On 21st of June I was invited to perform for a protest event in Berlin called 'Violating Democracy'.
The event was targeted at Greece's recent austerity measures, more specifically, the cuts to services that the Greek government has made in order to meet austerity targets set by the EU.
Any economist will tell you that there are two ways for a country to reduce debt - increase tax revenue, or cut spending. Increasing tax revenue targets tax evaders and wealthy people, and is a difficult and arduous task for any government, and can take a long time to see any effects. Cutting spending is quick, easy and mostly affects the poor. If enough pressure is applied, or if a government is lazy, it will take this second option.
Sometimes, if they are to services people require, the effects of cuts cause death. In the case of the subject of my performance, Dimitris Christoulas, they had the consequence of him no longer being able to live on his pension. He sadly hung himself in Syntagma Square, Athens, on April 4th, 2012.
The event was targeted at Greece's recent austerity measures, more specifically, the cuts to services that the Greek government has made in order to meet austerity targets set by the EU.
Any economist will tell you that there are two ways for a country to reduce debt - increase tax revenue, or cut spending. Increasing tax revenue targets tax evaders and wealthy people, and is a difficult and arduous task for any government, and can take a long time to see any effects. Cutting spending is quick, easy and mostly affects the poor. If enough pressure is applied, or if a government is lazy, it will take this second option.
Sometimes, if they are to services people require, the effects of cuts cause death. In the case of the subject of my performance, Dimitris Christoulas, they had the consequence of him no longer being able to live on his pension. He sadly hung himself in Syntagma Square, Athens, on April 4th, 2012.
