The Dawn of a New Day: A Beautiful Symbolism, Tainted with Hate

8/13/2019 The Dawn of a New Day: A Beautiful Symbolism, Tainted with Hate

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Jonathan Leonard, 2013

MA Candidate in International Affairs

The New School; Milano School of International Affairs

The Dawn of a New Da!

A "ea#tif#l S$%olis$, Tainted with &ate

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'ide eed sho()ee(ers %al) in fear as do*ens of $en %earin+ %lac) shirts stor$ the

$ar)et(lace Their slee-es %ear an oddl circ#lar, et an+#lar, red and %lac) insi+nia Their (resence

(anics the -endors who %elon+ to ethnic $inorities The in-aders de$and to see all the s#s(ected

sho()ee(ers. wor) (er$its and doc#$entation A $an ref#ses The %l#d+eon his stall with cl#%s,

de$olishin+ it $ethodicall and scatterin+ his wares thro#+ho#t the street The re(resentati-es of this

fascist, #ltra ri+ht/win+ or+ani*ation ha-e $ade a (#%lic state$ent that the $inorit +ro#(s are

(oll#tin+ the co#ntr, and are the root ca#se of the nation.s c#rrent econo$ic disaster A call to ar$s

has %een iss#ed for all (#re/%looded citi*ens to rise #( and etin+#ish this $inorit threat No, this

isn.t 130s 4er$an d#rin+ the rise of the 3rd 5eich In fact, this incident occ#rred on No-e$%er 1st

2012

The $en in %lac) shirts are re(resentati-es of the 4olden Dawn; the fastest +rowin+ (olitical

(art in 4reece "efore the onset of the 6#ro(ean financial crisis, the were an ostraci*ed ri+ht win+

frin+e +ro#( with no official (olitical re(resentation Since then, the ha-e steadil %een +ainin+

(o(#larit fro$ the $asses and ha-e sec#red 17 seats on the 4ree) 8arlia$ent 1 &ow co#ld so$ethin+

li)e this ha((en9 &a-e the 4ree)s +one $ad9 No, in fact, the are followin+ a well esta%lished

for$#la for (o(#lari*in+ etre$ist senti$ent At the heart of this dan+ero#s trend are the recent

failin+s of the 4ree) nation state, which facilitate the radicali*ation (rocess

La%elin+ 4reece as a failin+ state is diffic#lt to do, and wo#ld %e hotl de%ated % acade$ic

co$$#nities and (olitical analsts State fail#re is a not a %lac) and white desi+nation, and the ter$

see$s to str#++le at the $erc of its own s#%:ecti-it &owe-er, it is #ndenia%le that 4reece is

ehi%itin+ s$(to$s of a failed state sit#ation Ironicall, failed state criteria are +enerall tailored for

the str#++lin+ (ost/colonial states of the de-elo(in+ world To a((l these (ara$eters to a nation

%elon+in+ to the 6#ro(ean nion, one of the $ost (owerf#l con+lo$eration of states on earth, is

1 #eens= N(, 1 ?ct 2012 'e%

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disconcertin+ to sa the least

The first, and $ost si+nificant, s$(to$ of state fail#re is the +o-ern$ent.s ina%ilit to deli-er

(ositi-e social +oods to the (eo(le2 S#ch inade@#ac ca#ses a +o-ern$ent to lose le+iti$ac and

credi%ilit in the hearts and $inds of its (eo(le In 4reece, this shorta+e of (#%lic +oods co$es in the

for$ of! (ac#ts to (#%lic e$(loees, slashin+ of (ensions, re-ocation of la%or laws, ta hi)es, and

$ost i$(ortantl a lack of police presence.3 These shorta+es ha-e created +reat o((ort#nit for the

4olden Dawn to ste( in as a -i+ilante (rotection force; clai$in+ to re(resent the interests of the 4ree)

(eo(le ar fro$ %ein+ at odds with (olice, the 4olden Dawn has %ac)in+ fro$ an esti$ated B0/0

(ercent of #nifor$ed officers I$$i+rant co$(laints which are %ro#+ht %efore the (olice are

so$eti$es forwarded directl to the 4olden Dawn office, and s#%se@#entl i+nored % official (olice

dis(atchers This @#ote fro$ an anarchist who was arrested d#rin+ a street riot re-eals the dee( le-el of

coll#sion and (artnershi( %etween the (olice and The Dawn!

The Delta police (a Greek motorcycle police unit) arrived and spoke about Golden Dawn as if

they were their siblings, including the officer in charge. They praised itler, saying he was better than

!talin. They told us that we should remember this " that they are Golden Dawn !upporters now.#

The net co$$on ail$ent of failin+ statehood is the -icti$i*ation of a s#%/set of the citi*enr

which %eco$es desi+nated as hostile to the nation at lar+eB In the case of 4reece, the 4olden Dawn

has chosen to ostraci*e i$$i+rant (o(#lations, (ri$aril consistin+ of Al%anians, 8a)istanis, Af+hanis,

So$alians and Moroccans It is i$(ortant to note that the 4olden Dawn cha$(ioned this hatred lon+

%efore the 6#ro(ean financial crisis set in; %#t it had -er little (#%lic s#((ort S#ch frin+e $o-e$ents

2 5ot%er+, 5o%ert I ='ea) and ailin+ States! Critical New Sec#rit Iss#es= Turkish Policy Quarterly32 E200F! BG/

8rint E8a+e 2F

3 La%ro(o#lo#, 6linda, 6linda La%ro(o#lo# 5e(orted fro$ Athens, and La#ra S$ith/S(ar) fro$ London =4ree)8arlia$ent A((ro-es A#sterit C#ts= CNN Ca%le News Networ), 0G No- 2012 'e%

Mason, 8a#l =Alar$ at 4ree) 8olice .coll#sion. with ar/ri+ht 4olden Dawn=BBC News ""C, 1G ?ct 2012 'e%

B 5ot%er+, 5o%ert I ='ea) and ailin+ States! Critical New Sec#rit Iss#es= Turkish Policy Quarterly32 E200F! BG/

8rint E8a+e 3F

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re@#ire a hi+h le-el of des(eration and a low le-el of +o-ern$ent control in order to +ain constit#ents

4reece.s ailin+ statehood has acted as an inc#%ator for this anti/i$$i+rant rhetoric % (ro-idin+ the

ideal conditions for s(readin+ hate In the s(an of the si $onths leadin+ #( to Se(te$%er 2012, the

4olden Dawn has e(anded its 7 local offices into 0 and (olls with an #n(recedented 12H s#((ort

ratin+ nationwide

This e(onential +rowth has %een $ade (ossi%le % a hi+h le-el of fr#stration (aired with hi+h

le-els of #ne$(lo$ent In Se(te$%er 2012, the o-erall #ne$(lo$ent rate cli$%ed to 2H and the

o#th #ne$(lo$ent Ea+e 1B/2F hit an astonishin+ B3HG 4enerall, co#ntries with s#ch (oor :o%

$ar)ets ehi%it another indicator of failin+ statehood; the local c#rrenc fallin+ o#t of fa-or

Interestin+l, this criterion is in-erted in the case of 4reece In a t(ical failin+ state sit#ation, the local

c#rrenc fails and is re(laced % $ore co$$on international c#rrencies7 Instead, we ha-e 4reece on

the -er+e of losin+ the 6#ro Ea co$$on international c#rrencF and re-ertin+ to it.s old local c#rrenc

Ethe Drach$aF This #n#s#al c#rrenc trend in-ersion ste$s fro$ the fact that 4reece is an

econo$icall ad-anced state which is de+eneratin+, and %eca#se it %elon+s to a c#rrenc networ)

which incl#des n#$ero#s other nations

Man of the harshest critics and concerned (arties are $e$%ers of other 6 states who fear that

4reece.s destit#tion $i+ht #nder$ine the financial sta%ilit of the entire #nion The res#ltant econo$ic

s(ec#lations ha-e (ro$(ted wealth elites to $o-e their $one o#t of 4reece, for safe)ee(in+ 'ithin

the first $onths of the crisis, wealth (ri-ate in-estors $o-ed 10 %illion 6#ros o#t of 4reece

8ersonal %an) acco#nt de(osits ha-e co$e to a crawl, and (eo(le (refer to )ee( their $one in cash

for$ rather than tr#st the %an) to re$ain li@#idThese $onetar trends also ha-e far reachin+ social

Mason, 8a#l =Alar$ at 4ree) 8olice .coll#sion. with ar/ri+ht 4olden Dawn=BBC News ""C, 1G ?ct 2012 'e%

G Tho$(son, Dere) =6#ro(e.s Most Tra+ic 4ra(h! 4ree) o#th ne$(lo$ent &its BBH= The Atlantic ?ct 20127 5ot%er+, 5o%ert I ='ea) and ailin+ States! Critical New Sec#rit Iss#es= Turkish Policy Quarterly32 E200F! BG/

8rint E8a+e BF

S$ith, &elena =S#(er/wealth In-estors Mo-e "illions o#t of 4reece= The Guardian 4#ardian News and Media, 02

J#ne 2010 'e%


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i$(lications

The lac) of +o-ern$ental f#ndin+ ca#ses a lac) of re+#lator control There has %een a s#r+e in

s$#++lin+, which is et another failin+ state indicator In this case, the $a:or s$#++led +ood is!

8eo(le 6i+ht (ercent of all 6#ro(ean i$$i+rants co$e thro#+h 4ree) (orts, re+ardless of their final

destination These stowawas now ser-e as f#el for the 4olden Dawn.s f#rnace of hatef#l rhetoric

The.-e %e+#n their own -i+ilante stle crac)downs on ille+al (assen+ers which contin#e to %eco$e

$ore sa-a+e and (#%licl s#((orted The Dawn has e-en (ro(osed to (arlia$ent that land/$ines %e

laid alon+ the %order with T#r)e, to ste$ the flow of ille+al %order crossin+s10

It.s not entirel s#r(risin+ that the social sit#ation is co$in+ to a %oil, considerin+ that

circ#$stances in 4reece are so ri(e for social discord As a +eneral r#le of th#$%, societies often see

an increase in -iolent conflict when the ha-e declinin+ (ersonal inco$es, red#ced state e(endit#res,

and ra(idl shiftin+ re+i$es11 The (ri$e $inister of 4reece has %een de(osed and re(laced ti$es

%etween 200 and 2012, whereas historicall 8ri$e Ministers ha-e ser-ed for a (eriod of at least 3 to

ears12

These tears in the social fa%ric ha-e +i-en the 4olden Dawn the s(ace it needs to +row "#t

+rowth re@#ires reso#rces So, in ti$es of 4ree) destit#tion, where does their f#ndin+ co$e fro$9

More and $ore of it a((ears to %e co$in+ to the$ fro$ o-erseas, $#ch of it fro$ A$erica The

4olden Dawn has %een etendin+ its international networ) and reachin+ o#t to the 4ree) dias(ora

aro#nd the +lo%e Man 4ree)s ha-e e$i+rated to A#stralia, where the Dawn has %een %#sil settin+

#( satellite offices The.-e also set #( an office in Astoria/>#eens New or), $#ch to the cha+rin of

the local co$$#nit which has (rotested their (resence % sta+in+ +atherin+s in Athens S@#are 8ar)

'hen the 4olden Dawn la#nched their new 4olden Dawn New or) we%site, it was sh#t down the

10 Lowen, Mar) =Jo#rne across Crisis/hit 4reece=BBC News ""C, 0 Se(t 2012 'e% 0G

11 Stewart, rances De-elo($ent and sec#rit, Conflict, Sec#rit K De-elo($ent E200F ! 3, 21 8a+e 2G7

12 =List of 8ri$e Ministers of 4reece= Wikipedia 'i)i$edia o#ndation, 12 A#+ 2012 'e% 0G Dec 2012

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followin+ da % Anon$o#s, a world fa$o#s hac)in+ +ro#(13

Des(ite recei-in+ so$e locali*ed anti/fascist %ac)lash, dias(oric f#ndin+ is %eco$in+ central to

the Dawn.s social and (olitical ar$s Dias(oras are a +ood tar+et +ro#( for f#nd ac@#isition %eca#se

the +enerall ha-e a ro$antici*ed attach$ent to their ho$eland and want to )ee( a sense of contin#ed

%elon+in+ and (artici(ation with their nati-e c#lt#re The are also +enerall richer than the nati-e

(o(#lation, and can often afford to contri%#te $#ch $ore And, (erha(s $ost i$(ortantl, the do not

see first hand what their $one is act#all %ein+ #sed for1 Dias(ora s#((orted or+ani*ations f#lfill an

etre$el i$(ortant role in conflict *ones where re+#lar state ser-ices ha-e %een interr#(ted and can

no lon+er (ro-ide %asic necessities In these diffic#lt circ#$stances, h#$anitarian aid donations $a

inad-ertentl s#((ort -iolent and re(ressi-e acts1B or ea$(le, $one donated to the 4olden Dawn

for (ro-ision of food to the (oor $i+ht also %e #sed to %# co$%at %oots and %atons for raids a+ainst

i$$i+rant s@#atter co$$#nities

?ne of the thin+s which $a)es the 4olden Dawn so noteworth is their #n#s#al $riad of

13 #eens= N(, 1 ?ct 2012 'e%

1 Collier, 8a#l 6cono$ic Ca#ses of Ci-il Conflict, and their I$(lications for 8olic EA(ril 200F (a+e 1B

1B Costi+an, Sean S, and Da-id 4old Terrornomics Aldershot, 6n+land! Ash+ate, 200G 8rint E8a+e F


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or+ani*ed ethnic -iolence, official +o-ern$ent re(resentation, co$$#nit welfare (ro:ects, and

dias(ora f#ndin+ 'hen ea$ined thro#+h this lens, the Dawn see$s closer in rese$%lance to a

(olitical/terrorist networ) rather than a con-entional 6#ro(ean (olitical (art It %ears $an

si$ilarities with +ro#(s li)e &a$as, which +ains a followin+ % (ro-idin+ %asic needs and ser-ices to

(eo(le of its own ethnic +ro#(, while si$#ltaneo#sl deno#ncin+ and attac)in+ those of other ethnic

+ro#(s The are f#rther si$ilar in that the %oth hold le+iti$ate (olitical (ositions and #se terror/

%ased strate+ies #na(olo+eticall

"#t winnin+ (o(#lar s#((ort for terrori*in+ i$$i+rants doesn.t ha((en o-erni+ht; it follows a

(attern of increasin+ acce(tance and di$inishin+ resistance Accordin+ to Shawn lanni+an, the

contin##$ of co$$#nit acce(tance of -iolent acti-it occ#rs in this order!

$ack of %cceptance&%ctive 'esistance assive %cceptance due to silencing&coercision

Genuine acceptance&*idespread favorable opinion %ctive participation by community members1

Mo-e$ent alon+ the contin##$ is (ri$aril $oti-ated % charita%le (ro-ision of %asic ser-ices

to those in need 'hen a lar+e section of the (o(#lation is (oor and lac)in+ %asic necessities, it lends a

(ower dna$ic to the or+ani*ation which co$es to the (eo(le.s aid 'hen a co$$#nit $e$%er is

f#ll de(endent #(on an or+ani*ation for %asic aid, their tendenc to s(ea) o#t a+ainst the -iolent acts

of their sa-ior or+ani*ation is di$inished This (rinci(le will contin#e to +enerate tolerance towards

the 4olden Dawn.s -iolent acti-ities, so lon+ as the 4ree) +o-ern$ent cannot (ro-ide the ser-ices

which the Dawn itself (ro-ides This (rinci(le is here% ee$(lified % Mrs


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Is this sit#ation s(iralin+ o#t of control9 Co#ld we %e witnessin+ the %irth of another

+enocidalethnic cleansin+ effort li)e that of the &oloca#st9 So far, it hasn.t +ained the de+ree of

s#((ort needed to carr o#t wides(read atrocities Than)f#ll, earnin+ 12H of the nation.s (o(#lar -ote

is not eno#+h to la#nch a ca$(ai+n of o(en +enocide Also, the c#rrent sit#ation in 4reece has distinct

differences fro$ that of 130s 4er$an The $ost noteworth %ein+! i$(ro-ed co$$#nication

technolo+ies, and a closer )nit +lo%al co$$#nit which the co$$#nication technolo+ has fostered

The increased le-el of trans(arenc and +lo%al awareness will inhi%it the Dawn.s a%ilit to coddle the

(#%lic into t#rnin+ a %lind ee to etre$e atrocities, a cr#cial ele$ent of the Na*i (art.s +enocide

4reece.s %elon+in+ to the 6 also (oses a deterrent to +enocide, %eca#se it $#st re(ort to a hi+her

a#thorit which is $ore sta%le and th#s less tolerant of s#ch -iolent acts &owe-er, 4reece $a not %e

(art of the 6 for lon+, which co#ld o(en the door to a new a+e of relati-e isolation 4enocidal

senti$ent is less inhi%ited d#rin+ (eriods of isolation

'hat.s tr#l worrin+ is that $an of the co$$on factors which ha-e ena%led the +enocides of

histor are c#rrentl (resent in 4reece These incl#de a (eriod of (olitical #(hea-al with constant

resh#fflin+ of (olitical (ower, and the increased salience of a ho$o+eneo#s +ro#( identit % wa of

discri$ination a+ainst an ethnic $inorit17 This dna$ic is es(eciall (owerf#l in 4reece %eca#se the

-ast $a:orit of the co#ntr %elon+s to the indi+eno#s ethnic $a:orit; o-er 0H of the (o(#lation is

ethnicall 4ree)1 'hen ethnic +ro#(s are $ore %alanced there is (otential for ci-il war, %#t when

the are +rossl $is$atched, s#ch as in 4reece, there is +reater (otential for +enocide Sca(e+oatin+

$inorit +ro#(s d#rin+ ti$es of destit#tion is a co$$on wa for etre$ist (arties to +ain (olitical

s#((ort20 'ith $an of the +enocidal (rere@#isites in (lace, it.s no wonder that le+iti$ate concerns of

17 &arff, "ar%ara =No Lessons Learned fro$ the &oloca#st9 Assessin+ 5is)s of 4enocide and 8olitical Mass M#rder

since 1BB=American Political Science "e#iewG01 E2003F! BG 8rint E8a+es 3F1 Theodoro(o#lo#, Maria =4reece National Instit#tions for Lan+#a+e= Greece National $nstitutions for %an&ua&e 2001

'e%

20 Stewart, rances =6cono$ic and 8olitical Ca#ses of 4enocidal Oiolence! A Co$(arison with indin+s on the Ca#ses of

Ci-il 'ar='$C"(C(N "esearch Workin& Paper )*E2011F! 8rint E8a+e F

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+enocide are %ein+ raised % %oth 4ree)s and the international co$$#nit

"#t is +enocide ine-ita%le9 ar fro$ it Man nations ha-e transitioned thro#+h si$ilar

(eriods of econo$ic hardshi( and $ana+ed to read:#st witho#t the wholesale sla#+hter of their

$inorit +ro#(s If left to it.s own social de-ices, it.s @#ite li)el that 4olden Dawn (ower and

infl#ence would+row to etre$e and (otentiall +enocidal (ro(ortions &owe-er, 4reece will not %e

left alone The re$ainder of the +lo%al co$$#nit, altho#+h $#ch of it is in recession, will not cease

its international watchdo+ acti-ities nor its $onitorin+ of hate cri$es 6-en if state +o-ern$ents

%eco$e wea) to the (oint of inaction, N4?s and other non/state instit#tions will contin#e to re+#late

&ow s#ccessf#l the will %e as deterrent is o(en for de%ate

LetPs re-isit what $ade it (ossi%le for the 4olden Dawn to rise, and which characteristics it has

s#%se@#entl de-elo(ed 4reecePs s$(to$s of state fail#re, (artic#larl the lac) of %asic (ro-isions

and a#thoritati-e control, ha-e +i-en the $ar+inali*ed 4olden Dawn a %ooster/shot to the ar$ and ha-e

(ro-ided the ideal conditions for its +rowth It has (#%licl defined itself as a -iolent +ro#( with

infla$$ator anti/i$$i+ration rhetoric, who (ro-ides for the %asic needs of the ethnicall 4ree), and

is financiall s#((orted % dias(ora donations It li-es a do#%le life of #nilateral -i+ilante :#stice,

:#ta(osed to its official (arlia$entar (ositions which it #ses to (itch (ro(osals for increasin+l ri+ht/

win+ le+islat#re Its ra(id +rowth has led to wides(read concerns a%o#t f#t#re hate cri$es or e-en

+enocide, and is now %ein+ closel $onitored % the international co$$#nit

'ith an l#c), the 4ree) financial sit#ation will ri+ht itself, and the +o-ern$ent will %e a%le to

res#$e its (ro-ision of social +oods, th#s #nder$inin+ the Dawn.s s#((ort str#ct#re If the financial

sit#ation does not rectif itself, $ore direct and a++ressi-e deterrents will %e needed to (re-ent the rise

of a fascist neo/na*i state

Documents

The Dawn of a New Day: A Beautiful Symbolism, Tainted with Hate