Reading an article on the Euro/Greek problem by Matthew Parris in The Times I was struck by one phrase in particular, “Greece just needs a massive bung plus a cut in living standards”. Being a regular visitor to Greece for several months at a time, I wondered what he really meant. Who has to get the “bung” does this go to the people or does it go to the millionaire class, and whose standard of living does he think should be cut, the ordinary people, who had nothing to do with this crisis, or should the living standards of the millionaire class take the cut? What I have seen of the ordinary Greek people is a living standard that is not exactly luxurious and in some cases too close to poverty to be comfortable. These are the people that go to work every day and struggle to bring their kids up in a reasonable fashion. They were in no way involved in the shuffle betting of the banking class nor the corruption of the well heeled political class, who working together screwed the working people of Greece. I also saw plenty of large off-roaders and luxury cars. So can we get it right this time and see that the massive bung goes to the ordinary people and the cut in living standards is targeted at the banking/political class of corrupt millionaires.
