Greece: What Future for the Welfare State?

Abstract

With the fall of the military junta in 1974, democracy was restored to Greece with the general elections that brought the New Democracy conservative party to power. During its six years in office, the government paid little attention to the social services with the exception of education which is not seen as a social service in Greece. The elections of 1981 brought the Panhellenic Socialist Party (PASOK) to power and for most of the period covered by this book, 1980–95, Greece has been ruled by socialist party governments. It is during these years that the social services were expanded and reformed and state expenditure on social welfare rose substantially. As Tables 1.2 and 1.5 have shown, public expenditure grew from 17.4 per cent of GDP in 1960 to 33.1 per cent in 1980 and a high 53.3 per cent in 1990. The corresponding figures for social expenditure were 7.1 per cent, 11.1 per cent and 20.9 per cent, respectively.

To secure gentle treatment of the poor is not an easy thing, for the ruling class is not always humane. (Aristotle p. 13)