從債務危機評述希臘民主治理的困境

The Debt Crisis and the Predicament of Democratic Governance in Greece

從希臘債務危機的因到果，「民主政治」扮演什麼樣的角色？甚或是否有角色？民主政治在此過程中受到什麼樣的衝擊？該如何理解民主選舉不斷反映人民向左走的企盼；然而危機之中，左派政府之施政卻在人民諒解下頻頻向右偏的現象？一般民眾在主流媒體的影響下對希臘的慘況即便寄予同情，多少攙雜了「希臘是自食惡果」之印象。然而問題是否果真如此簡單？債權國的所作所為是否經得起歷史的檢驗？相關區域及國際組織究竟是維護了還是踐踏了民主？本文檢視希臘政府自 2010 至 2015 年 7 月所吞下之撙節藥方及其效果，分析債權國對病灶的診斷，繼之參考一波波個別或者聯名對歐元區領袖及財長提出反撙節呼籲之學者的立論，探討希債危機深層的原因以及握有權力的菁英們不願正視問題之結構性理由。在對希債危機之實際病因以及官方診斷背後之動機有了初步瞭解後，本文將進一步闡述希債危機如何使原本黑暗的角落曝了光，照亮了民主政治所深陷的困境。 What role does democratic politics play in the cause, the treatment, and the reflection process of the Greek debt crisis? Or does it have a role? What is the impact of the crisis on democracy? How do we explain the phenomena where, repeatedly, voters express their wish for Left-leaning, anti-austerity policies, yet the subsequent policies delivered by the anti-austerity government continues to turn Right with more and more draconian austerity measures? Fed by reports of mainstream media, the general public—even those sympathetic to the Greeks going through tremendous suffering—tend to have the impression that the Greeks “deserve” this because of the profligacy in the previous era. Is this impression an over-simplification of what actually happened? How will the interpretation and treatment of the crisis by the Troika be judged by history? Have the relevant regional and international organizations protected or undermined democracy? This article examines the effects of the medicine taken by Greece as prescribed by the Troika between 2010 and July 2015, followed by an investigation of reasons provided by those who criticized the prescription and warned against further austerity. It then provides an explanation for the stubborn refusal of the Troika to respond to the criticisms and warnings from the world’s top economists. Based on this explanation, the article elaborates on the enlightening effect of the Greek debt crisis on the predicament of democratic politics.

What role does democratic politics play in the cause, the treatment, and the reflection process of the Greek debt crisis? Or does it have a role? What is the impact of the crisis on democracy? How do we explain the phenomena where, repeatedly, voters express their wish for Left-leaning, anti-austerity policies, yet the subsequent policies delivered by the anti-austerity government continues to turn Right with more and more draconian austerity measures? Fed by reports of mainstream media, the general public—even those sympathetic to the Greeks going through tremendous suffering—tend to have the impression that the Greeks “deserve” this because of the profligacy in the previous era. Is this impression an over-simplification of what actually happened? How will the interpretation and treatment of the crisis by the Troika be judged by history? Have the relevant regional and international organizations protected or undermined democracy? This article examines the effects of the medicine taken by Greece as prescribed by the Troika between 2010 and July 2015, followed by an investigation of reasons provided by those who criticized the prescription and warned against further austerity. It then provides an explanation for the stubborn refusal of the Troika to respond to the criticisms and warnings from the world’s top economists. Based on this explanation, the article elaborates on the enlightening effect of the Greek debt crisis on the predicament of democratic politics.