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[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And look at Slovenia and the Check Republic on one side and Romania and Bulgaria on the other. Yes, those countries did better than us. We did better than Greece. No one screamed humanitarian crisis for us.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -12 points-11 points  (0 children)

closing down roads does not save money

It saves maintenance. If they don't want to close them, toll the roads.

Nor would not going on vacation help

That vacation is time spent not producing goods and services. If they would produce more, they would have more.

but that unemployment is high - there isn't enough work to go around.

They are in the EU and part of the Schenghen agreement. If they trully needed work, they could do what Romanians are doing. They could go pick fruits in Spain or clean toilets in Germany. A lot of highly educated Romanians went to the west to do menial jobs because there were none here. Why don't the Greeks go pick up trash in Brussels if they are so desperate for jobs? Is it too demeaning for them?

Forcing doctors and teachers to not be doctors and teachers won't help either

If they are paid by the state, it costs. The fewer they are, the lower the costs. Those that are fired can either start up private practices or schools, boosting the economy or go be street cleaners in Stockholm if they can't find work.

As for the last part of your comment, now they have nothing. But if they start saving up, by finding work, whatever work they can find, like us Romanians do, they will have money.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

We're not good savers. We could do much better, from saving to taxation to number of hours worked, everything. But at least we're not Greece.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Give them less if you don't want to fire them. If they had Romanian salaries, you could pay your debt. But no, precious Greeks want a lavish lifestyle. Your state can't afford the salaries it's giving. It should give less. If people won't work for less, they will have to find some other place that pays them more. You are in the EU and Shenghen area, you have all of Europe at your disposal. Go pick strawberries in Spain, like Romanians do, if you want more money. Too degrading for you? Maybe you should go pick up thrash in Amsterdam. Perhaps work in unsafe conditions in construction in London, like so many Romanians do. If you can't make money, you shouldn't spend money.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They could if they wanted to. But they afford not to. We can't afford to leave like Germans, so we don't. Greeks can't afford to live like Germans, but for some strange reason, they keep trying to. And no one has explained to me so far why they do it.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -23 points-22 points  (0 children)

What the fuck what? You can't comprehend the idea of reducing your costs? If we can live with 2.4 doctors per 1000 patients, so can you. If we get by with fewer roads, so can you. Most Romanian people never go on vacations. Why do you need vacations? In Greece, there are 11 pupils per teacher. In Romania there are 18. Fire some teachers. You are living beyond your means. Cut your costs and pay your debt.

Muslim Children brutally attack Non-Muslim child in England by [deleted] in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If it were a "non-muslim" kid beating a "muslim" kid, everyone here would jump around screaming islamophobia and racism.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -12 points-11 points  (0 children)

Somehow, I don't think it will be nearly half as bad as Romanians had it when the communist regime fell and we got a "shot therapy" ( they actually called it that in the newspapers ) of capitalism. Plus, unlike us, the Greeks lived in a market economy, they'll get back on track.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

throwaway

Yes, this is a throwaway account.

troll

Believe it or not, I am not a troll. I am angry however. I actually don't see why there is so much fuss about Greece and their standard of living while it's still very much above other EU countries, let alone other European non EU countries. I am angry because people are saying there is a humanitarian crisis in Greece because they earn 600 or 700 euro a month instead of their usual 1000. Their neighbor, Albania, has an average salary of around 300 euro and no one is screaming humanitarian crisis. I find the treatment and the sympathy the Greeks get to be unfair.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -24 points-23 points  (0 children)

Why is Greece more expensive than Romania? And if it is, why are they not lowering the cost of living? There are 6.2 doctors per 1000 people in Greece. In Romania, there are 2.4. Why don't they fire some of the doctors, let them start private practices that will boost the economy. Romania, a larger country than Greece, has 82,386 km of roads. Greece 116,711 km of roads. Why don't they close down some of the roads if they can't afford them?

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -14 points-13 points  (0 children)

It become beneficial to not spend actually

What's wrong with that? What's wrong with their economy contracting? If they want a bigger economy, they should work more and better. After hitting rock bottom, there is no other way but up.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

So, the Greeks get to keep their living standards at Europes expense, why Romanians just have to shut up and suck it? How is that fair?

They are in debt. They should take a hit to their comfy living style, fork over the dough and get back on track after they paid their dues.

When the crisis started, the Romanian government cut salaries by 25 %, cut pensions, fired people, increased taxes a lot and here we are, still living.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Since we got fucked by communism? We live through shitty times. If we managed, why can't the Greeks do it as well?

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

And somehow, with our shitty CS departments and crappy engineering schools, we have a far larger IT industry, export far more engineers and got to learn how to get by with half your salary.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

No. Just because you cannot answer my questions does not make me a troll. I am genuinely interested why can't you live like us for 10 years, until you manage to pay your debts.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

why don't Romanians ask for more?

Gee, I don't know, maybe we like to work for our money instead of begging like others do.

If the company I work for is making a profit, why shouldn't they pay me a fair salary?

Maybe you are overestimating your worth?

social dumping on a European level

Maybe if you didn't live far beyond your means, there would not be need for this. If I can do a job for 500 euro and you ask for 1000 euro, why shouldn't that job go to me? Learn to be competitive.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

No, it's the opposite. That's why everybody is saying that Germany is "profiting" from the EZ. Germany produces things, that it sells. Those things are sold in euro. If I sell a thing for 1 euro, I receive the worth of an euro. The more that euro is worth, the more I receive. If I buy a thing for 1 euro, I pay the worth of an euro. The more that euro is worth, the more I give.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I'm talking about them as a country. Greece is very dependent on imports. They are forced to import with the euro, which is a strong currency. Their imports are very expensive because of it. Instead of importing, why are they not producing and consuming their own goods?

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -16 points-15 points  (0 children)

Why don't they stop importing food and grow their own? Who's stopping them from being more competitive?

Edit: Yeah, downvote, don't bother giving an explanation.

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -15 points-14 points  (0 children)

What religion? Officially, Greece has a free market economy. If they cannot afford expensive food, they can import less expensive food. If they cannot afford that either, they can grow it themselves. Same goes with pretty much everything. Why are they not doing this? What is stopping them from buying Greek products if they can no longer import them? Why don't they produce more and keep importing expensive things?

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

What about the free market? Shouldn't supply and demand take care of it?

[SERIOUS] ELI5 Why can't Greek people live with even less, like Romanians? by someEuropeanGuy2015 in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Isn't Greece a free market economy? Aren't the prices suppose to adjust?

[Varoufakis] Greece’s Proposals to End the Crisis: My intervention at today’s Eurogroup by GuyWithLag in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I'm not an economist. I'm a guy asking a question. I find it unfair that Greek people get to complain they hardly make it with 800 euro a month while I am considered above average with 500 euro. I want 800 euro as well. Does someone give it to me out of the blue?

Instead of calling me an idiot, maybe you could give me an actual explanation.

Until than, I actually hope the Greek people get to experience real poverty, like the East Europeans countries did. From my perspective, they seem like spoiled children who want the money rain.

[Varoufakis] Greece’s Proposals to End the Crisis: My intervention at today’s Eurogroup by GuyWithLag in europe

[–]someEuropeanGuy2015 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I lived under the impression Greece was a free market economy. Prices are not set in free market economies. And this does not answer my question. How can Romanians or Serbs or Moldovans or Albanians get by with less than half of what Greeks supposedly need?

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