The Mysteries of Greek Politics

The Mysteries of Greek Politics

Politics in Modern Greece, by Keith Legg. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 367 pp.

Greek politicsĀ is terra incognita to most non-Greeks, including all too many of those responsible for American policy toward Greece. The Greeks themselves usually know a little more about their country’s history, but much of what they know isn’t so. For both Greeks and non-Greeks, the factual vacuum tends to be filled by stereotypes and myths.

One stereotype dear to political scientists is that pre-1967 Greek politics was based on patron-client relationships rather than ideological differences, and was therefore essentially meaningless. This charge has been taken up by both the Left and the ruling junta for th...


Socialist thought provides us with an imaginative and moral horizon.

For insights and analysis from the longest-running democratic socialist magazine in the United States, sign up for our newsletter: