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Gysi on the EU "rescue package" for Greece | 55 comments (54 topical, 1 editorial, 0 hidden)
taz support for Gysi (4.00 / 3)
There is an op-ed in taz today in support of Gysi, criticising Beck and all the others protesting the Versailles parallel. It accuses the critics of never having heard of Keynes's critique of the Treaty of Versailles which Gysi's parallel is based on, and also lists several earlier references to it, including ones making the Greece parallel, over the last year or two. In fact Gysi made the same parallel last June already.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 08:09:41 AM EST
Re: taz support for Gysi (4.00 / 2)
I wonder why they are reaching back to Versailles.

Why not to 1953? Greece forgave Germany an amount of pre-war debt that (after inflation) equates to roughly the amount Germany has loaned Greece so far (14.5 billion minus 5% interest over the last 2 years). This doesn't account for any debts/etc. related to the war. This is purely financial.

by Upstate NY on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 10:06:00 AM EST
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Keynes's support for Greece (none / 1)
Because of this book.
by Katrin on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 10:18:31 AM EST
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Re: Keynes's support for Greece (4.00 / 2)
Because the argument is that Versailles was self-defeating punishment of Germany like the "rescue" is self-defeating punishment of Greece. The 1953 debt forgiveness is not a "self-defeating punishment".

There are three stories about the euro crisis: the Republican story, the German story, and the truth. -- Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 10:23:23 AM EST
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Re: Keynes's support for Greece (none / 1)
Actually, since this is Germany, it's more likely to be this book, which makes it look like Keynes stole his title from Tolstoy. And Gysi's assumption that other politicians had read it seems to be wrong.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 10:25:54 AM EST
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Re: Keynes's support for Greece (none / 1)
That's the German translation. And I too suspect that not many politicians have read it.
by Katrin on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 10:39:37 AM EST
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Re: taz support for Gysi (4.00 / 2)
Mentioned the Marshall plan is already reaching back to 1953. The Marshall being a lot better remembered then the London debt treaty. And the two being intertwined.
by IM on Wed Feb 29th, 2012 at 12:37:05 PM EST
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Re: taz support for Gysi (none / 1)
It is not too surprising that the good deeds of a country, even if coerced, are easily forgotten when a scapegoat is needed. That universally seems to form part of the base aspect of human nature. And the beneficiaries of an invidious relationship are always the last to acknowledge the true nature of that relationship, if they ever do.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Thu Mar 1st, 2012 at 10:34:34 AM EST
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Gysi on the EU "rescue package" for Greece | 55 comments (54 topical, 1 editorial, 0 hidden)
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