Political opportunism and the rise of extremism in Greece

Respected commentators of domestic politics in Greece often point to the rise of extremism in the country in the form of radical right-wing formations, such as the infamous Golden Dawn, by citing the lack of a deep culture of tolerance in the country, its incomplete democratisation or the deeply entrenched populist sentiments of the average Greek. The argument here tends to be that there is something profoundly rotten in the Greek collective psyche, something that cannot simply be reduced to the dire social and economic conditions caused by the austerity measures and their prolonged recessionary effects. Other countries are experiencing similar circumstances, the argument goes on, including rising debt levels, dismal or negative growth and high unemployment but have not witnessed such an upsurge in right-wing extremism. The explanation provided here is that Greece represents a peculiar case of a backward country with weak institutions, an embedded culture of intolerance and third-world levels of populism, corruption and clientelism.