight and will fight within the party for the eternal left illusion, a free socialist state-guardian of the working-class.

For sure, it is amusing to watch a surprising disgust on the faces of far-rights for the forthcoming “victory of the national-nihilist Bolsheviks”. It is positive that more people oppose the repressive agenda of fascism.
All this, however, is temporary.

A part of PASOK’s previous “senior” members has already moved to SYRIZA and, along with the remaining of the Euro-communism tendency, gains power within the party, since the closer this gets to authority/power the less space it allows for the “crazy leftists”. Indicative of this tendency is the fact that they backslide on their determination concerning the impending conflict with Germany and the EU about the Greek debt and the austerity measures.

Additionally, we need to take into consideration that SYRIZA will have to govern in a state where the bureaucratic mechanism consists of former members of PASOK, and the repressive mechanism, that is to say, the deep state (army, police, and justice system) consists of right-wing and fascists. If we take for granted that SYRIZA will not attempt to establish a junta, how will it control the state if not through exchanges and negotiations with these actors?

The old radical SYRIZA of the 4% still dreams of overthrows. They wanted, but they could not!

Compromise is the only option left for SYRIZA. It is the only end that the governmental way can have for a left party that does not aspire to rise to power by means of violence, let alone a party that does not even have organized masses of loyal voters.

The governmental SYRIZA of the 30% dreams of surviving in power. Not only they cannot, but, what is worse, they do not even aspire overthrows any longer.

What is going to happen after the elections?
The first two years after 1981, PASOK that consisted of at least 400.000 fanatic members who promoted the party line, realized some parts of its program. They raised wages, established union rights, and socialized (hypocritically and from top-down) a few enterprises that were up to shut down. After 5 years in power, PASOK focused only on massively hiring leftists, who had been banned for 40 years, in the public sector, and on canceling middle-age and civil war laws, regulations and bans. Next, it became social-democratic, and, then, liberal. PASOK dived into corruption and finally, some years ago, opened the door to EU’s economic supervision and imposed austerity on Greece.

There is a chance that this kind of party-political evolution will be repeated by SYRIZA, but a lot faster and not in such a large-scale.

A possible successful negotiation about the debt, an essential relief from austerity, and whatever positive Tsipras can guarantee to the Greek society, will be presented as a victory against the international loan sharks, will strengthen SYRIZA in power and demolish the old political personnel.

This old political personnel would be extremely amusing to observe now, if one didn’t have to endure them: they are scared, parasitical, corrupted, religiously obsessed and with civil-war complexes, an amazing combination of nationalists and quisling. If the contrast between the current government and SYRIZA is huge, it is because this government is repulsive.

Therefore, SYRIZA will win the elections despite the fact that they are obviously unclear. If SYRIZA succeeds with anything, even minor, this will, politically, last for long time. If it fails, that is to say, if Germany, from its ruling within the EU position, seeks to break with Greece, then the development of events will undoubtedly be totally unpredictable.

There is nothing that can indicate what the reaction of the Greek society will be in such a scenario. Not even if the society will turn towards an emancipatory or reactionary direction.

What should happen?
If the issue is a sound management of both the Greek debt crisis and the madness of austerity, then, yes, SYRIZA is a solution. That would be a progressively systemic and reassuring solution for the shrinking “middle class”, as well as for the petit bourgeois parts of the Greek society that have the illusion that all this is temporary.

For those who want more, for those who are interested in their class, for those that self-organization and participation is a demand, for the people of all kinds of struggle, SYRIZA constitutes an illusion. It is not SYRIZA’s fault that the exploited society is silent. And it is not SYRIZA’s fault if the new generation falls for parliamentarism and the bunkum of left governance.

It is a long way and it requires a lot of work on the grassroots level: the workers’ involvement with the commons through a new militant and horizontal syndicalism, through self-organization in neighborhoods and a radical political engagement in libertarian/anarchist ideas and practices.

Those few forces in Greece involved with class syndicalism, local social movements and the anarchist movement comprise a subversive political capital, which is small, but not so small.

Social change does not allow for indirect courses and the road of power is the ultimate dead-end. It may seem that there is time, but it might as well not be so: moments of crisis, moments when the ears of the workers are open, moments that demand taking risks appear not only through conscious preparation but, often, also “during the night, like thieves”. In any case, only if a social movement is dedicated to grassroots work, only if a social movement has created channels of communication and political fermentation, only if a social movement has assured its validity and has proved its consistency can become the spark to enable the masses to explode.

Everything else is a recipe for failure, disappointment, loss of time, and, of course, political and individual corruption, i.e. what power and state always create.

As before with PASOK, once again with SYRIZA…

Originally appeared (in English): January 24, 2015 at Internationell Solidaritet

Comments

syndicalist

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on January 25, 2015

Wasn't this just up on my FB page? That's fast.

Juan Conatz

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on January 26, 2015

I don't know what was on your Facebook. I subscribe to SAC's blog that posted this, and that's where I first saw it today.

syndicalist

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on January 26, 2015

Fair enough. Then they all went out at the same time. Hilma from SAC posted it on my FB page. You are a FB friend of mine regardless, so I just figured. I found it coincidental. That squares that.

meerov21

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by meerov21 on January 27, 2015

Western leftist statist as SYRIZA, have always been friends of Russian dictators.
http://www.libcom.org/forums/general/putin-assad-syriza-27012015

Steven.

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on January 28, 2015

Just got round to reading this, and it's a really good article. I would recommend it to anyone with illusions in Syriza…

meerov21

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by meerov21 on January 30, 2015

About Greece and Syriza:

Galician councilist Roi Ferreiro said: "The margin of maneuver for Syriza is also the general scope that exists to carry out any reformist politics inside of the "national" states within the European Union. This will generate an experience that will evidence:

1) expiration of the reformist political project in general and not only corruption and betrayal of leaders;

2) the need for a unified class struggle that should be developed at the European Union scale, as minimum framework for achieving any substantial change for the basic needs of the working class in the different countries;

3) the need to develop a movement of proletarian struggle based on direct mass action and the creation of autonomous power organs, against the despotism of a European Union in which the european parliament has little power over the combination of the state's presidents and the "autonomy" of the European Commission and of the European Central Bank."

Maybe it is correct. But if Syriza repeats stupid quasi-Bolshevik economic policies of Salvador Allende or Chavez, the situation in Greece can be much worse than during the dictatorship of European Union.

This is fact that the policy of nationalization, protectionism and price regulation in small countries untenable. This is setback for the economy. Such a policy is always accompanied by Hyper-inflation, declining production, stagflation, the shortage of essential goods, black market, mass poverty and the gradual or rapid transition to a police state, and the suppression of workers strikes (as it was in the days of Allende and Chavez).

If Syriza will go on this way, then Greeks will have to solve a much more complex problem than getting rid of neoliberal dictatorship of the European Union. I think you can't even imagine how hard can worsen the lives of the people during the government of left-statist parties, supporters of nationalization of industry and protectionism.

And there is the second important point. Modern European left-wing parties are the friends of the Kremlin. In General, many left-wing statists in Europe and the world historically associated with the Kremlin. Now leftists supported a vote in the European structures against Ukraine. Syriza openly demonstrates friendship with Kremlin officials, including contacts with the Russian Pro-government ultra-rights. Geopolitical orientation of Syriza may reinforce the desire of the left dictatorship. Syriza has already said that is wants to imitate Russian politics.

But! Thirdly I have serious doubts that Syriza would challenge the EU. It is not excluded that all of their rhetoric is only a deception of the voters and a populist demagoguery. In this case, Syriza will become a new agent of the neoliberal dictatorship of European Bank and IMF.

confusionboats

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by confusionboats on January 30, 2015

meerov, I can accept your criticism that SYRIZA is podemos with 'radical' characteristics, 'reformism' by any other name, or perhaps 'ostalgie' eurocommunism' but I'm having trouble believing that they are pro-Assad Russian nationalists...

Rob Ray

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on January 31, 2015

[youtube]BiIO4YciewU[/youtube]

Outstanding display of dissembling, 9 Blairs out of 10.

S. Artesian

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by S. Artesian on January 31, 2015

The guy's an expert in "game theory," right?

One thing he did say however is spot on-- that the Troika is dealing with a situation of insolvency as though it is a problem of liquidity.

And uttering that truth is what is really threatening to the EU.

"Europe needs a hegemonic Germany"!!! Next interview he breaks into Deutschland Uber Alles.

akai

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on February 1, 2015

Good to see the author is doing well. Some 20 years ago he was in prison on hunger strike and we were spreading information about his case.

There's also this article about Syriza http://www.infoaut.org/index.php/english/item/13796-syriza-and-social-movements-between-big-risks-and-some-opportunities-interview-with-ak-athens

akai

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on February 1, 2015

Well, I don't know about all Syriza, but Meerov is right that there are pro-Assad people amongst the leadership. Some from Syriza have also been exchanging visits with Eurasianists like Dugin. In short, the Russian state and their financed disciples have been making connections all over the European left, trying to portray themselves as an alternative to the European Union, the Troika, etc. Financing of political organizations in Western Europe by the Kremlin and its sponsored organizations has increased dramatically. It is somewhat reminiscent of what they were doing in the 60s and 70s, with covert funding and training of radical left organizations and cells throughout the world. Right now we are making a big mistake if we do not recognize the growing influence of these ties in Europe as a reaction to the direction of the last 2 decades. And it must be remembered that the Kremlin and many Russian leftist groups are in favour of cooperation with nationalists and reconstructing their empire and influence.

Mark.

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on February 1, 2015

Rob Ray

[youtube]BiIO4YciewU[/youtube]

Outstanding display of dissembling, 9 Blairs out of 10.

That's by far the worst interviewing of Varoufakis I've seen though.

S. Artesian

The guy's an expert in "game theory," right?

One thing he did say however is spot on-- that the Troika is dealing with a situation of insolvency as though it is a problem of liquidity.

And uttering that truth is what is really threatening to the EU.

"Europe needs a hegemonic Germany"!!! Next interview he breaks into Deutschland Uber Alles.

This seems to be his argument on a hegemonic Germany:

http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2013/02/22/europe-needs-a-hegemonic-germany/

Actually I'd be interested to see some analysis of Varoufakis's economics by someone who understands more about economics than I do.

Railyon

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Railyon on February 3, 2015

Mark.

This seems to be his argument on a hegemonic Germany:

http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2013/02/22/europe-needs-a-hegemonic-germany/

Actually I'd be interested to see some analysis of Varoufakis's economics by someone who understands more about economics than I do.

The talk about a 'Marshal Plan' can be heard from German left-wing reformers too. I guess they don't really know what that means though.

From the very brief article linked above, it seems Varoufakis wants Germany to stop austerity measures and start investing in indebted nations to 'help help themselves' get back on their feet. Basically Keynesianism not on a national, but EU-wide level (this can also be identified by his terminology - stuff like 'aggregate demand' is textbook Keynes), the idea behind it being that Germany will ultimately benefit from it - if the incomes rise again, so will demand in German products and technology. And of course, the national debt would be paid off, Europe is economically stable again, everyone's happy and rainbows sunflowers unicorns.

From a Keynesian perspective, this would constitute a win-win. However, as we all know, it's never that easy and the next crisis will come again anyway. Apparently a typical social democrat.

Mark.

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on February 3, 2015

Thanks Railyon.

For anyone who wants to look at the economic proposals Syriza's Thessaloniki programme is relevant, though I think I've seen some acknowledgement since the election that the sums don't really add up.

http://www.syriza.gr/article/id/59907/SYRIZA---THE-THESSALONIKI-PROGRAMME.html#.VNDqQ4E76rU

Here's a Trot analysis of it:

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/01/06/syri-j06.html

Ilias Milonas from Syriza's Left Platform on plan B if an agreement isn't reached:

http://socialistnetwork.org/the-new-programme-of-syriza/

On the eurozone crisis in general there's the Modest Proposal written by Varoufakis together with Stuart Holland and J K Galbraith:

http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/euro-crisis/modest-proposal/

Mark.

9 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on February 3, 2015

Conflict with China and claims that Syriza is just posturing with plans to stop the privatisation of the port of Piraeus.

http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/greeces-piraeus-port-u-turn-will-not-hurt-china-investment-analysts/

http://www.seatrade-global.com/news/asia/new-greek-govt-moves-to-calm-chinese-fears-over-port-privatisation-halt.html

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2015-02/02/content_19462357.htm

It will also be interesting to see what happens with Syriza's opposition to gold mining at Skouries.

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/01/30/door-slammed-on-major-eldorado-mining-project-in-greece-we-are-absolutely-against-it/

https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/skouries

Mark.

9 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on February 23, 2015

Interview with a Piraeus dockworker and Syriza activist

https://viewpointmag.com/2015/02/16/the-view-from-the-grassroots-an-interview-with-giorgos-gogos-on-syrizas-election-victory-in-greece/

S. Artesian

9 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by S. Artesian on February 24, 2015

FWIW:

oralierqq

4 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by oralierqq on November 22, 2019

Great!