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In recent years there has been much debate surrounding the future of the welfare state in Europe, the complex factors influencing reform, and the extent to which responses to pressures on welfare could lead to irreversible systemic changes in social policy. By providing an in-depth analysis of social policy developments in Greece, this work furthers understanding of welfare reform trajectories in Europe. The authors thoroughly examine aspects of structural change, challenges and responses in major policy areas of employment, social security, family and gender, health and social care, and migration. Research issues central to the debate on 'recasting European welfare states', such as structural adjustments with regard to the production, organization and delivery of welfare, significant changes in the financial side of social protection, the role of political parties, the social partners and other major social actors in influencing (or resisting) policy reform, are at the forefront of the contributions to this volume.The scope and intensity of pressures on the Greek welfare state emanating from the supranational level and the challenges linked to European integration and economic and monetary union are also of crucial importance in the analyses undertaken. ... Read more

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The great depression of the inter-war years was the most profound shock ever to strike the world economy, and is widely held to have led directly to the collapse of parliamentary democracy in many countries.This study of Greece in the inter-war period, however, demonstrates that there was no simple correlation between economic and political crisis.Drawing on detailed statistical research, Mazower explores how an underdeveloped country like Greece was able to recover so quickly from the economic crisis.He examines the complex processes involved, showing how recovery, like crisis, threatened prevailing notions of the relationship between state and society, and undermined ruling elites.He also shows how the rapid economic recovery of the Greeks after 1932 was succeeded in 1936 by the establishment of the Metaxas dictatorship. ... Read more

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The Historical Dictionary of Modern Greece explores the modern history of this country through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on important persons, places, events, and institutions, as well as on significant political, economic, social, and cultural aspects. ... Read more

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This volume contains eighteen essays by established and younger historians that examine non-democratic alternative political systems and ideologies--oligarchies, monarchies, mixed constitutions--along with diverse forms of communal and regional associations such as ethnoi, amphiktyonies, and confederacies. The papers, which span the length and breadth of the Hellenic world highlight the immense political flexibility and diversity of ancient Greek civilization. ... Read more

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The Greek ship-operating industry underwent a period of extraordinary growth in the years following the Second World War. But the factors in this growth have been the subject of considerable, uninformed debate, as have the benefits to Greece itself. This book presents and analyzes data which makes it possible for an informed historical view to be taken of Greek pre-eminence in sea transport. ... Read more

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This rare focus on the politics of contemporary Greece explores in particular the countries processes of public policy-making.

It is more than thirty years since the restoration of democracy in Greece and in this period the country has undergone a number of major changes. Domestic political tensions have arisen from the pressures of Europeanization as a consequence of Greece's membership in the European Union. EU membership has helped define a modernization project, latterly associated with Premier Costas Simitis, which clashes with traditional practices and paradigms. In addition, other challenges have arisen: of a multi-ethnic society, of the loss of faith in old ideologies and of the passage of old divisions. Greece now faces pressure to adapt to the external environment, as well as to the constraints of the will and capability of the domestic system.

Politics and Policy in Greece addresses core issues, such as:

* How far has the politics of modernization penetrated Greek society?

* How far have reforms to state-economy relations, welfare systems and constitutional rights reflected a liberal agenda and how far have they reflected traditional concerns?

* How has modernization affected Greece's relations with the European Union?

Containing expert overviews and detailed case studies of the dynamics of domestic politics, this accessible and informative volume is essential reading for both Greeks and non-Greeks alike. ... Read more

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The streams of Greek history in the fourth century are highly controversial. Sandwiched between the Classical fifth century and the Hellenistic period, the era has invited various readings, most prominently the verdict of decrepitude and decline. Recent discoveries, however, indicate that the period was not simply illustrative of the political, social, and economic weaknesses of the Greek city-state. This book examines the fourth century from an area with its own regional dynamics: central Greece, a region often considered as a backwater for macro-politics. The authors disclose a vivid tension between regional politics in Boeotia and its adjacent territories and Greek affairs. They provide a meticulous and, at times, microscopic investigation into the region's military and political history, together with detailed analyses of the topography of the places 'where history was made.' The result is a dazzling account of Greece's power transition crisis on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. ... Read more

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In this examination of Greek press, radio and television, authors Zaharopoulos and Paraschos describe media which have been tremendously politicized, partisan, and dominated by foreign programming. As the political and economic face of Greece and Europe changes, the Greek media has been thrown into anarchy. ... Read more

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This volume explores the ways local communities perceive, experience, and interact with archaeological sites in Greece, as well as with the archaeologists and government officials who construct and study such places. In so doing, it reveals another side to sites that have been revered as both birthplace of Western civilization and basis of the modern Greek nation. The conceptual terrain of those who live near such sites is complex and furrowed with ambivalence, confusion, and resentment. For many local residents, these sites are gated enclaves, unexplained and off limits, except when workers are needed. ... Read more

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This is the fourth volume in the Oratory of Classical Greece series. Planned for publication over several years, the series will present all of the surviving speeches from the late fifth and fourth centuries B.C. in new translations prepared by classical scholars who are at the forefront of the discipline. These translations are especially designed for the needs and interests of today's undergraduates, Greekless scholars in other disciplines, and the general public. Classical oratory is an invaluable resource for the study of ancient Greek life and culture. The speeches offer evidence on Greek moral views, social and economic conditions, political and social ideology, and other aspects of Athenian culture that have been largely ignored: women and family life, slavery, and religion, to name just a few. This volume contains works from the early, middle, and late career of the Athenian rhetorician Isocrates (436-338). Among the translated works are his legal speeches, pedagogical essays, and his lengthy autobiographical defense, Antidosis. In them, he seeks to distinguish himself and his work, which he characterizes as "philosophy," from that of the sophists and other intellectuals such as Plato. Isocrates' identity as a teacher was an important mode of political activity, through which he sought to instruct his students, foreign rulers, and his fellow Athenians. He was a controversial figure who championed a role for the written word in fourth-century politics and thought. ... Read more

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Review of 'Isocrates: Volume I'
This volume contains (in some other order) Against the Sophists, Helen, Busiris, Demonicus, Nicocles, To Nicocles, On the Team of Horses, Evagoras, Aegineticus, and Antidosis, Against Euthynus, Trapeziticus, and Against Callimachus.

This is my second experience with the OCG collection, and I am again very, very pleased. There is plenty of introductory material, and still more supplementary material given through footnotes. There is an introduction to Greek oratory in general, to Isocrates in particular, and then to each speech specifically. Both translators do excellent work. All in all, this is what a translated work should look like. ... Read more

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Western democracies often trace their political roots back to Ancient Greece. While politics today may seem the dusty domain of lawmakers and pundits, in the classical era virtually no aspect of life was beyond its reach. Political life was not limited to acts of a legislature, magistrates, and the courts but routinely included the activities of social clubs, the patronage system, and expression through literature, art, and architecture. Through these varied means, even non-enfranchised groups (such as women and non-citizens) gained entry into a wider democratic process.

Beyond the citizen world of traditional politics, there existed multiple layers of Greek political life-reflecting many aspects of our own modern political landscape. Religious cults served as venues for female office-holders; private clubs and drinking parties served significant social functions. Popular athletes capitalized on their fame to run for elected office. Military veterans struggled to bring back the good old days much to the dismay of the forward-thinking ambitions of naive twenty-somethings. Liberals and conservatives of all classes battled over important issues of the day. Scandal and intrigue made or ended many a political career. Taken collectively, these aspects of political life serve as a lens for viewing the whole of Greek civilization in some of its characteristic and distinctive dimensions.

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Acclaimed for its penetration, balance, and insight, Modern Greece tells the story of Greece and its people, from the founding of Constantinople to the eclipse of socialism in the late twentieth century. C. M. Woodhouse is uniquely qualified to write the history of Greece, having served there in the Allied military and the British embassy during and after World War II before writing several books on Greece. In this classic work, which Woodhouse has updated five times to create a truly comprehensive history, the depth of his knowledge and understanding of the country and its citizens comes through clearly in every chapter, as he ranges from the ascendancy and eventual fall of the Byzantine Empire through the emergence for the first time of a unified Greek kingdom in the 1800s to the political turmoil of twentieth-century politics. This is a book for readers and travelers who wish to understand the history and culture behind the beauty that is eternal Greece.
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Customer Reviews (6)

GREAT RESOURCE
This is THE BOOK for anyone wanting a very readable resource for research in modern Greek history. I used it extensively while writing my latest spy thriller, THE WINDS OF OCTOBER (2009). But be warned, it's written in British English, so you may find some of the spelling somewhat different from what Americans are used to.
James R. "Jim" Stephens
Also author of CAMERA SOLDIERS: The Philippine Odyssey (2007)

Serious pitfalls about the Greek tribes Arvanites mixed as Albanians
I'm afraid that there are serious pitfalls in this book. Mr. Woodhouse has insufficient knowledge about the history of Greece.
Theobvious traps in his book is about the Greek tribe Arvanites which are referred in his book as Albanians.
One must bear in mind that the greek populations were extended further than today's Greek borders.
Arvanites who came from the today's south Albania were not Albanians as is not the Greek minority that inhabits today the region of Nothern Epirus/South Albania.
Those kindsof falsifications usually appears in political texts, when Albania and Romania wanted to present an Albanian (Arvanites) respectively Romanian minority in Greece (Vlachs).

There are plenty of written sources about Maurokordatos and Markos Botsaris. It is well known that they were Greek Arvanites; however they were speaking a dialect which can be considered as Ancient Albanian. There are no serious researches about the Arvanitika language. In this dialect can be traced elements from the times of Homer.
One must also bear in mind that under the Ottoman occupation of Greece, the Greek language was prohibited, and the population were under extinction.KosmasAitolos (Cosmas of Aetolia ) a Greek monktortured to death exactly because he was arguing people to speak the Greek language (and raising their Greek consciousness) and not any other dialect.

Statements like "Koundouriotis was descended from the Albanian invaders of Greece in the 14th century" are completely inaccurate as the Arvanites came to inhabit large isolated areas after the instruction of the Byzantine emperor Manouil Kantakouzinos (13th century AD).

This book must be seriously revised.

Sufficient quality text, but lacks suffient maps
This history book did a fairly good job explaining the greek history.However, it only has 4 very poor maps in a 350+ page HISTORY text.In the text there were many references to cities, regions and countries related to significant events, but those places were not shown on any of the maps.I consider this a major flaw.Buy a different book unless you eastern Meditrainian geography very well.

C. M. Woodhouse on Greek Ambivalence Toward Democracy
Woodhouse's "Modern Greece: A Short History," has saved me from some unnecessary disappointments during my first visit to Greece this fall. I will be touring Greek cities and cruising the Aegean, so I read Woodhouse's book for prepatory background information. He described the disillusionment of the 19th Century European "panhellenes" (lovers of things Greek) who flooded into Greece to help fight the 1820-1827 wars of Greek liberation. These panhellenes saw themselves as defending the lineal descendants of the heros of Thermopylae and Marathon, but they quickly discovered modern Greeks exhibit no organic connection with the world of the ancient Greek city states. At least they have no more connection than contemporary Egyptians do the builders of the pyramids. Since I have been educated in the classics of Hellenic Greece, I too had been looking forward to experiencing the world which produced Pericles and Socrates. Woodhouse showed this to be nothing but a silly romantic projection on my part.

Greeks do think and act in the light of their long cultural tradition. But the tradition which informs them does not go back to the Hellenism of the 5th Century B.C.E. It goes back instead to the foundations of the Byzantine Empire at Constantinople in the 4th Century C.E. By the 7th Century this eastern branch of the Roman Empire was all that remained of classical civilization. It was defined by its distinct language (Greek) and by its distinct version of Christianity (Greek Orthodoxy).

Woodhouse explains that these social and religious features of the Byzantine Empire were not erased when the Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453. The Turks incorporated many of the forms of Byzantine rule into their own empire, and left the Orthodox Church and the Greek Language largely untouched among their conquered Greek subjects. (Woodhouse claims this Islamic attitude of toleration toward conquered "people of the book" was one reason for the rapid Muslim advance. Muslim rulers were frequently experienced as being less oppressive than their Christian predecessors.)

Like the Jews before them, the Greek people's common religion and language provided an enduring basis for their national identity. This became increasingly evident as the Ottoman Turks began to lose their grip on power late in the 18th and early 19th Centuries. But the Byzantine traditions of Greeks living under Turkish rule did not provide these Greeks with much purchase on democratic ideas or practices. The Byzantine Empire had often been severely totalitarian. Greek Orthodox Christianity demanded "orthodoxy" (right inner belief) as well as "orthopraxy" (right external behavior). Consensus about orthodoxy was difficult to sustain because of the complications surrounding the Doctrine of the Trinity. Christian Byzantium was riven with heresies, all having to do with plausible, but mutually contradictory, interpretations of that doctrine. Since each "heretical" faction had a belief community to back them up, these conflicts became political as well as theological. For example, the so-called "Nika" riots which occurred during Justinian's reign nearly destroyed his government. The rioters were members of opposing "Blue" and "Green" parties, and each party was defined by differing views of the "nature" of Christ. That was the sort of problem which led Byzantine rulers to insist on detailed conformity of beliefs. But this requirement made their rule oppressively totalitarian, especially when compared to the simpler theology and orthopraxy characteristic of Islam.

Woodhouse explains how this Byzantine tradition of doctrinaire factionalism informs Greek politics to this day. The Greek electorate acquiesced in the military dictatorship of 1967-1974, but then five years later it elected the party of the doctrinaire socialist Andreas Papandreou and sustained it in power for nearly eight years. The Greek electorate today appears to have repudiated both military dictatorship and militant socialism. But the polarities of totalitarianism and anarchism still exercise a strong influence on Greek political consciousness. According to Woodhouse, this tendency toward extremism in politics can be traced to the Greek experience of eleven centuries of Byzantine Empire and four centuries of Muslim occupation and rule.

I feel I have a far better appreciation of the cultural realities I will be encountering in Greece this fall, as a result of having read Woodhouse. For that I am grateful.

Fred Hallberg

Good book on the history of Greece
If you need a book on the history of Greece from 4th to 20th century, this is it. The author shows a very good knowledge of Greek history and shares his analysis of the events. At it's price, this is the best book on modern Greek history you can get. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Corrective to rationalist bias in constitutional politics
Fustel marshalls historical evidence to show that in the classical city-state social organisation based on religion -- for example, the patrician order, family graves, the sacred fire, the god Terminus who demarcated property, shared ceremonial meals, etc. -- came before social organisation based on law.The Ancient City should be read as a corrective to the excessively rationalist bias in constitutional thinking which we inherit from the 18th century. Sadly, this important and rewarding book did not appear until one hundred years after the US Constitution was adopted. ... Read more

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Why and how do countries buy the armaments and defense equipment they deem necessary? This volume includes case studies based on extensive original research by experts from the national academic and defense communities to answer this important question. In particular, it considers whether arms procurement can become more responsive to the broader objectives of security and public accountability. ... Read more