As we enter year eight of the long-lingering global economic crisis, it is sobering indeed that it is only in Greece that a political party putting forward a clear, radical alternative to the policies of neoliberal austerity stands on the doorstep of power.

Emerging out a coalescence of people from the 1980s Eurocommunist left and newer alter-globalization social movements, Syriza had at one point reached as much as 15 percent support in opinion polls before 2010. But it came to the brink of power only when its new leader, Alexis Tsipras, in the run-up to the spring 2012 election proclaimed that it was Syriza’s immediate goal and duty to enter government in coalition with anybody who would join with them to stop the economic torture of the Greek people.

The policies imposed by the European Central Bank, and above all by the German Federal Bank acting behind it, made the term “Great Depression” rather than “Great Recession” apt for Greece in this crisis. Unemployment was pushed beyond 25 percent, minimum wages were slashed by a third, people were cut off the electricity grid and denied basic pharmaceuticals. The rule of law was simply thrown out when it came to labor relations.