THE GREEK REFERENDUM WILL PUT THE ONUS ON THE PEOPLE

Through a referendum the Greeks will, for a change, decide for themselves how they and their country will move forward. The Greeks have had no real opportunity to do so for quite some time. For about a year and a half, Greece has been under foreign administration; it is de facto no longer a sovereign state. The government's most important task has been dragging the austerity programmes and structural reforms through parliament and implementing them. These are dictated by he strict troika of the EU Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Otherwise there will be no more bailout, and the country would go bankrupt.

Regardless how the referendum's question is eventually worded, the Greeks will be voting on whether their country will remain in the euro zone or leave the single currency.

Today, Greece finds itself in a downward spiral. Almost all of its citizens are victims of austerity measures; many feel desperate and are going on strike.

There is some evidence the Greeks will support their leader when the chips are down, and won't torpedo the directives from Brussels. The majority of the Greek people believe that there must be a way out of this decade-long mess. Many are overwhelmed by the pace of change, but most don't want to against its direction. Until the referendum in Greece, there will be an intense debate about the two alternatives: Brutal rehabilitation within the euro zone or state bankruptcy with a reintroduction of the drachma. The referendum will demonstrate that it is not about the choice between hell and paradise. Both paths will be difficult and grueling. Each citizen will have to decide for themselves what they believe to be the better choice. They will consider whether they want to risk their assets with an exit from the common currency-- savings would be worth hardly anything in return to the drachma. But at least, every Greek will get to decide, and will no longer complain about their government bowing to international demands. And even, if the Greeks ultimately say no, and in the worst case scenario the country leaves the euro zone, the consequences will be less dicey than they did a year ago. The main problem of a return to a national currency is that the drachma would be massively devalued. Because the debt would continue to exist in euros, the government would be spending even more drachmas to pay it off. They would quickly go bankrupt.

Let us remember to close that the word democracy comes from two Greek words: demos, meaning the people and kratein meaning to rule. Joined together they mean 'rule by the people'. The Greek system of government was perhaps closer to true democracy or rule by the people than any other in history. No other civilization has come, as close to democracy as its creators the Greeks. Therefore, no one should be surprised about a referendum taking place in the birthplace of democracy.