Syriza in Power: Reflections of an Accidental Politician

by Costas Douzinas

Amidst the turmoil of economic crisis, Greece has become the first European experiment of Left rule in a sea of neoliberalism. What happens when a government of the Left, committed to social justice and the reversal of austerity, is blackmailed into following policies it has fought against and strongly opposes? What can the experience of the Syriza government tell us about the prospects for the Left in the 21st century?

In this engaging and provocative book, Costas Douzinas uses his position as an ?accidental politician?, unexpectedly propelled from academia into the world of Greek politics as a Syriza MP, to answer these urgent questions. Weaving together theoretical insights as a leading radical thinker with his inside knowledge of events and personalities, he examines the challenges facing Syriza since its assent to power in 2015 and draws out the theoretical and political lessons from one of the boldest and most difficult experiments in governing from the Left in an age of austerity.

Examining issues ranging from the coup against the Syriza government to the impact of the refugee crisis, from Grexit to Brexit and the future of Europe, this timely book will be of immense importance to anyone seeking to understand the Greek struggle and its implications for resistance, politics and culture in the contemporary world.

Genres: Politics

223 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2017

About the author

Costas Douzinas is Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities and Professor of Law at Birkbeck, University of London.

Reviews

[Anton VDA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goed over Griekenland en links, matig over Europese Unie. Theoretische stukken waren overbodig.

[Dan Sumption · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating, if flawed, book. Ostensibly about the first two years of Greece's anti-austerity government, and about how the author almost by accident became an MP, it covers a great deal more ground than that, including very thought provoking sections on the refugee crisis, the future of the European Union, and the death of traditional left/right politics (contrasted what Mr Douzinas calls "forward" politics).

Unfortunately at times the writer slips into the convoluted writing style common to many academics, and writes as though the reader has an in-depth understanding of Foucalt, Derrida, Lacan and other critical thinkers. It feels as though, with some tough editing, this book could have been shorter, more focused, and more informative.

Nonetheless I learned a huge amount from the book. Having known very little about the politics of Greece (or indeed the EU) prior to reading it, I can't comment on it's accuracy, but it has fired my interest in the subject.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Costas Douzinas is Professor of Law at Birkbeck, University Of London who in 2015 found himself as. Greek MP when he stood for Syria’s and unexpectedly won in a tidal wave of support for the left wing party and in this interesting but highly partisan and at times unnecessarily academic book he examines Syriza’s performance since taking office, the lessons that need to be learnt and what it means for left wing parties in other countries.