The country's reconstruction began in 1950. The period 1950-1980 is the brilliant period in the country's economic growth. During this period, Greece's “economic miracle” took place. But there was also the period 1980-2010, the period of statism, which led the country to bankruptcy.

The economic miracle was the result of government policy. But it was created by a brilliant generation of industrialists, shipowners, and entrepreneurs, who left an indelible mark on the country.

For the record, a few names: Lanaras, Katsampas, Malkotsis, Pitsos, Drakos, Tsatsos, Kanellopoulos, Petzetakis, Bodossakis, Andreadis, Onassis, Niarchos, Livanos, Pateras, Eugenides and many others.

For the left, the answer is well known: the economic miracle of postwar Greece was created by the workers. But if that is true, then why did the workers in neighboring Albania and Bulgaria not do the same?

We answer: The economic miracle was created by industrialists, shipowners, and entrepreneurs, of course with the participation of workers. The Greek people owe them a great deal, because they led the country to escape its permanent poverty. We honor and admire them.

The left, faithful to its purpose of eroding and overturning the capitalist system, consistently commits a lasting crime: it slanders industrialists, shipowners, and entrepreneurs. That is, it slanders all those who create and produce wealth in the country. The words “industrialist” and “shipowner” in the language and propaganda of the left mean: thief, tyrant, exploiter, ruthless, inhuman, etc., who sucks the blood of the people.

In the 1970s, some socialistic types, with the passion of a new convert, proposed the socialist path of development. At the same time, they followed the path of slander against the rich and the elites. Later, some became merchants of ideas and hopes and populists. Perhaps the most characteristic case was publisher Kouris with the newspaper “Avriani,” the “model of journalism,” according to Andreas Papandreou. They went down in history as “Avrianists.”

In the early 1980s PASOK became government. Then came the socialization of bankrupt and non-bankrupt enterprises. Thus, everyone became public employees. But that is how we reached one million and more public employees and the bankruptcy of the country.

A few examples are enough to show that this is true: Onassis created Olympic, spanning the five continents, and the state socialized it and bankrupted it. Niarchos created the Skaramangas shipyard, the largest in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the state socialized it and bankrupted it. Bodossakis created Pyrkal and the state socialized it and bankrupted it. Perhaps it is more correct to say: the state socialized and the trade unionists bankrupted the enterprises.

Of course, some private enterprises bankrupted on their own. But even in those cases, first and foremost, the owners were not to blame (exceptions exist), but the state and the trade unionists.

Incidentally, recently the government announced that an administrative center will be created on Mount Hymettus, on the Pyrkal site. And it announced that it will be named “Andreas Lentakis” park. Why not park “Bodossakis”?

In general, the left has a complex about private enterprise. It has a complex about the rich and the elites. Thirty years after the collapse of the communist/socialist paradise, it continues the same refrain: no to private economy, yes to statism. Because of ideological myopia, it cannot understand that private actors produce wealth and the state produces debt. This happens all over the world.

In conclusion: industrialists, shipowners, and entrepreneurs created Greece's wealth, while the state created the country's debt that led us to bankruptcy.

The government has designed a new productive-development model based on extroversion, technology, and innovation. However, modernization of the state is also needed. Reforms now everywhere, to put an end to party rule and to secure transparency and meritocracy. If the reforms move forward quickly, we can repeat Greece's economic miracle.

Paulos Marantos

marantosp@gmail.com