The price of Greek democracy

by Robert Peston

BBC News
November 1, 2011

It is easy to see why the Greek premier has announced a parliamentary confidence vote and plebiscite on the eurozone's latest bailout package.

He presumably takes the view that there is almost no chance of Greece going back to work unless and until the Greek people publicly endorse his and the eurozone's economic recovery plan.

If that plan is to be effective, it would impose major sacrifices on most Greeks, in the form of serious cuts in public services, higher taxes, a raised pension age and - perhaps most seriously - years of declining real wages.

But without the approval of the Greek people, without an end to crippling pervasive strikes, how on earth could this austerity be followed by economic recovery?

So although Mr Papandreou's decision to hold a referendum has shocked investors and eurozone leaders, to criticise him would be to argue both that democracy is a bad thing and (many would say naively) that a Greek revival could be possible in the teeth of opposition from Greek people.

Which brings us to what matters for the rest of us - what chance that the Greeks will vote yes to the rescue package?

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