Nicholas Apoifis - Anarchy in Athens: An ethnography of militancy, emotions and violence

Anarchy in Athens

CONTEMPORARY ANARCHIST STUDIES

A series edited by

Laurence Davis, University College Cork, Ireland

Uri Gordon, Loughborough University, UK

Nathan Jun, Midwestern State University, USA

Alex Prichard, Exeter University, UK

Contemporary Anarchist Studies promotes the study of anarchism as a framework for understanding and acting on the most pressing problems of our times. The series publishes cutting-edge, socially engaged scholarship from around the world bridging theory and practice, academic rigor and the insights of contemporary activism. The topical scope of the series encompasses anarchist history and theory broadly construed; individual anarchist thinkers; anarchist-informed analysis of current issues and institutions; and anarchist or anarchist-inspired movements and practices. Contributions informed by anti-capitalist, feminist, ecological, indigenous and non-Western or Global South anarchist perspectives are particularly welcome. So, too, are manuscripts that promise to illuminate the relationships between the personal and the political aspects of transformative social change, local and global problems, and anarchism and other movements and ideologies. Above all, we wish to publish books that will help activist scholars and scholar activists think about how to challenge and build real alternatives to existing structures of oppression and injustice.

International Editorial Advisory Board:

Martha Ackelsberg, Smith College

John Clark, Loyola University

Jesse Cohn, Purdue University

Ronald Creagh, Universit Paul Valry

Marianne Enckell, Centre International de Recherches sur lAnarchisme

Benjamin Franks, University of Glasgow

Judy Greenway, Independent Scholar

Ruth Kina, Loughborough University

Todd May, Clemson University

Salvo Vaccaro, Universit di Palermo

Lucian van der Walt, Rhodes University

Charles Weigl, AK Press

Other titles in the series

(From Bloomsbury Academic):

Anarchism and Political Modernity

Angelic Troublemakers

The Concealment of the State

Daoism and Anarchism

The Impossible Community

Lifestyle Politics and Radical Activism

Making Another World Possible

Philosophical Anarchism and Political Obligation

(From Manchester University Press):

The Autonomous Life?

Anarchy in Athens

An ethnography of militancy, emotions and violence

Nicholas Apoifis

Manchester University Press

For Jamie and Oli

CONTENTS

Writing this book was a collaborative process. This is not to shirk my responsibility for the final construct but to acknowledge the reality of knowledge production. There are some wonderfully passionate, hospitable, and inspiring anarchists and anti-authoritarians in Athens. My work is, absolutely, blank pages without their words and deeds. Any misrepresentation of these words and deeds is my fault and I sincerely apologise if that is the case.

Thank you to the following:

In Europe: Arianna, Bill, Acacia, Kyriako, Anna, Taki, Zizo, Electra, Mary, James, Deme, Aris, Sam, Pari, Dino, Georgia, Stavro, Panayiotta, Penelope, Aleko, Kosta, Vasili, Tina, Sofia, Emma, Yianni, Andreas, Helena, Christo, Tony, Julie Fraser, John Karamichas.

In Australia and New Zealand: Skye R, Amy P, Chris C, Adam W, Sarah DW, Andy C, Dudley W, Will P, Ben Proxy L, Rosie Sniper, Luke N, Steve Boff H, Claudia M, Craig L, Stevie V, Deme K, Dean K, Eddie F, Pops, JS, James Y, Tim G, Ewan M, Racing FC, Jeremy K, Sid P, Tom E, Eddy T, Phil Benito R, Ally R, Jura Books, Karen K, SlackBastard, Ed N, Sarah S, Tim E, Weens B, Patty B, Emma P, Demelza M, Declan K, Emma W, Mark T, Caitlin Hamilton, Emilie Auton, Emma C, Chris W, Kev McF, Danny H, Andrew Bennie, Sue Wills, Diana Perche.

In North America: Jacqui P, Nick D, Paul G, Colleen S, Serge L, Stephanie C, Michele B, Dave W, Adrienne C, Jeremiah W, Chris M, Basel AK, MP S-L, Adele G, Andrej Grubacic, Michael Truscello, Jeffrey Juris.

Special thanks: Uri Gordon, Danae Bosler, Will Mailer, Aleko Moulis, Georgia Van Toorn, Sturnbull, The Gouns, The Vels, Sarah Maddison, James Arvanitakis, Manchester University Press, Macquarie University folks, University of New South Wales folks and my actual folks, Mum and Dad, who alongside my brother Alex provided unquantifiable support.

I am forever indebted to the inspirational Lloyd Cox. His endless anecdotes are a small price to pay for the privilege of his guidance. Without Annie Legendre and her unconditional love, this book would not have been possible.

Modern (Greece) finds itself navigating a treacherous confluence of economic, social and political headwaters. In the wake of the 200809 global financial crisis, the Greek Parliament, struggling to cope with ballooning debt and economic contraction, enforced austerity measures demanded by the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund. Structural adjustment has been the price paid for successive bailouts and continued financial assistance. This has resulted in sharply falling real wages for a majority of Greeks, a massive increase in unemployment, and significant declines in health, education and welfare services. The impoverishment of millions of working-class and middle-class Greeks has seen the chasm between rich and poor grow wider than ever, thereby exacerbating the economic crisis and giving it a political face. Here, mainstream political parties, such as the centre-left PASOK ( or Panhellenic Socialist Movement) and the centre-right ND ( or New Democracy), formed previously unthinkable coalitions in their struggle to maintain power in a context of dwindling voter support. Meanwhile, relative newcomers SYRIZA ( or The Coalition of the Radical Left), a left-wing political party, have been the chief electoral beneficiaries of economic and political crisis, charging into government in 2015. The Communist Party of Greece ( (KKE)) has had its support base halved, while the explicitly fascist Golden Dawn ( ; see Glossary) has grown alarmingly, often taking its reactionary, anti-immigrant politics onto the streets. In short, political polarisation in Greece has accompanied economic polarisation and dislocation.