From: ls1@cec1.wustl.edu (Lambros Skartsis)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.greek
Subject: Re: cyprus and corfu
Date: 17 Dec 92 21:54:51 GMT
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO

In article: <9212171333.AA22824@kocrsw06.delcoelect.com>
c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos) writes:

>Gregory Dandulakis writes:
> Listen! Kerkura (Corfu) is within Greece and it still has better
> living than Cyprus. On the other hand, not only Kerkurans move
> in Athens but many Cypriots too. So, what's the difference on your
> grounds?
> 
>We're comparing nations, not a nation and a (very small) fraction of
>another nation. Some of it is mentality, i.e. in reference to the
>air conditioned homes in Cyprus, even 2,000 deaths in the summer of
>198? in athens did not convince athenians to buy A/C, but instead
>blow it in bouzoukia and whiskey. 
>
>Also it is economy of scale. What works in a small population doe
>does not always work in a bigger one. 

It is an interesting topic! Gregory is right, Corfu, Rhodes and other
places boast a high standard of living, but indeed it is the whole
country and its attitudes that count.

Cyprus was  poorer that Greece for the period 1974(invasion/turmoil) -early
eighties (before 1974 it was roughly comparable). Now, in the
eighties, while we in Greece were playing with Socialist experiments
and spent the money produced by the hard-working part (i.e.
minority) of the population - as well as the EEC and borrowed money -
in bouzoukia, whiskey (as you well said), huge vacation houses and
employment of thousands of state non-workers, Cyprus was working hard
putting itself together and attracting foreign business. Now 
Cyprus as a nation is richer - only a little, not as much as you 
implied, but nevertheless - and, what is more important, has 
healthy TRENDS in its economy and healthy attitudes among its people.
When I'm talking to Cypriots I am often reminded by them of many of the
similarities that still exist in our good and rotten attitudes; but I
truly believe that the prevailing approach of least effort/maximum demand
that is to be seen in Greece is not as evident in Cyprus. 
To put things in the right order: it is changing guys, it is changing!
I was surprised to see us greeks withstand so tough economic measures
(knock on wood!) without more reaction. And I am delighted to see this
flood of achievments of the private enterprises, esp. in high-tech areas,
that so clearly exhibit the weakness of the good-old state white elephants.

And since Spyros knows how much I like per capita incomes, PPP's etc. (!!),
here are some numbers from my memory (any elaboration welcome):
    (Approx. [according to the best of Labros' memory!] GNP per person, $)
Year      1977   1981   1988   1991   1991 (according to CIA)  
-----
Greece    2590   4400   4700   6900   7670
Cyprus    1500   3500   6900   9900   7650

 and, of course, all the well-known discussion about the unaccounted-for greek
 black economy, at least 50% of the GNP, etc. etc.

Regards,
L. Skartsis

P.S. Don't be so ... scared with the comparison of the 1981 vs. 1988 numbers
for Greece; the low increase is mostly due to the dollar exchange rates that
affected the nominal income of most countries. The above numbers are, remember,
nominal incomes determined by the combination: true growth of economy/exchange
rates vs. dollar/inflation. 
Contributions from people who study economics welcome!
 
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