Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

January 2016

Publication Title

Southern Political Science Association (SPSA) 87th Annual Conference

Disciplines

Civil Rights and Discrimination | International and Area Studies | International Relations | Political Science

Abstract

Good quality democracy is considered one that provides its citizens with a high degree of personal freedom, political equality, and popular control over policies and public officials through the legitimate and lawful functioning of stable institutions. It is assessed through an interrelated and interconnected three dimensional scheme: procedure, content, and result. Procedure refers to the quality of governance and is assessed through the rule of law, participation, competition, and government accountability. Result involves citizen satisfaction with the quality of governance. Content is concerned with two key components: individual liberties and political and social equality. This paper will assess the quality of democracy in Greece by concentrating on the content dimensions, which deals with civil liberties and civil rights. Among others, the paper will evaluate the country's record with respect to the treatment of ethnic (including immigrants) and religious minorities, the status of women and people with alternative life-styles, and the place of the elderly and those with special needs. The analysis will examine these issues historically as well as in light of the severe economic crisis that has engulfed the country in the last 5-6 years.

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