EJIST - European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

The International Financial Crisis of 2008 (IFC), and the austerity programs imposed in Greece, hit particularly the already weak Greek economy; despite the crucial fact that the latter suffered severe structural, deficit and, debt problems over the relevant past decades, even before the IFC explosion. Through a structured questionnaire, distributed to 348 students at the International Hellenic University (IHU) and their parents, we investigate how the crisis affected their salary and their working conditions, as well as how respondents evaluate the measures imposed by the “Troika”. Our research findings are of particular interest. More than three out of four respondents, support the view of Naomi Klein that a society in deep crisis is in a “State of Shock”, unable to react, and Greece is such a case. Respondents tend to believe that the pursued policies are forms of psychological violence-pressure, aimed at the disorientation of people, who are willing to work under worse working conditions. Read more

Keywords:
International Financial crisis, Greece, Shock Therapy, statistical analysis
JEL:
O52, G01, R11, C10

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a continuous health crisis from March 2020 until today. The health crisis due to the imposed restrictions caused socio-economic crisis and disorders in almost all over the world. Greece is not an exception in these new conditions that the health crisis has imposed. Through a structured questionnaire, distributed to young people, we investigate how the health crisis affected Greek people. Specifically, we study the respondents’ opinions regarding the anti-dispersion prevention measures, their feeling of security and who is responsible for the pandemic. By means of descriptive statistics and more advanced statistical techniques, we aim to verify or disprove the view of Naomi Klein that a society in deep crisis is in a ‘state of shock’, unable to react. Read more

Keywords:
Health crisis, socio-economic crisis, COVID-19, State of Shock
JEL:
O52, R11, C10, I19