Economics is a young science.
Even the most respected economists in the world-- people who would experience great fame and fortune for making the right predictions-- are more or less on the fence with this one. There is just no way to know the best path, because there is no best path. There are just a lot of unknowns.
Fate IS carrying it, even with a 100% vote.
5 years? More like 25 years, maybe longer? A large majority of the Greeks who bothered to vote, voted NO, but no to what exactly? How many voters knew what this “plan of agreement” actually was?
*…While the vote is (was) still several days away, it appears that the text of the referendum ballot itself has already found its way online. Greek political blog The Greek Analyst posted an image of what the blog said is the official ballot for the bailout vote on Twitter (while calling specific attention to the fact that the ballot lists the government-backed “No” option above the box for “Yes”).
…The blog also tweeted a translation of the ballot question:
REFERENDUM of the 5th of July 2015
Should the plan of agreement be accepted, which was submitted by the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the Imternational Monetary Fund in the Eurogroup of 25.06.2015 and comprises of two parts, which constitute their unified proposal?
The first document is entitled “Reforms For The Completion Of The Current Program And Beyond” and the second “Preliminary Debt Sustainability Analysis.”
NOT ACCEPTED / NO
ACCEPTED / YES*
Actually that was a surprisingly high voter turnout, considering the circumstances.
You have to take into account that in Greece you can’t just vote at any voting center you like.
It is not uncommon for people to be registered at their hometown voting center, but actually live somewhere else. Those registered at some remote village or one of the hundreds of islands would have a hard time justifying a long (and expensive) trip, especially in the current economic situation.
And then there are always those who are
I’m not apathetic at all. I vote in every election. But I don’t vote for every office or ballot question.
In this case, the question made no sense because the offer being voted on had been overtaken by events. The real question was arguably whether you wanted the prime minister to resign, except that the wording had nothing to do with that.
I’m not Greek, but here’s how I thought about it over the past week. First I was all for a No vote. Then I read something that temporarily made sense to me. I think it said a return to the drachma was inevitable, and that a Yes vote would lead to the EU treating Greece more gently when said inevitability transpired. Then I thought some more and ended up having no idea whether Yes or No was a better idea.
I’m for representative democracy. Don’t ask me who should be the prothonotary or registrar of wills. And certainly don’t push me into budget negotiations.
The idea that voter turnout should be high is IMHO based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of democracy. The value of democracy is rotation in office to prevent corruption from becoming entrenched. This doesn’t depend on turnout numbers.
It’s pretty much identical to the 2012 and 2015 national elections.
What’s to argue?
off to Google Lev Bronstein… sounds Jewi… ooooh ok, Trotsky! Sheesh, can’t you refer to people by their proper nickname 
Sorry, I’m familiar with the name but not particularly up to date with his writings and speeches. But I happen to have several relatives who meet the description I gave.
The overwhelming sentiment among many Greeks is that the vote wouldn’t change anything. Why vote for Kang or Kodos?
It’s not that they don’t care, it’s that they are convinced the available choices are both hopeless.