NEEDED AN ULTRAMODERN "PETER THE GREAT" FOR GREECE
****************************************************************
By Professors Michael C. Geokas, M.D.,
Ph.D* and Christos D.
Katsetos, M.D., Ph.D**
It is only a very vulgar historical materialism that denies the power of
ideas, and says that ideals are mere material interests in disguise. Isaiah
Berlin (In The Proper Study of Mankind).
Greece finds herself today at the crossroads of history. Despite EU
membership, with funds available for infrastructure and other projects, the
strategic location in Eastern Mediterranean, her magnificent natural beauty,
which makes her by definition the Mecca of Tourism; her huge Merchant Marine
plowing the oceans (about 205 million tonnage), an enviable heritage as the
birthplace of Democracy and of Western Civilization; the brilliance, energy
and spark of her people; and a four million dynamic Diaspora, located mainly
in the rest of Europe, North America and Australia, and the overwhelming
success of the Olympics 2004 that astonished the world, yet, several key
ingredients are missing from the mix and the whole equation. Lest we forget,
the Greeks with a per capita GNI (Gross National Income) of $22,000 have now
broken even the famous dictum of Herodotus: Elladi
Penii Aikote
Syntrofos Estin.
[Poverty shall always be Greece's
companion].
Yet, despite all advantages and achievements, the country appears weak in
the international arena and a number of
significant problems have been accumulating, like droplets of mercury. The
last straw that broke the camel's
back was the fiasco with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
A tiny Balkan country loaded with internal problems has won recognition from
America for a plagiarized name ?Macedonia?. This is a
failure of Greek diplomacy and the country's
international dynamic. Moreover, Greek foreign policy is in disarray as
related to Turkey, Greece's
nemesis, with the Turks having the upper hand at many levels. Even after the
recent EU decision to start accession talks with Turkey, which Greece
supported enthusiastically, Turkey's
monolithic and aggressive attitude has not changed.
PROBLEMS WITH TURKEY.
Turkey's refusal to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, a full EU
member, the continuing attacks against the Patriarchate, perpetuation of the
casus belli against Greece and the relentless air-space violations over the
Aegean, are all ominous signs. Frankly speaking, Greece's
foreign policy doctrine aiming to tame Turkey by supporting her entry into
the EU, has proven to be unproductive and a striking failure.
On the contrary, Greek-Turkish relations are becoming increasingly strained
and problematic. Turkey has continued to pressure Greece with persistent
efforts of the Turkish Air Force in an attempt to demonstrate de facto
co-ownership of the Aegean, with frequent Airspace violations costing dearly
to the Greek taxpayer at 1,250,000 Euros daily (and $1.3 billion from 1998
to May 2003). The Greek Air Force has to be constantly on alert for chasing
away the intruding aircraft. During the last 31 years 115 Greek pilots and
197 aircraft have been lost.
There is unrelenting Turkish obstinacy in Cyprus, and covert pressure
through FYROM, the Muslim minority in Thrace and through Albania. The
following are just a few examples in this regard: The Website of the Turkish
Foreign Ministry fully adopts the FYROM propaganda against Greece. Using
historical links and religious ties, Turkey pursues a long-term plan in
Albania that includes-but is not limited to- an ambitious investment in
infrastructure. The deployment of Northern Cyprus flags during a soccer game
in Tirana is emblematic of the underlying sentiment promoted by Turkish
operatives and sympathizers in Albania. When FYROM foreign minister
Mitreva visited Turkey last year she was
received in Ankara with funfair, her visit was extended and given wide
publicity. The meddling of Turkey with the Muslim minority in
Thrace, is exemplified by the inappropriate
statements of visiting Turkish officials and the disturbing role of the
Turkish Consul in Komotini, who habitually
violates the Vienna agreement (April 18, 1961) concerning the laws [and]
regulations of the receiving country.
In addition, the Turkish authorities have pursued a relentless policy of
annihilation of the remaining Greek community in Istanbul. The longstanding
closure of the Halki Theological Seminary, the
blatant violations of religious freedom, the humiliation of the Ecumenical
Patriarch (whose Ecumenical role is not even recognized) and the
confiscation of Patriarchal properties, clearly suggest a deliberate
strategy of ethnic cleansing.
Due to the Turkish-Israeli alliance of 1996, Turkey is still a favorite
country in America, and her special treatment continues despite huge
internal problems, and refusal to permit passage of American forces to Iraq,
during the war and her recent hosting of a Hamas
delegation in Ankara. The new oil pipeline from Baku to
Ceyhan is hailed as crucial for an oil thirsty world. Moreover the
strong US support to Turkey for EU membership is persistent, as is the
support for the Annan plan, which is designed to
favor Turkey and to legitimize her occupation of 38% of Cyprus. The rightful
rejection of the Annan plan by the Cypriot
people has generated displeasure in the US. However, it now appears that
Turkish-US relations are on a downswing due to American support to the Kurds
in Northern Iraq and other issues.
The fact remains that despite EU and NATO memberships, Greece is
diplomatically on the defensive, with many in EU and the United States still
favoring Turkey, despite her poor record on human rights, and bellicosity of
her Armed Forces which are not under civilian control. The piece-meal
revision of the Turkish constitution of 1982, including the abolition of the
death penalty and National Security Council (NSC) membership changes, are
deemed insufficient, short of a new constitution based on a veritable EU
template.
The evidence of bad intentions and insincerity abound, such as
Turkey's constant
antagonism on the Cyprus issue; and the persistent violations of Greek
Airspace mentioned above. Many believe that the blatant interference of
ongoing Greek military exercises in the Aegean (a long-term strategy aiming
to establish ?gray zones? in the region), coupled
with the covert support, to FYROM and Albania, are probably designed to
place Greece into a pressure vice. Finally, the aggressive and some say
premeditated collision of a Greek and a Turkish fighter over the Aegean on
5-23-2006, with loss of the Greek pilot, coupled with the audacity of Ankara
to ask for reparations, represent the final proof that so far Greek foreign
policy towards Turkey is a failure.
SOME INTERNAL PROBLEMS. Some other significant
problems are the following: The high unemployment rate; the high cost of
living since the adoption of the Euro; and the low wages as compared to the
rest of the EU, which feed a pervasive corruption, involving even members of
the judiciary; the poor condition of the Health care and Educational
systems,
with dysfunctional High Schools and Universities and about 50,000 of the
young studying abroad; the problem of Traffic Safety with unacceptable
numbers of deaths and injuries; the porous borders on land and sea with
thousands of illegal immigrants coming in constantly (most of them illegal);
the calamity of low fertility rate (TFR 1.3), with 200,000 abortions per
year and about 100,000 live births; the steady aging of the population, with
20% over 65 and no proneitalist program in place
for achieving even replacement fertility, with the exception of a small
successful program run by the Church; and no sophisticated programs for
assisting assimilation of immigrants and for stemming the tide of new
arrivals projected to boost the total number to 3.5 million between
2015-2020(Joseph Chamie UN).
Additionally, Greek Tourism is weak, the quality and numbers of tourists
being at the down-slope of Butler's
Curve, especially the coveted American tourists, with loss of about $5
billion per year. Furthermore a mafia-style under-world, and trafficking of
humans and drugs are thriving, and some of the mass Media are owned or under
the thumb of big money, a situation which the Prime Minister promised to
clean up. Relations with the United States are correct; despite
anti-Americanism and relations with Turkey is the thorniest problem in Greek
foreign policy.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? We strongly believe that what the Republic of Greece
urgently needs is a strong magnetic leader, and courageous reformer, who
will galvanize and inspire the Greek people and their Diaspora, by
implementing a cultural and organizational revolution. Such a leader is
needed to solve the present daunting problems of the Republic. The Greeks
are extremely smart people, but notoriously difficult to govern. However,
they will respond positively to a strong and inspiring leader who will
propel them into action. A man who will transform the partying, have a good
time culture, into a work ethic and increased productivity, which will
astonish the world, like the 2004 Olympics did.
In all of history, during the last 1,000 years, one man shines like a giant
beacon in this respect, Peter the Great of Russia, the Revolutionary Tsar.
Who was Peter of Russia? ?And why the freakish
appearance of this autocrat in the European stage and his unique spirit, and
enormous accomplishments, are deemed relevant several centuries later??
PETER OF RUSSIA: He was born in 1672 in Moscow and died in 1725 in St.
Petersburg. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral and the people
still to this day bring flowers to his tomb. Peter B. Putnam, in his Book,
Peter the Revolutionary Tsar, describes him as follows:
?It was the pace, scope, and violence of Pater's
reforms that made them revolutionary. Moreover, the revolution was personal.
He not only send others abroad, but went (abroad)
himself. He hired foreign shipwrights, but build ships with his own hands?.
His personality and massive reforms have inspired generations of historians,
writers and ordinary people. Peters'
revolution was unique.
Arnold Toynbee called Peter ?the archetype of the
autocratic westernizing reformer. He has provided a template for the leaders
of all developing nations since his day and nobody else followed him more
closely than Joseph Stalin who tried to do from 1928 to 1941 to Russia, all
over again, what Peter had done for her about 230 years earlier?. ?3-
Stalin described Peter's program of modernization as ?a
unique attempt to leap out of the framework of backwardness?. Peter's
revolution was also unique, Putnam says, ?as he
became the personal instrument and embodiment of change?. Peter was also a
good listener and he constantly asked foreign ambassadors how he could
advance Russia.
They told him: ?Sire, you need trade with other
nations and for that you need a merchant marine and for that you need a navy
to protect it?. And this is exactly what he did by going abroad to learn
shipbuilding. Putnam, describes that ??he also
made enormous progress in the field of Education, by setting up the Academy
of Sciences and by founding schools of navigation and engineering in the
capital and cipher schools in the provinces? he
quadrupled foreign trade and his heavy industry surpassed that of more
advanced nations. His methods were autocratic, but iron production was three
times that of England and helped to make Russia a great power.
He tried to modernize the civil administration as illustrated by that of
Sweden, thus creating a nation governed by rule and
precept, and not custom and caprice. In Sweden, Denmark and Prussia
government departments were run by boards called Colleges. Peter was told
that Colleges were the solution for good administration and that their
mechanism was like that of watches: whose individual parts mutually keep
each other in motion. He sent Russians to study Colleges abroad and
appointed westerners to his Colleges to provide their expertise to Russians??.
?Special target of his determination and anger
was official dishonesty, because corruption was widespread and public office
was mostly considered to be an opportunity for getting rich. Only half a
dozen of Peter's
large group of assistants were indeed honest. At one occasion he was so
angry that was ready to issue a decree, which would punish with hanging any
official who had stolen enough money to pay for the rope. One aristocrat
mastered the courage and asked Peter: does the Emperor wished to be without
subjects? We all steal he said, some more and others less, some privately
and others without disguise. Peter laughed and tore up the decree??.
However, everybody got the message.
?To stamp out corruption, Putnam says, he
appointed certain officials called fiscals who became the best-hated men in
the empire. Official corruption continued to exist but after Peter it was at
least accepted as wrongdoing. During Pater's
reign foreign trade quntrupled. Western nations
dominated trade with Russia. Like a colony exchanging raw materials for
finished goods she could not manufacture for herself. The sharpest exception
to Russia's
dependence in the West was military. Peter understood clearly that unless he
could modernize his arms industry Russia would remain a second-class nation.
Peter produced armaments on a huge scale and in a single generation his
heavy industry surpassed that of far advanced nations.
He attempted to do a lot more than could achieve in a lifetime and his role
was an impetus to the future?. Putnam says, “he
was a living paradox: a visionary and a pragmatist, flexible and adamant,
frugal and prodigal, patient and passionate, self-sacrificing and
self-centered. But he pushed Russia to the future with his spirit, with his
energy and his love for her. This giant of a man possessed endowments and
ambitions to match. This was Peter the great of Russia, a revolutionary
leader who propelled his nation into the future”. He initiated in effect a
veritable Cultural and Organizational Revolution. “Peter continued to live
simply, wore old clothes and had few attendants.
He was usually in bed by ten and rose at three or four in the morning and
worked with his secretaries and ministers. He kept the same hours when in
Paris or London”.
AN ULTRAMODERN GREEK PETER? We shall say it
immediately and very clearly, that an autocrat-reformer as Head of State at
this point in time, is completely unacceptable and incompatible with the
Democratic imperative. We are not discussing here Kings and Emperors.
Instead, what we have in mind is an ultra-modern democratic leader, who is
endowed with Peter’s talents as outlined above, such as, the spirit of
innovation and reform, the charisma of enormous persuasive power, plus
Peter’s vision, and magnetic force of personality; the allergy towards
corruption and his adherence to a strategic plan leading to an urgently
needed cultural and organizational revolution. Such a leader could appear at
any time out of the blue, from the ranks of the political, intellectual,
business, labor and professional ranks, of Greek Society or from the
thriving Diaspora in Europe, Australia and North America. Such a leader
could galvanize the political, intellectual, business, industrial,
religious, and labor groups, as well as the nations?
young, with his strategic plan for adequately protecting Greece and
pushing her into a bright future.
We firmly believe that such a powerful and inspiring leader could appear,
“as deus ex machine”, only if the following
changes in the present political system were to
occur:
1. A change from the existing Cabinet System to a Presidential System of
Government in Greece, where the executive branch is elected separately from
the legislative.
The defining characteristic of a presidential Government is how the
executive is elected, but almost all presidential systems have in common the
following features (http://www.answers.com/topic/presidential-system):
a) The President is both head of State and head of Government and has no
formal relationship with the legislature, cannot introduce bills, but can
veto acts of the legislature. The veto can be overridden by a supermajority
of legislators.
b) The President has a fixed term of office (e.g. six years), elections are
held at scheduled times and cannot be triggered by a vote of confidence or
other parliamentary procedures.
Many presidential systems include regulations for the president’s trial and
removal from office, if found guilty of a crime.
c) The executive branch is impersonal and the members of the Government are
appointed by the President, serve at its pleasure and must carry out the
policies of the executive and legislative branches.
Frequently, the Presidential system requires legislative approval of
nominations to the cabinet as well as for judges. The President has the
power to issue orders to members of the cabinet, the military or any officer
or employee of the executive branch, but he does not generally have the
power to dismiss or give orders to judges.
d) The President often has the power to pardon or commute sentences of
convicted criminals??.
2. There are four basic advantages to the Presidential System:
a) The Direct Mandate, with the President elected directly by the people.
This makes the President's
power more legitimate as compared to a leader appointed indirectly.
b) The Separation of Powers, due to establishment of the presidency and the
legislature as two parallel structures, an arrangement many believe, that
necessitates each structure to supervise the other, thus preventing abuses.
c) The Speed and decisiveness, because a powerful President can effect
changes quickly.
d) The Stability, due to the fact that a President with a fixed term can
provide more stability than a prime minister who can be dismissed at any
time. Many believe that a country under great stress is better off to have a
President with a fixed term instead of successive Prime Ministers.
3. However, critics claim the following Disadvantages of the Presidential
System:
a) Tendency towards authoritarianism
b) Separation of powers with the Presidency and the Legislature two parallel
structures, which at times creates gridlock, reduces accountability and
allows the President to blame the Legislature and vise versa.
c) A roadblock for removing the President from office before his/her term
has expired.
d) Some political scientists consider the conflation of head of state and
head of government duties, to be a problem of
presidentialism because criticism of the President as head of state
is criticism of the State itself.
d) We strongly believe however, that especially for the Republic of Greece
at this time, the Presidential System will be the most suitable and
invaluable.
WHAT WOULD THE PRESIDENT DO?
1. The popularly elected President would proceed with the rule that members
of parliament could not serve as Government Ministers and he would appoint a
technical Government to include high power specialists in the various
ministries, such as University Professors, Business people, Diplomats,
members of the Military and other renown
specialists in their field. Such technical people from Greece and the
Diaspora could be very effective and hopefully immune to corruption
impulses. Moreover, he would overhaul the stifling, rigid and dysfunctional
bureaucracy in the ministries, which would be a Herculean task in itself.
2. He would fix the ailing educational system especially the Universities
that are in poor condition, with an ongoing controversy to boot, concerning
the establishment of private Universities in Greece, for the first time in
its history, to the dismay of many Professors and Students alike.
Additionally, he would improve the High School education and would protect
it against the deconstructionist attempts of re-writing history, which will
attenuate the impact of great historic events and thus de-Hellenize
the Greek youth and threaten their sense of self-identity.
3. He would drastically improve the Armed Forces, which are indispensable
for defending the country’s borders, for playing an important role in NATO
and for discouraging an aggression by Turkey, especially in the Aegean. For
this the President would maintain a 12-month draft for men and women, a
method similar to Israel, and would develop also special professional forces
using advanced technology and sophisticated weaponry.
He would never accept the plagiarized name “Macedonia” by FYROM and would
vigorously negotiate another suitable name following a Referendum on this
issue.
4. He would greatly improve the deteriorating internal security in Greece,
with people afraid to walk outside their home at night and propelled to use
double locks in their doors. He would greatly reduce the frequent Bank
robberies by gangs, the destruction of property after soccer games, and the
burning of stores and automobiles by masked individuals who do not seem to
be amenable to arrest and to get long jail terms. He would also solve the
problem of international underworld gangs, an absurd phenomenon for a
democratic state, member of EU.
5. The President, like Peter, would confront head on and without mercy, the
scourge of corruption within and outside the Government. He would respond to
sensational revelations in the Media about corrupt officials, including
members of the judiciary, which give the impression of a corrupt society. He
would severely curb the trafficking of drugs and humans, as well as suppress
organized crime in Greece, where some restaurants, automobile dealers and
other businesses are paying protection fees.
6. He would deal decisively with the twin Demographic problem of low
fertility, and the huge in-migration. Additionally, he would give top
priority to a sophisticated proneitalist program
for augmenting the fertility rate. According to a new study by the
Population Research Bureau (PRB) in Washington DC many industrialized
nations have introduced or beefed up economic incentives ranging from cash
bonuses to tax brakes to extended maternity leaves- to get people to have
children. Just since March 2006, about 16 countries ranging from Bulgaria to
Taiwan have increased incentives.
Additionally, the President would pursue a vigorous plan for the
assimilation of immigrants already aboard, in order for them to gain
citizenship in 10 years, to learn the Greek language, send their children to
Greek schools and make it unnecessary for them to bring their brides and
extended families to Greece, from their country of origin.
To stop the brisk influx of new illegal immigrants he would expand a special
force now called the Border Guardians (Synorofrura),
which together with the regular Army, Navy and Coast Guard would seal off
Greece’s borders. He would also create a strong new Ministry of Demography
and Diaspora, for handling effectively the Demographic Problem and the
affairs of four million Diaspora.
7. The President would urgently promote special legislation for regulating
the non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The present situation of NGOs in
Greece is chaotic and out of control. The NGOs have pursued a variety of
causes at the local, national and even the international level. Many of them
can be considered political, if that definition encompasses non-partisan
social issues, human rights of invented “ethnic or ethno-linguistic
minorities” and when in cooperation with foreign NGOs, have charged the
Greek population, the media and even the Church, for discrimination and
human rights violations, to the detriment of the international image of
Greece.
One particular NGO, ELIAMEP, plays a strong role on issues of Greek Foreign
policy, maintains an extensive list of financial sponsors and publishes very
frequently foreign policy advocacy papers in the Greek Press. It also
conducts annual closed meetings, and vigorously promotes an accommodation
with Turkey in the Aegean, which many well meaning people consider that it
smacks of appeasement. Moreover, ELIAMEP has been a strong advocate of the
Annan plan for Cyprus, despite wide opposition
to it, in Cyprus, in Greece and within the Hellenic Diaspora. The President
would require by law, that all NGOs in Greece
re-register with the Government, meticulously disclose their financial
sources and undergo expanded and meaningful auditing by an impeccable
task-force appointed by the Government, and be required to open their annual
meetings to all interested Greek and Greek-Diaspora Scholars.
8. The President would make a valiant effort on the issue of Traffic Safety
for specifically reducing the large number of deaths and injuries, which
produce untold misery and pain to Greek people. Strict traffic control of
Commercial Vehicles would be a top priority.
He would also place great emphasis on driver training, strict renewal of a
driver’s license every four years, following an examination, and strict
traffic control with citations enforced directly by Traffic Courts. He will
also diligently pursue improvement of the road network especially the
secondary roads, which are known to be in dire need of repair because they
account for the majority of injuries and fatalities.
9. He would strongly promote international trade and would protect Greek
industry from dissolution by outsourcing. Would strongly boost Tourism,
especially concerning tourists from the United States and would pay special
attention to Island Tourism and would bring to perfection the coastal
shipping among the Islands. He would also handle with great care issues
concerning “The golden Merchant Marine Fleet” in order to increase the
number of the Greek Flag carrying vessels.
10.The President would
vigorously promote scientific research especially in advanced technology, by
encouraging distinguished scientists from the Hellenic Diaspora to return to
Greece, by offering special inducements and generous research funds.
Additionally, with upgrading of the University system and lavish allocation
of research funds there will be an impetus in research productivity. He will
also invite foreign companies to establish subsidiary research units in
Greece following the example of Ireland, which is the hub of several
technology companies from the EU and the US.
11. He would be very willing to learn from abroad through a stellar Advisory
Board of prominent scientists, especially from the Diaspora in the US and
EU, who could provide expert input and know-how without the constraints of
their native counterparts.
This will be equivalent to Peter’s solicitation of advice from the foreign
ambassadors. Moreover, he would be effective in seeking dynamic assistance
from the Greek-American Community in support of the rightful causes of
Greece, in Congress and the United States Administration.
Ethnic politics have now been legitimized in America and are even been
promoted by the administration and constitute an important factor in
determining foreign policy (Glazier and Moynihan 1975).
The President would tour big American cities, speaking to large audiences of
Greek-Americans and philhellenes, with a special report and discussions of
the vital issues of concern to Hellenism.
12. IN SUMMARY: The Prime Minister driven political system in Greece with a
ceremonial President and members of Parliament serving as Ministers, is by
its nature ineffective. The Presidential system will be superior and much
more effective in many vital areas, such as: in solving a host of intricate
internal problems by Ministers who are top technical experts in their
fields; in pursuing a dynamic role within the EU and a successful foreign
policy towards the United States and an aggressive Turkey; and in
effectively utilizing the Greek-American dynamic on behalf of Greece.
Furthermore, in this era of frequent opinion polls and the palpable power of
the Media (some under special interest control) on shaping public opinion
and influencing policy; the large number of NGOs working independently and
pushing claims on policy issues, the present Cabinet driven Government,
which is hampered by a notoriously entrenched and inflexible bureaucracy,
appears weak and at times overwhelmed by events in a fast moving world.
In addition, the day-after-day appearances of the Prime Minister at the
Parliament podium, in order to refute incessant criticisms of the opposition
parties, no matter how serious, or superfluous, it is simply unproductive,
and corrosive of his authority, as well as demeaning to his office.
Most importantly, the Prime Minister and his Government can be brought down
by a combination of factors, such as: a series of scandals, a deteriorating
economy, by serious unemployment, by continuous strikes instigated by the
labor unions, and by negative opinion polls, all of them, pushing the Prime
Minister and the country to premature elections, and a tedious pre-election
campaign, with further decrease of Government efficiency. When in this era
of profound specialization members of Parliament serve as Ministers, the
chance of ineffectiveness for lack of special skills and of
clientelism to their constituents in their
districts is considerable.
In sharp contrast un-elected Ministers appointed by the President for their
expertise will be experienced and technically skilled, for their respective
ministries. Thus, Ministers with technical dexterity, with no electoral
districts to satisfy with favors, and no re-election campaign obligations,
will have an enormous advantage for effectiveness as members of the team.
For instance, a seasoned, multilingual, and articulate University professor
of Law, or Political Science, or International Affairs, will be eminently
suited to be Minister of Foreign affairs; and a distinguished Professor of
Medicine, or Surgery or Public Health from Greece or the Hellenic Diaspora,
will be superb as Minister of Health.
Additionally, a seasoned, articulate and personable University Professor of
Constitutional Law, or of Public administration, will be ideal for the
demanding Ministry of the Interior.
Thus, the President, a leader with exceptional acumen (high IQ) and
technical skills, coupled with what is now called Emotional Intelligence,
would promulgate in the spirit of an ultra-modern Peter the Great, a much
needed Cultural and Organizational Revolution in Greece. There are certain
cultural traits that hold back the brilliant, innovative and versatile
Greeks. Look how they adapt and thrive in the rest of Europe, in Australia
and North America.
The President, would also push for a strong Civil Society, transform the
partying culture, and insist on acceptance of personal responsibility from
everyone. He would abolish the pervasive favoritism and nepotism, which
breeds incompetence, demoralizes the young and propels them to leave the
country; would modify the power of Labor Unions and their knee-jerk tendency
to crippling strikes which scare away foreign companies, and bestow the ugly
nick-name to Greece as ?the land of strikes?; would reduce to its proper
dimensions the continuing strong domination of the left on Greek Society and
the insidious grip of big money on the mass Media; would ruthlessly
decapitate corruption, and human and drug trafficking; would persuade his
people that good service is indispensable for Tourism development, and does
not equal servility; and would loudly declare that the path of low fertility
and of abortions on demand, for family planning, are the path to national
suicide.
Moreover, he would reduce additional in-migration to a trickle, and promote
the diligent and sophisticated assimilation of immigrants who are already
aboard and would vigorously encourage repatriation of Diaspora Greeks.
He, like Peter, would boost the Armed Forces, and arms production and
procurement, and would pursue the sealing of borders on land and sea to stem
the influx of illegal immigrants. He would re-organize and drastically
upgrade the Diplomatic Service, and would appoint as Ambassadors
distinguished experts especially in key Embassies like Washington DC and
other foreign capitals, like the state of Israel does.
Finally, the President would genuinely and quickly embrace the Hellenic
Diaspora, and specifically the robust Greek-American Community, seeking
support against Turkish pressure in the Aegean, Cyprus and the Patriarchate.
Greece needs today a Presidential system of Government, so urgently, as
Sahara desert needs the rain.
EPILOGUE: At this point we anticipate the inevitable question from the
readers of this special essay: Who in the Governing party or in the
opposition, might be a worthy ultra-modern Peter
the Great for Greece? Our answer is this: even if such a leader existed
today, it will be next to impossible to assume the role of an ultra-modern
Peter, under the present system of Government. Only with a Presidential
system it will be possible for such a leader to materialize on the scene. We
firmly believe, that the Presidential System is
everything.
Thus, after the necessary revision of the Constitution and the adoption of
the Presidential System, we can anticipate a dynamic and electrifying change
of the political landscape in Greece. Such an event will make it feasible
for a strong, magnetic and inspiring leader to materialize, to be voted-in
directly by the electorate, and be inaugurated as the country’s first
President, for the good of both, the people of Greece and the Hellenic
Diaspora.
10-19-2006
SOURCES:
1. Robert K. Massie: Peter the Great. His Life and
World. Alfred A. Knoff, New York 1980.
2.Peter Brock Putnam: Peter, The Revolutionary
Tsar. Harper and Row, 1973. [The authors
thankfully acknowledge generous quotations from this remarkable Book].
3. Arnold Toynbee. The World and The West (Reith
Lecture) New York 1953.
4. Donald Kagan. Pericles of
Athens and the Birth of Democracy. The Free
Press,NY 1991.
5. Isaiah Berlin. The Proper Study of Mankind.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY 1998.
6. Presidential System-Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_system
7. Presidential System.Answers.com http://answers.com/topic/presidential-system
8. Turkish Media: Washington No Longer Trusts AKP Government.
THE MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE. Special
Dispatch Series-No 1145, April 24, 2006.
9. Michael C. Geokas: The European Union and the
Specter of Uncontrolled In-Migration.
Journal of Political and Military Sociology 25: (Winter) 353-362,1997.
[From the author?s
speech at the European Parliament in Brussels April 2, 1997].
10. Michael C. Geokas. The new Gordian knot for
the Greeks: The twin Demographic Problem. The National Herald (NY) November
9-10, 2002. Also available at: WWW.DEMOKRITOS.ORG UNDER THE HEADING, Low
Fertility Rate.
11. M. Hakan
Yavouz. Turkey?s
Fault Lines and the Crisis of Kemalism. Current
History Vol 99, No 633, January 2000.
12. Philip Shishkin. In Northern Iraq, A Rebel
Sanctuary Bedevils the United States. The Wall Street
Journal, October 2, 2008[Vol. CCXLVIII NO, 78].
13. Michael C. Geokas and
A.T.Papathanasis. The Turkish-Israeli
Alliance is a New
Destabilizing Factor in the Middle East and Southern Europe. The Washington
Report on Middle East Affairs, April 2000.
14. Daniel Coleman: What Makes a Leader? Harvard
Business Review, November-December 1998, pp.93-102.
15. Michael C. Geokas.
Earthquake Pseudodiplomacy and the Illusions of
the Greeks.
The National Herald (NY), October 25-26, 1999(In Greek).
Also available at: WWW.DEMOKRITOS.ORG under the heading, Greece and Turkey.
-11-
16. Michael C. Geokas,
Stathis Papanicolaou
and Chuck Kidder. Introducing California- Style
Highway Safety in Greece. The National Herald(NY),
October 18-19,2003. Also available at: WWW.DEMOKRITOS.ORG under the heading
Traffic Safety. ?11-
17. Alexander Livshin and
Richard Weitz. Civil
Society and Philanthropy under Putin.
International Journal of Non-for-Profit Law
Vol 8, No3/May 2006/6
18. Elizabeth Rosenthal. European Union's
Plunging Birthrates Spread Eastward. The New York Times September 4, 2006.
19. R. Butler. The concept of a tourism area cycle of
evolution. Canadian Geographer 24:
5-12,1980
20. Michael C. Geokas.
Strategic Demography and the Revolution in Warfare. The National
Herald (NY) Nov 30-Dec 1, 1996. Also Available at: WWW.DEMOKRITOS.ORG
Under: Fertility and National Defense.
21. Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Ethnicity: Theory and Experience.
Harvard University Press, 1975.
*(Em) Professor of Medicine and Biological
Chemistry UC, Davis School of Medicine,
Davis, California; E-Mail: geokas@msn.com
**Research Professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Drexel University College
of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
-The Authors are also: President (Prof. Michael C.
Geokas) and Vice-President (Prof. Christos D.
Katsetos), of the THINK-TANK DEMOKRITOS SOCIETY
OF AMERICA:
WWW.DEMOKRITOS.ORG
