The Greek War of Independence led Greece to become an independent state from the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) in 1830. However, after the separation, the country underwent economic difficulties and government corruption. Though Greece has made great strides in reforming their political institutions and combating corruption in the last 185 years, there are still clear signs that problems are very much prevalent in today’s society. On the other hand, the northern European country Denmark greatly differs from Greece. For starters, Denmark did not have to gain its independence since it was never dependent on another nation. The country “first organized as a unified state in 10th century” (Coufoudakis, 2015). Nonetheless, the country did suffer from
…show more content…
Greece possesses all the political institutions of modern democratic states. However, these institutions have not operated in the fashion of their Western European counterparts like Denmark. One reason for this political instability is the sudden shifts of power and changes in the form of government that has taken place in Greece. The country has gone through many transformations form a republic to a monarchy, from a monarchy to a republic, and back again to a republic. Furthermore, the Greek state has been riddled with the reality of foreign intervention and dependence especially when Greece joined the European Union. Greek political elites also encouraged external involvement in Greek affairs in order to promote their country’s foreign policy goals, particularly in the period of the Megali Idea, and to advance their own political aspiration. These conditions have manifested themselves into a number of consequences such as the failure of Greek political parties to develop polices reflecting Greek conditions; created the image that Greek politics were open to manipulation and external penetration; Greek political elites became the vehicle of foreign intervention; and that the purist of attainment of Greek foreign policy goals required the support and/or the toleration of the major …show more content…
Throughout Greece’s lifetime as an independent nation state, foreign ideas have riddled its constitutions, administration, and parliamentary government. Therefore, “Greece has never gone through the process of evolution of real political ideas” (Christodoulakis, 2015). This lack of civic culture in Greece has caused much political instability that still resides to this day. Greece for many years spent time trying to implement the English model of parliamentary government in Greece. However, unlike the English, the Greeks during this time had no real experience with self-government. Since its independence, Greece has been slow to develop a civic consciousness. “They haven’t had much exposure to citizen groups and voluntary organizations, to prepare them for a parliamentary system and to help build interest without having to resort to revolutionary means” (Koronaiou, 2015). As a consequence there was and still is much dependence on the immediate and extended
Greece possesses all the political institutions of modern democratic states. However, these institutions have not operated in the fashion of their Western European counterparts like Denmark. One reason for this political instability is the sudden shifts of power and changes in the form of government that has taken place in Greece. The country has gone through many transformations form a republic to a monarchy, from a monarchy to a republic, and back again to a republic. Furthermore, the Greek state has been riddled with the reality of foreign intervention and dependence especially when Greece joined the European Union. Greek political elites also encouraged external involvement in Greek affairs in order to promote their country’s foreign policy goals, particularly in the period of the Megali Idea, and to advance their own political aspiration. These conditions have manifested themselves into a number of consequences such as the failure of Greek political parties to develop polices reflecting Greek conditions; created the image that Greek politics were open to manipulation and external penetration; Greek political elites became the vehicle of foreign intervention; and that the purist of attainment of Greek foreign policy goals required the support and/or the toleration of the major …show more content…
Throughout Greece’s lifetime as an independent nation state, foreign ideas have riddled its constitutions, administration, and parliamentary government. Therefore, “Greece has never gone through the process of evolution of real political ideas” (Christodoulakis, 2015). This lack of civic culture in Greece has caused much political instability that still resides to this day. Greece for many years spent time trying to implement the English model of parliamentary government in Greece. However, unlike the English, the Greeks during this time had no real experience with self-government. Since its independence, Greece has been slow to develop a civic consciousness. “They haven’t had much exposure to citizen groups and voluntary organizations, to prepare them for a parliamentary system and to help build interest without having to resort to revolutionary means” (Koronaiou, 2015). As a consequence there was and still is much dependence on the immediate and extended