Lessons Out Of Athens

The very first lessons on democracy came from Athens. Athens delivered the first lecture on how the state functions through democracy. However, the ancient Athenian democracy-one of the first democracies known to mankind-is not the only lesson that originates from there. There have also been other very important lessons over these past one hundred years out of modern Athens. A controversial democracy recording steps ahead but also distinct steps backwards, was yet another valuable lesson in the efforts to perfect a system, which although the best by far, can only reach perfection in theory. Is Athens currently delivering a new lecture on democracy and the state that is built via democracy?
For ten consecutive days, some of the principle cities in Greece and especially Athens have been engulfed in a violent protest movement caused by the death of a young man killed by the Police. In witnessing the violence and anarchy that predominated for several days throughout some of the most densely populated areas in Greece, it does not appear all that plausible perhaps to speak about a new lesson on democracy. Out there, among the demonstrators, alongside the citizens, whether students or workers are also, those who work against democracy, those who do violate the law, whether anarchists or fanatics or something similar. They are the ones who cause the violence, which certainly is absolutely unacceptable and has nothing in common with democracy. Despite the fact that the violence in the demonstrations of the Greek cities is the work of the ill-intentioned anarchists or Bolsheviks, the indignation and the actual protest belong to the Demos.
And it is precisely herein that we have a new lesson for democracy delivered by present-day Athens. First and foremost this is a lesson for the new and more fragile democracies, as is the case with Albania or similar countries. The members of the urbanized communities of Greece are angry with the government and its arrogance; with the financial crisis, fast turning into a major economic crisis. Greek citizens are furious over the lack of prospects for the future, in particular, the younger generation. Reports from Greece speak of a status quo, and even the deterioration of basic public services, such as healthcare and education.
The least this lesson out of Athens could do is instill some courage into Albanian society and make it turn its head around to see what is going on within its own back fence, on its own territory, the level of the arrogance of the Albanian government, the failure of the reforms of basic public services-all of which are beyond any comparison with Greece in terms of levels of disintegration.
Urbanized Albania (to the degree that present-day Albania is urbanized), has chosen a different course-to abandon Albania, in many cases, at any cost, including their lives! According to the latest study of the Economic Research Center, 44 per cent of Albanian citizens between 18-40 years of age want to emigrate and this future prospect is not unknown to present-day Albania. 50 percent of Albania’s labour force live and work in Greece and Italy today.
But, urban Greece is fuming not only with the current government, but also with the government that may-in compliance with the rules of democracy-and should replace this government. In other words, this signifies that the citizens are angry with the state and with the kind of democracy, on which the functioning of the state is based. This is yet another valuable lesson out of present day Athens. A lesson which should be making us seriously reflect on the state of affairs in our own back yard. Here too, we have “found the solution.” Fewer numbers of people are turning out at the polls to vote. They have understood that their votes may change the government, but not the way it governs.