Thank you for visiting my blog. A short introduction seems in order. So, let me begin with a confession: I am a Professor of Economics who has never really trained as an economist. But let’s take things one at a time.
I was born in Athens back in the mists of 1961. Greece was, at the time, struggling to shed the post-civil war veil of totalitarianism. Alas, those hopes were dashed after a brief period of hope and promise. So, by the time I was six, in April of 1967, a military coup d’ etat plunged us all into the depths of a hideous neo-Nazi dictatorship. Those bleak days remain with me. They endowed me with a sense of what it means to be both unfree and, at once, convinced that the possibilities for progress and improvement are endless. The dictatorship collapsed when I was at junior high school. This meant that the enthusiasm and political renaissance that followed the junta’s collapse coincided with my coming of age. It was to prove a significant factor in the way that I resisted conversion to the ways of anglosaxon cynicism in the years to come.
When the time came to decide on my post-secondary education, around 1976, the prospect of another dictatorship haδ not been erased. Given that students were the first and foremost targets of the military and paramilitary forces, my parents determined that it was too risky for me to stay on in Greece and attend University there. So, off I went, in 1978, to study in Britain. My initial urge was to study physics but I soon came to the conclusion that the lingua franca of political discourse was economics. Thus, I enrolled at the University of Essex to study the dismal science. However, within weeks of lectures I was aghast at the content of my textbooks and the inane musings of my lecturers. Quite clearly economics was only interested in putting together simplistic mathematical models. Worse still, the mathematics utilised were third rate and, consequently, the economic thinking that emanated from it was atrocious. In short shrift I changed my enrolment from the economics to the mathematics school, thinking that if I am going to be reading maths I might as well read proper maths. After graduating from Essex, I moved to the University of Birmingham where I read toward an MSc in Mathematical Statistics. By that stage I was convinced that my escape from economics had been clean and irreversible. How deluded that conviction was! When looking for a thesis topic, I stumbled upon a piece of econometrics (a statistical test of some economic model of industrial disputes) that angered me so much with its methodological sloppiness that I set out to demolish it. That was the trap and I fell right into it. From that moment onwards, a series of anti-economic treatises followed, a Phd in… Economics and, naturally, a career in exclusively Economics Departments, in every one of which I enjoyed debunking that which my colleagues considered to be legitimate ‘science’.
Between 1982 and 1988 I taught at the University of Essex, the University of East Anglia and the University of Cambridge. My break from Britain occurred in 1987 on the night of Mrs Thatcher’s third election victory. It was too much to bear. Soon I started planning my escape. But where to? Continental Europe was closed to non-native academics, at that time, and Greece awaited with open arms – to enlist me into its conscript army. No, thanks, I thought to myself. Even Thatcherism is preferrable. My break came shortly after when, out of the blue, I was invited to take up a lectureship at the University of Sydney. And so the die was cast. From 1988 to 2000 I lived and worked in Sydney, with short stints at the University of Glasgow (and an even shorter one at the Université Catholique de Louvain). In 2000 a combination of nostalgia and abhorrence of the concervative turn of the land down under (under the government of that awful little man, John Howard) led me to return to Greece. Since then I have been teaching political economics at the University of Athens. Besides surviving life in a country that is very tough on those who are not used to working in an institutional setting where everything needs to be created from scratch, I feel a sense of accomplishment from having set up an innovative, progressive, pluralist, international Doctoral Program in Economics, also known as UADPhilEcon.
My next pivotal moment, and the last I shall be bothering you with, is the year 2005. For it was in that August that my extremely young daughter, Xenia, was taken away from me, leaving me behind in a state of shock (she has been living since then in Sydney, thus guaranteeing the longevity of my relationship with Sydney). As luck would have it, a few months later, I was saved from near oblivion by Danae Stratou with whom, ever since, we have been sharing life, work and a myriad of projects. An artistic-cum-political project called CUT- 7 dividing lines brought us together. That project evolved into another one called The Globalising Wall. The latest project to come out of this fortunate (for us) union is called www.vitalspace.org. Above all else, we are having fun doing the things that matter (to us).
Lastly, the Crash of 2008 and the subsequent metamorphoses of the crisis (in Europe and in the world at large) seem to have energised me no end. The very motivation behind this blog is to help in the dissemination of ideas and suggestions concerning the way we interpret and act upon our mad, sad and highly mysterious post-2008 era.
For those of you interested in some radio interviews and/or my published work, here is a whiff of it:
A selection of YV’s podcasts on the Greek economy:
- 23rd October 2010, Doug Henwood interview on the euro crisis, Ireland and Greece (from 29th minute)
- 15th September 2010, Doug Henwood interview on M. Lewis’ Vanity Fair article and the Greek crisis (from 30th minute)
- 23th July 2010 BBC Radio 4, ‘The World Tonight’, On the Bank Stress Tests (from 10.45 min)
- 27th May 2010 ABC Overnights (from the start)
- 14th May 2010 BBC World Service ‘Europe Today’ – Naming doctors (from 3.45 min)
- 14th May 2010 Citizen Radio – US (from 29.30 min) For the corresponding blog article click here.
- 7th May ABC Radio News (from 2.10min)
- 7th May ABC Television (from 1.29min)
- 6th May 2010 BBC World Service News Hour (from 44min)
- 6th May Europe Today – BBC World Service (from 27.40min)
- 5th May 2010 ABC Radio National AM
- 2nd May 2010 BBC Radio 5 Wake Up to Money
- 27th April 2010 BBC World Service Business News
- 23 April 2010 Radio Four World Tonight BBC’s Radio Four World Tonight Program (from 12.20min)
- 31st March 2010 Mini debate on the BBC World Service Program ‘Business Daily’. Click here to listen (from the start)
- 4th March 2010 – Doug Henwood PBS -New York (from 32.40min)
- 8th October 2009 – Doug Henwood PBS – New York (from 8.05min)
- Recital NM
FORTHCOMING BOOKS
- The Global Minotaur: The true causes and nature of the current economic crisis, London: Zed Books, October 2011
- Modern Political Economics: Making sense of the post-2008 world, London and New York: Routledge, with J. Halevi and N. Theocarakis, April 2011
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED BOOKS
- Game Theory: A Critical Text, London and New York: Routledge, 2004 with S. Hargreaves-Heap), 2004
- Foundations of Economics: A beginner’s companion, London and New York: Routledge, 1998
- Rational Conflict, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1991
BOOKS IN GREEK
- Game Theory: The theory with the ambition to unify the social sciences (Θεωρία Παιγνίων: Η θεωρία που φιλοδοξεί να ενοποιήσει τις κοινωνικές επιστήμες), Athens: Gutenberg Press, 2008
- Political Economy: Economic theory in a critical light (Πολιτική Οικονομία: Η οικονομική θεωρία στο φως της κριτικής), Athens: Gutenberg Press, 2008
- Microeconomic Models of Partial and General Equilibrium (Μικροοικονομικά Υποδείγματα Μερικής και Γενικής Ισορροπίας), Athens: Gutenberg Press, 2005
ARTICLES:
- ‘Where the customers are always wrong: some thoughts on the societal impact of a non-pluralist economic education’, International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2009, 1, 46-57
- ‘Pristine Equations, Tainted Economics and the Postwar Economic Order’, presented on 10th April 2009 at the Cold War Politics and Social Science Workshop, Heyman Centre for the Humanities, Columbia University
- ‘Game Theory: Can it unify the social sciences?’, Organisational Studies, 2008, 29, 1255-77
- ‘Capitalism according to Evolutionary Game Theory: The impossibility of a sufficiently evolutionary account of historical change’, Science and Society, 2008, 72(1), 63-94
- ‘The bonds that impede: A model of the joint evolution of apathy and corruption’, Indian Economic Journal, 2006, 54, 84-103
- ‘Rational Rules of Thumb in Finite Dynamic Games: N-person backward induction with inconsistently aligned beliefs and full rationality’, American Journal of Applied Science, 2005, 2, 57-65
- ‘Toward a Theory of Solidarity’, Erkenntnis, 59, 157-188 (with C. Arnsperger), 2003
- ‘The Global Minotaur’, Monthly Review, 55 (July-August), 56-74, 2003 (with J. Halevi)
- ‘Some experimental results on discrimination, co-operation and perceptions of fairness’, The Economic Journal, 112, 678-702 (with S. Hargreaves-Heap). 2002
- ‘Deconstructing Homo Economicus? Reflections on an encounter between postmodernity and neoclassical economics’, Journal of Economic Methodology, 9, 389-396, 2002
- ‘Against Equality’, Science and Society, 66,448-72, 2002
- ‘Central Bank Independence and the Value of Ambiguity: A three player reputational game’, Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Economiche e Commerciali, 47, 531-57 (with P. Gangopaydhya). 2000
Hi Yanis,
I doubt you’ve heard my name before but I’ve been a major cheerleader for Valve’s open allocation (as a generally superior business model for technology) for some time. Anyway, I’m looking into the feasibility of a startup that uses market mechanics, coupled with machine learning, to solve a variety of problems in education (from K-12 to corporate training) and software ecosystems (e.g. open source). Since a lot of the inspiration for it came from game design, you’d be the perfect person for me to talk to.
I came upon an insight that, if I’m right about it, could have a major effect on how people do business. (If I’m wrong, then possibly not; that’s why I need to talk to a real economist.
) The idea’s still a bit rough around the edges but a lot of people are excited about it.
Would you be interested in reviewing the idea? My email address is michael.o.church at gmail dot com. Anyway, I hope to hear from you soon.
I just came heard your conversation with Eleanor Wachtel on CBC Radio and I’ve never heard any , politician, economist, professor or anyone for that matter speak about the world economy in this fashion, you have the most incredible vision and analysis I was glued to the radio. I will go out and buy your book and certain to follow your work and your speeches.
Chuffed! Thanks.
http://fotis52.blogspot.gr/2013/01/1001.html
όσο ζώ απ΄το σκοτάδι,
ευελπιστώ η ικμάδα φωτός που ακροφαίνεται,
να είναι ένας διάττοντας αστέρας,
που αφού κορέσει την επιθυμία για φώς,
θα επιτείνει μετά το πέρασμά του,
την αίσθηση του σκότους,
πεδίο λαμπρό για νέες αναλύσεις,
όσο ζώ για το φώς,
ευελπιστώ η ικμάδα φωτός,
να μήν είναι αντανάκλαση,
αλλά πρωτογενής άμεση επαφή,
με τον κοινό ζωοδότη ήλιο,
όσο η οικονομία θα διαμορφώνεται,
απο την ιδιωτική σφαίρα,
θα ορίζεται ως αντι-οικονομία,
φτιάχνω τώρα ένα χειρόγραφο,
χρήμα σε χαρτί,
που η ταχύτητα ανταλλαγής του
απο άνθρωπο σε άνθρωπο,
ξεπερνά την ταχύτητα του φωτός,
μόνο ένα, και θα λειτουργήσουν όλα,
θα ανθίσουν τα πάντα,
μια οικονομία δημόσιο πλανητικό αγαθό,
ο νόμος της οικουμένης.
Watched your today on C-Span and really found interesting your analysis of the economic nose dive brought about by the greed of mega bankers devouring the accumulated capital of the world markets. The fact that they saw mega debt as a way to increase value without regard what was at risk for the bigger part of humanity. The upheaval appears to be an economic ice age that will dominate the global economy for decades (or loonger) unless there is some kind of seventh monkey awakening to the ultimate destructive nature of capitalism.
Capitalism requires a persistant growth of consumption of materials, services, construction of infratstructure and disposaql of waste. While recycling mitegates and green energy salves the atmosphere, the resources of Mother Earth are being rapidly consumed. Mother Earth cares not one iota about any of us and will be here after we are gone.
Do think that it is possible for the dominance of capitalism to be replaced by a more socioenvironmentalism that is more human and community oriented? A world in which individuals would be rewarded for bettering the lives of humans while at the same time decreasing our carbon boot prints, is this possible?
Just finished watching YV on C-SPAN Nov 20th US Town Hall meeting. Simply brilliant.
No, the 2012 JB movie was the worst one ever.
Αγαπητε φιλε Γιαννη.
Ως ελληνας που κατοικει και εργαζεται (λεμε τωρα…) στην Ελλαδα (εχει διαφορα απο τον ελληνα του εξωτερικου) ζω στο πετσι μου το προβλημα που εχουν δημιουργησει οι πολιτικοι τα τελευταια χρονια.
Προσπαθω να καταλαβω τι ακριβως μας εχει συμβει και ποιοι δρομοι υπαρχουν.
Θα εχεις ακουσει πολλες φορες οτι τα λες καλα, οτι εχεις επαληθευτει στις προβλεψεις σου, οτι.., οτι….
Προσωπικα σε συγκεκριμενο οικονομικο Portal που σε κραζουν συνεχως (ισως ξερεις ποιο) εχω υπερασπιστει με σθενος τις αποψεις σου.
Φτανει αυτο ομως Γιαννη;
Καλα τα λες αλλα φτανει να τα λες; Εχεις δηλωσει οτι δε θες να αναμιχθεις στην πολιτικη σκηνη, αλλα μιλωντας συμμετεχεις.
Και δε μιλας απλα… δημιουργεις ελπιδες…
Μηπως θα επρεπε να ψαξουμε τροπους να γινουν τα λογια πραξεις και οι ελπιδες πραγματικοτητα;
Μπορεις Γιαννη να μας βοηθησεις;
Interesting blog, i came across with it by chance in a sapnish blog. By the way, do you have a greek version?
Being a post graduate electrical engineer and amateur M theory researcher it always amazes me how elementary. economics is. And it rules the world….
And I like everything you write…
Κε Βαρουφάκη,
επειδή οι νομικές και οι οικονομικές μας γνώσεις είναι περιορισμένες, μπορείτε σας παρακαλώ να ρίξτε μία ματιά στο site : “http://www.greecedebtfree.org/” Greece Dept Free, και να μας πείτε τη γνώμη σας ;
Αν πράγματι κάνουν αυτό που λένε, τότε να βοηθήσουμε όλοι. Αν όμως είναι κάποιοι “επιτήδιοι” του διαδυκτίου, τότε ας μάθουμε την αλήθεια από κάποιον που γνωρίζει να ελέγχει για να προστατευτούμαι.
Σας ευχαριστώ εκ των προτέρων για τον χρόνο σας.
Περιμένουμε όλοι νέα σας, για το συγκεκριμένο θέμα.
Φιλικά
qwerty qwerty
juniormk69@yahoo.com
The author deserves for the monument!
Dear Yani ,
Watched your appearance on the Keiser Report and was impressed with
your explanation on the obvious catastrophic financial manipulations
taking place in Greece and other European states.
The economic and financial problems facing Greece, Spain , Portugal , Ireland etc
can not be solved under the current accepted economic models.
All the discussions , debates , and opinions bandied about are a lost
cause.
The present established economic system is a relic of the past , something
that worked under different political and technological eras. Whereas we
are experiencing a technology revolution , the social , political , and
economic systems are in total stagnation and have not adopted in relation
to the technological revolution.
To make matters worst , we have leaders that are not trained or tuned in
to what is taking place in the scientific and technological advances , or
are they able to comprehend it.
Deja vu , checking back to previous historical periods , we have many
examples of how societies failed and declined due to their inability to
adopt to new ideas and or scientific and technological advances.
Expecting our leaders to solve problems that they for the most part
created , and worst can not comprehend what they did wrong , is akin
to believing a milk horse can win the Kentucky Derby.
I run a small business and as a hobby or side interest follow financial
and economic news , unfortunately for what ever reason , it seems
that finance is now the new paradigm , not what is produced and
or manufactured , it’s only about , credit and financing that seems more
like speculation and gambling. In the 1950’s the cliche in America was
‘As General Motors goes so goes the country” , this is sort of a simple
way of saying, it’s all about what we produce that counts , everything
else takes a back seat. Manipulating interest rates, bonds, loans etc,
is not going to do much if the productive side of the economy is not
healthy.
The major dynamics driving the present world economy is technology
and globalization. Globalization has advanced China to the status of
super power. At the same time technological advances are for the most
labor saving. Societies that can not fit or adopt to the new paradigm
face serious economic problems.
Every modern society needs to deal with what is taking place in the
real world economy , accordingly they need to invest their resources
toward that end.
Unfortunately what is taking place now in Europe and elsewhere is not
only counterproductive but doomed to fail . Finance is a tool to be
used in the economical scheme , it is not the economy. Notice the amount
of time wasted discussing , loans , bailouts etc, but very little about
creating productive output. We can also say the Globalization has created
more problems than it has solved, it has worked to increase the wealth
of the chief globalists , at the expense of those not in that category. In
addition to this it has had the effect of destabilizing the economies of
of states that are not participating or could.
Regards
S. Demopoulos
Hi Yanis,
Just read through your blog post on Valve Economics titled “IT ALL BEGAN WITH A STRANGE EMAIL”. While of course it was an exicitng article I enjoy reading, as a researcher in the field of computerised Astronomy, I would like to remind you the distinction between Astronomy, as a hard science, and Astrology, which you might actually wanna referred to. Just FYI.
a simple irish man applauds your endeavours but wonders are we all programmed to implode!
κ. Βαρουφάκη,
σας παρακολουθώ με ενδιαφέρον. Γιατί όμως γράφετε το Γιάννης με ένα ν;
Iannis Kotsiopoulos May 17, 2012 at 21:38 #
ΑΠΟ ΛΑΘΟΣ ΤΟΥ …BROWSER ΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΙΟ ΚΑΤΕΛΗΞΕ ΣΕ ΑΡΘΡΟ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ …ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΑΥΣΤΡΑΛΙΑΣ. ΣΥΓΓΝΩΜΗ, το επαναλαμβάνω στη σωστή θέση.
Αγαπητέ Γιάννη (εγώ το γράφω με 2ν!)
Παρακολουθώ τις απόψεις σου σε τακτικότατη βάση και μόλις τελείωσα το βιβλίο σου για τον Μινώταυρο. Σήμερα λοιπόν (17/5) από τις 20:00-21:00 άκουσα ένα πρόγραμμα στον “Ράδιο 9″ με τη συμμετοχή 2 οικονομολόγων, ο ένας μάλιστα αναπληρωτής καθ. στο πανεπιστήμιο Πειραιώς. Οι απόψεις ήταν λίγο ως πολύ οι γνωστές κατεστημένες: φταίμε εμείς, οι δανειστές θέλουν να πάρουν τα λεφτά τους, καλοί άνθρωποι κατά τα άλλα. Θεώρησα λοιπόν υποχρεώσή μου να παρέμβω στο πρόγραμμα με τις …δικές σου απόψεις. Τα κατάφερα τελικά. Τους είπα λοιπόν στον αέρα ότι δεν άκουσα καμιά αναφορά στις απόψεις του καθ. Βαρουφάκη, ο οποίος έχει και διεθνή φήμη, σχετικά με το ότι το Ελληνικό πρόβλημα οφείλεται πολύ περισότερο στη στραβή δομή του ευρώ με την έλλειψη μηχανισμού ανακύκλωσης πλεονασμάτων παρά στην κακή Ελλάδα. Σε αυτό προσέθεσα και κάτι δικό μου: ότι θα πρέπει να θεωρήσουμε τα Ελληνικά μνημόνια όχι ως δανειακές διευκολύνσεις με τις οποίες ένας δανειστής κοιτάει πως θα πάρει τα λεφτά του, αλλά ως συνειδητή απόπειρα της Γερμανικής ελίτ να οδηγήσει τη χώρα όσο γρηγορότερα γίνεται στην ύφεση ώστε να αγοράσει το οικόπεδο φτηνά και τους σκλαβους τζάμπα.
Οι απάντήσεις ήταν μάλλον χλιαρές, κατά τη γνώμη μου, αλλά το ενδιαφέρον ήταν ότι ο συνάδελφός σου είχε μια περίεργη αντιμετώπιση: το πρώτο που μου είπε σαν απάντηση ήταν ότι “ο κ. Βαρουφάκης είναι ειδικός στη θεωρία παιγνίων και όχι οικονομολόγος, έχει πει όμως ενδιαφέροντα πράγματα, όσο δε για τη διεθνή φήμη, υπάρχουν και άλλοι οικονομολόγοι όπως ο Νομπελίστας κ. Πισσαρίδης …. και άλλα άνευ ουσίας.
Επειδή έχω ζήσει για λίγο το πανεπιστημιακό κλίμα και το σιχάθηκα (ΕΜΠ-Manchester-Imperial College-Πολυτ. Κρήτης) σκέφτηκα ότι θα ήθελες να ξέρεις για το περιστατικό.
Για την ιστορία και εγώ ξεκίνησα για μηχανικός και βγήκα σχεδόν μαθηματικός όταν το PhD σύστημα (Imperial College) τελείωσε μαζί μου …
Φίλε Γιάννη, καλή τύχη στην ξενιτειά, προσπαθώ και εγώ να αποχωρήσω από την Ελλάδα, χωρίς όμως επιτυχία προς το παρόν.
Φιλικά
Γιάννης Κωτσιόπουλος
Yanis
Should Greece follow Iceland’s lead?
Dear Yani
I am glad to have found your blog and congratulations on your achievements.
You have an interesting story to tell and your views are interesting and refreshing to say the least. Many of us watching the Greek crisis unravel from afar, are distressed and saddened to see what has become of our beloved ancestral home Greece, a country having endured so much in recent and not so recent history and to now find itself again, at the edge of financial and perhaps social catastrophe with little hope or prospects in sight. The austerity program is just financial madness and counter-intuitive in terms of driving the economy from recession.
I have a background in economics and I don’t hold myself out as an economist, I find the debate and analysis interesting. I can’t help but wonder at times, are we simply trying to re-arrange the deck chairs on the proverbial titanic when tackling the Greek crisis, as the problem in Greece may be more symptomatic of larger failings of the global financial and economic system which some say has been living beyond its means on a binge of cheap credit for too long, which is now coming home to roost.
We have seen the US economy collapse together with many of its manufacturing and Europe suffering high youth unemployment for many years even before the GFC. The whispers from China are that the Chinese have also been binging on credit and have been cooking their figures for a while despite their favourable terms of trade and that a Japanese style (ala late 1980s) asset collapse is brewing there.
Have the western economies and perhaps some Asian ones too, just been living beyond their means for too long and is Greece just the proverbial canary in the mine shaft that has keeled over?
Γεια σου Γιάννη,
Σε παρακολουθούμε ανελιπώς (το κατα δύναμη) ανάμεσα στη δίνη της παραπληροφόρησης.
Έχει αναφερθεί μια ανεπάρκεια της Ελληνικής γλώσσας για τη διάκριση μεταξύ default και bankruptcy. Ισχύουν τα παρακάτω, και αν όχι ποιά είναι η διαφορά?
default = στάση πληρωμών
bankruptcy = χρεωκοπία
Ευχαριστώ. Συνέχισε δυναμικά.
Σωστά!
All European nations with the notable exception of Germany are bankrupt.
During the deep recession of the 70′s and early 80′s, when Thatcher was in power, the UK had assets to sell – utilities, airlines, public housing. This generated wealth and balanced the deficit. Now, we don’t have anything to sell, so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why they are printing money (QE) to balance things out.
My advice to the Greeks, you will always be Europeans but don’t necessarily have to be part of the Euro-zone like us Brits.
Precisely what I predicted in late 1980s and early 1990s would happen in New Zealand when the Fourth Labour adminstration, urged on by its Minister of Finance, Roger Douglas, and the following National Government (MoF Ruth Richardson) began the process of flogging off State assets. It turned out in many cases the money vainshed at the end of the financial year, when the purshasers of these assets claimed the costs of their purshases as a tax rebate.
Ever since I have regarded the Milton Friedmanite economics that motivated the likes of Douglas, Richardson, Thatcher and countless other rapacious politicians and business pirates as Licence to Loot the Commonweal.
It may be the path to a re-birth though it needs to be harnessed and led towards a different sort of governance and government.
Greece could be the cradle for that.
That goes well beyond a branding campaign as some have been calling for.
People need to be engaged and evolve their roles in society beyond ‘someone looking after them’ or just what’s in it for them. Accountability is a gaping hole as has been evidenced.
“One more chore I can do without. Also ideologically opposed to Facebook’s closed walls architecture.”
Not really a chore because the page can be updated automatically by connecting it to your twitter account. Your posts from twitter will appear automatically on the facebook page.
A lot more people have facebook than twitter and I think you have very interesting insights that should reach a wider audience.
My own belief is that what we are seeing in Greece are birthing pains.
The structure of the old and false are collapsing – beginning with Greece, and a new Greece will be born in its place. A Greece where the people look inside themselves once again. It is perhaps the purification before the rebirth.
Hi Gianni,
Have you considered creating a facebook page? It would be really good to be able to follow your updates through facebook.
Thanks
Hlias
One more chore I can do without. Also ideologically opposed to Facebook’s closed walls architecture.
Dear Yanis Varoufakis,
What you have revealed of yourself has not convinced me to see in you an economist who is aware of the “Laws of Economics”. But like all the other economic experts could not do more, than the treat the “symptoms” but not the “cause” of our economic upheaval.
As I am of the opinion, that the economic situation of Greece is a perfect opportunity to show the world how to come out of our economic dilemma. Restore Greece’s economy by ordering our economic activities around the “Laws of Economics”.
For your information, please read the blog below?
http://theworldmonetaryordertocome.blogspot.com/2010/11/introduction.html
Kind regards,
Carl van Zijll de Jong.
Dear Yani,
regarding Energy sector (utilities and production) in Greece.
Is it worth “investing” an engineering career within the a.m. Industry in our Greece or should engineers look for abroad?
Although I understand that this question requires many assumptions and pre-conditions to be answered,
your input will be much appreciated.
Regards
Ioannis Liouskos
Dear Yanis,
I enjoy watching your interviews, as you bring an intelligence and clarity to a lot of issues that need addressing.
In your ‘about’ you are very negative towards Thatcher and Howard, as is your right in any free society.
However, in interviews I’ve seen when you’re asked is there a politician in Greece to address the crisis and speak the hard truth you say there’s not. Isn’t it true to say that Greece needs a Thatcher or a Howard to come in, tell people the truth and take the tough decisions that need to be taken in order to fix the problem? Wouldn’t Europe be in better shape with more Thatchers and Howards and fewer Blairs and Browns et al? Alternatively, if Australia had not elected Howard in 1996 (in very difficult economic times) but had have elected someone like Tony Blair or Gordon Brown then isn’t it fair to say that the strength that Howard/Costello built would never have happened?
Keep up the good work and I hope that your ideas for repairing things over there are given serious scrutiny and consideration.
Regards
Jack
I am not an economist, I am a physicist, retired recently. In relation to the present crisis in the EU, discussions seems to be predominantly focused on economics. The state of the representative democracies we live in does not seem to be in the field of view. It seems to me our political systems and institutions are mostly a farce. The top 1% (or I should say 0.1%) of the population can easily usurp them toward their selfish interests. We need a much better democracy which covers both social and economic considerations. Who would think of owening a business and managing it by going to the office once a year and choosing among a few options presented. In this regard we can learn quite a few things from the democracy created by Athenian citizens in approximately 2600-2500BC. For one thing, they made extensive use of lotteries ( “The Greeks”, Ian Morris, Stanford Uni.). We
shoud not be naive to think that by electing certain professional politicians for terms of
about 4yrs. makes the system democratic. It would be better if representatives were chosen by a lottery which includes all eligible citizens. Those who were chosen would be paid a reasonable amount and would be obliged to serve. It is not as unpractical as it may seem. In Canada we have a jury system to deal with matters of life and death. Why not?
Μια Διαφορετική Ερμηνεία για τη άνοδο των επιτοκίων?
Κε Βαρουφάκη,
σας έχω σει αρκετές φορές και αν και ακόμα δεν έχω εμπεδώσει τις τεκμηριωμένες απόψεις σας, θα ήθελα σας παρακαλώ ειλικρινά να αξιολόγησετε την παρακάτω θέση αναφορικά με την ευρωπαϊκή ή διεθνή “κρίση?” χρέους.
Θέση:
Η μείωση των ελλειμάτων και των χρεών είναι αντιστρόφως ανάλογη των επιτοκίων εξυπηρέτησής τόυς. Το επιτόκιο εξαρτάται από την ρευστότητα ώς προς το χρέος.
Ρευστότητα Υψηλή-Χρέος Χαμηλό = Επιτόκια Υψηλά (θετικά)
Ρευστότητα Υψηλή-Χρέος Υψηλό=Επιτόκια Χαμηλά (θετικά)
Ρευστότητα Χαμηλή-Χρέος Υψηλό= Επιτόκια Υψηλά (θετικά)
Ρευστότητα Χαμηλή-Χρέος Χαμηλό=Επιτόκια Χαμηλά (θετικά)
Ρευστότητα Υψηλή ή Χαμηλή-Χρέος Μηδενικό ή πλεόνασμα= Επιτόκια μηδενικά ή και αρνητικά
Παραδοχές:
1) Οι αγορές είναι τέλειες (!), αποτελεσματικές (!) και δεν υπάρχει καμμία ασσυμετρία (!)
2) Οι επενδυτές αξιολογούν υπέρ-ορθολογικά (!) τις ενναλακτικές μορφές επενδύσεων και επιλέγουν (?) την σταθμισμένη με βάση τον κίνδυνο μέγιστη απόδοση. Η συμπεριφορά τους είναι προβλέψιμη (ακόμα και οι φούσκες) και δεν υπάρχουν εξωτερικές επιδράσεις.
Υποθέσεις:
1) Κανένα κράτος δεν εμφανίζει έλλειμα στο ισοζύγιο τρεχουσών συναλλαγών
2) Κανένα κράτος δεν έχει ελλειματικό προϋπολογισμό.
3) Κανένα κράτος δεν έχει δημόσιο χρέος.
Αν οι παραπάνω παραδοχές και υποθέσεις ίσχυαν, ποίο θα ήταν το κόστος δανεισμού ενός κράτους? Η λογική λέει ότι δεν θα υπήρχε κόστος δανεισμού γιατί δεν θα υπήρχε ανάγκη για δάνεια. Ακόμη και εάν χρειάζονταν βραχυπρόθεσμος δανεισμός, επειδή η οικονομία θα υπόκεινταν σε ένα πρόσκαιρο εξωτερικό σοκ, αυτός με βάση τις υποθέσεις θα εξυηρετούνταν χωρίς να δημιουργεί ελλείματα και χρέη. Από την άλλη, σε συνθήκες που δημιουργούνται τάσεις για μείωση ελλειμάτων και χρεών, όταν η διαθέσιμη ρευστότητα δεν μειώνεται, τότε δεν είναι λογικό η αυξημένη ρευστότητα να αναζητά ολοένα και υψηλότερες αποδόσεις από δανειολήπτες που έχουν ανάγκη από ολοένα και λιγότερα κεφάλαια? Μου φαίνεται λοιπόν απολύτως λογικό που ενώ εφαρμόζονται περιοριστικές πολιτικές το κόστος εξυπηρέτησης των κρατών (spread κτλ) ολοένα και αυξάνει. (Δεν παραγνωρίζω τον ρόλο των οίκων αξιολόγησης, της εμπιστοσύνης κτλ). Δεν είναι μακροπρόθεσμα βιώσιμη λύση ούτε το τύπωμα χρήματος ούτε το ευρωομόλογο εάν αυτό δεν συνοδευτεί με την δια νόμου εξάλειψη των χρηματοπιστωτικών συναλλαγών (600 τρις $ διαβάζω ετησίως) που ξεπερνούν 10 φορές το παγκόσμιο ΑΕΠ! Δεν ξέρω εάν η έκδοση ευρωομολόγων είναι βραχυπρόθεσμη λύση πάντως σίγουρα δεν αντιμετωπίζει τις αιτίες δημιουργίας αυτής της κρίσης.
Συγγνώμη εάν σας κούρασα με υποθέσεις που δεν μπορούν να τεκμηριώσουν θεωρία αλλά δεν μπορώ να βρω άλλη εξήγηση σε αυτό το θέατρο του παραλόγου που ζούμε όλοι. (εξαιρώ από την εξήγηση την έλλειψη πολιτικής ηγεσίας παγκοσμίως)
Κύριε Βαρουφάκη πολύ ενδιαφέρουσες οι απόψεις σας. Για όλους εμάς που βιώνουμε τη κρίση η αλήθεια μπορεί να μη μας αρέσει αλλά είναι προτιμότερη απο την άγνοια τόσων ετών.
Κ. Βαρουφάκη, μιας και επισκέπτεστε διάφορα ωραία μέρη θα ήθελα να σας ρωτήσω αν πρόκειται να έχετε καμία ομιλία/διάλεξη/παρουσίαση και στην Θεσσαλονίκη τον επόμενο καιρό.
Όχι άμεσα. Δυστυχώς.
(έχοντας μόλις ακούσει τη συνέντευξή σας στην Καναδική τηλεόραση) καταλαβαίνω το επιχείρημα ότι ως μέλος της ακαδημαϊκής κοινότητας μπορείτε να είστε συνομιλητής όλων. But I wish you would reconsider and take the plunge into politics instead.
Yanis,
I think you are super hot sexy guy!
Ντιαρ μιστερ Βαρουφακης.
Ειστε ο Ρουμπινι της Ελλαδας.
Μας εχετε μαυρισει την ψυχη, μηνες τωρα, στις τηλεοπτικες σας εμφανισεις και συνεντευξεις.
Σκονη και θρυψαλλα ολα, αμαν αδερφε, ακομα και ΕΓΩ ειμαι πιο αισιοδοξος.
Τουλάχιστον θα ξέρετε ότι όταν δω φως, θα υπάρχει πιθανότητα να είναι πραγματικό…
Aγαπητέ κύριε Βαρουφάκη…
Παρακολουθώ το blog σας και τις συνεντευξεις σας, είναι μια ωραία υπενθύμιση των διαλέξεων και μαθημάτων σας…
Χαίρομαι που ήμουν σε τάξη σας!!
Συνεχίστε να υψώνετε την φωνή σας!!
Ισως και άλλες φωνές ενωθούν με την δική σας!
Ευχαριστώ,
Βίκη
Your guest performance on WBUR’s OnPoint was not only brilliant but quite satisfying. As I’m sure you are aware, the conversation here in the States about the causes and the intractability of the crisis takes place on a very pedestrian level. We cannot even acknowledge that the standard of living here is also in rather steep decline, and that poverty is soaring. In financial circles, that the US now places 28th out of 31 OECD nations in severity of child poverty, barely received mention. (Bertelsmann Foundation study, OCT 2011). Finally, our economy’s leverage to oil (the focus of my work) means a long duration cap has been placed on growth. And, in combination with debt-saturation, means the US also will never recover.
I was also led to read your twin pieces at Monthly Review magazine on the topic of recent Nobel prize winners in Economics. Oh my. Your passages are fantastic. Pure pleasure! I will have to tell my friends all about your work.
Hope to learn that you are speaking out more often. I think there’s an audience for your viewpoint here in the US. All the best to you.
Σας είδα τυχαία σε ένα δελτίο ειδήσεων. Δεν σας ήξερα (?!). ¨έχουμε χαθεί όλοι μας μέσα από τις δουλειές μας και την παρακολούθηση των εξελίξεων στους τομείς μας (είμαι Μηχανικός).
Εντυπωσιάστηκα και σκέφτηκα: Να ένας άνθρωπος που μάλλον μπορεί ακόμη να σκέφτεται πέρα από την “καθοδηγούμενη” σκέψη που η “μόρφωση” της “εξειδίκευσης” μας έχει επιβάλει.
Μόνο άνθρωποι σαν και εσάς μπορούν να πάνε πραγματικά μια κοινωνία μπροστά.
Αλλά θέλω να ρωτήσω κάτι: Μπορεί να υπάρξει μια λύση πέρα από την πολιτική και χωρίς αυτήν? Γιατί άνθρωποι σαν και εσάς δεν δημιουργούν μια πραγματικά πολιτική κίνηση με συμμετοχή στις εκλογές έστω και σε αυτήν την κατ’ επίφαση Δημοκρατία μας?
Πως αλλιώς μπορεί να γίνει πραγματικά κάτι?
Dear Dr. Varoufakis,
I follow your work 2 years now (I read your articles here and in protagon.gr, and I post every single of your articles in my facebook wall).
My experience tells me that whatever you say, is absolutely right!
My point is..
Have you ever tried to persuade, personally, the policy (Greek) makers?
Have they ever asked you to consult them?
Does Merkel know that Greece will always be in Europe (I mean the geographical location)?
It’s really a pity to see that, YES, there are people that have real answers about the situation, but the politicians do not listen to them. What the #$@% are they doing?? What does someone who is elected knows about economics?
They will realize (if they do it) their stupidity, when there is nothing left!
Please, HELP!
Cheers.
As a first-year student of Economics at Sydney Uni some (ugh) 20 years ago I was fascinated by the story-like way you delivered your lectures. There was really no need to write anything down !!!
I have been following your blog as well as your TV and radio interviews for the last few months and whilst the topic is indeed sad and sorry it is refreshing to see that you have not lost your touch of getting to the point.
Thanks!!
Maria
Thanks Maria. Nice to hear from a student belonging to that seemingly distant part of my life. Keep well.
Prof, milate sinexos gia tin aneparkeia tis evropis, gia tin kakisti germania… Ola kala afta, alla ta oikonomika problimata stin alli plevra tou atlantikou lithikan dia mageias kai de sas apasxoloun, panta sto plaisio tis genikis oikonomikis krisis? H ginetai ekei apsogi diaxeirisi? Thanks, Aris, Verolino
If you read my latest book, you will see that I am highly critical of US policy. But, in comparison to Europe, the US has been a paragon of rationality.
Αγαπητέ κ. Βαρουφάκη,
θέλω ειλικρινά να σας ευχαριστήσω. Δεν είμαι οικονομολόγος, ωστόσο οι τοποθετήσεις σας με έχουν διευκολύνει να κατανοήσω την κατάσταση που βιώνω. Κυρίως, όμως, σας ευχαριστώ για την ψυχραιμία με την οποία πάντα αντιμετωπίζετε τις εξελίξεις και για την ανθρώπινη στάση σας. Η παρουσία σας και οι επισημάνσεις σας, πραγματικά, κάνουν την σκληρή καθημερινότητα λίγο πιο εύκολη. Πίστευα πάντα πως το κλειδί της εξόδου από κάθε κρίση είναι η κατανόηση. Εξακολουθώ να το πιστεύω. Καλή δύναμη!
Hi Mr Varoufakis
In Holland, where I live, there currently is much debate about 200 billion Euros Greeks apparently ‘stalled’ in Switzerland.
See for instance: http://www.ftd.de/politik/europa/:griechenland-krise-schweiz-soll-griechen-geld-ausliefern/60117780.html
German Financial Times, this in light of tax revenues.
As this seems totally unrealistic to me: do you think there are records or statistical information that would justify such estimates? What would those be?
thanks a lot!
K. Myron
Κύριε Βαρουφάκη,
Σίγουρα από πολλούς που σας παρακολουθούν έχετε ακούσει πολλά εύσχημα, ό καθένας από την δική του οπτική γωνία που βλέπει την προσωπικότητάς σας, επαγγελματική και κοινωνική..!!
Σας παρακολούθησα σε πρωινή εκπομπή καναλιού την Τετάρτη 19/10/2011.. Ειλικρινά μου εμπνεύσατε μια εμπιστοσύνη στο πρόσωπό σας αλλά και στις θέσεις σας για τα οικονομικά γεγονότα εντός και εκτός Ελλάδας..!!
Δεν σας κρύβω ότι ιδιαίτερη εντύπωση μου έκανε το γεγονός ότι εκφράσατε τις απόψεις σας, δημιουργώντας παράλληλα και “μαξιλαράκι”, γι’ αυτούς που θα προστρέξουν να σας
χαρακτηρίσουν δογματικό με απόλυτες και μη λειτουργικές θέσεις σας για την οικονομία..
Κρατάω από όλα αυτά την τοποθέτησή σας, ότι το πρόβλημα για την οικονομική κρίση δεν είναι η γνώση και οι λύσεις, από όπου και αν προτείνονται για να επιλυθεί, αλλά η πολιτική βούληση, συγκερασμένη με τέτοιο τρόπο που να ισορροπεί τα όποια συμφέροντα ώστε να γίνει αποδεκτή και αποτελεσματική..!!
Σας ευχαριστώ
Γιώργος Δάβαρης
ειστε εκπληκτικος,κανετε την δυσκολη καθημερινοτητα μου ,σε αυτη την χωρα,ανεκτη,σας ευχαριστω παρα πολυ.
Κύριε Βαρουφάκη,
μπράβο σας για τον τρόπο με τον οποίο καταθέτετε την άποψή σας και την τεκμηριώνετε έτσι ώστε να μπορούν να την παρακολουθήσουν και οι απλοί Έλληνες, αυτοί που δεν φοίτησαν στο Harvard ή στο MIT και που όμως ανησυχούν ίσως πιο πολύ από τους φωστήρες αυτού του τόπου που μας έφεραν εδώ σ’ αυτή την ύφεση.
Σας παρακολουθώ και χαίρομαι ιδιαιτέρως να διαβάζω τις αναλύσεις σας.
Κύριε Βαρουφάκη συγχαρητήρια. Σας παρακολουθώ από την αρχή της οικονομικής κρίσης που ξέσπασε στην χώρα μας. Ότι έχετε πεί έχει βγεί σωστό.
Επίσης σας πάω πολύ γιατί δεν είστε σαν τους περισότερους ακαδημαικούς με ξύλινο λόγο και κυριλέ εμφάνιση.
Κύριε Βαρουφάκη καλησπέρα σας.
Θα ήθελα τη γνώμη σας για το εάν και τα νοικοκοιριά που έχουν στη κατοχή τους ομόλογα ελληνικού δημοσίου θα πληγούν απο το επικείμενο ‘κούρεμα’.
Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ
dear mr varoufakis, i was very happy today to discover your blog, i brief explenation of my profile is that of a student going to uk for my Master degree in Bath university doing Euromaster a specially difficult time for a Greek student in Politics and specially European Politics, if i could only make you understand the misguiding Europeans have about are issue, and ours thoughts are defenetly in common paths, one i strongly believe and promote this idea through my studies in a more federal and united Europe, although i can denefenetly say that this is fare to happen, due to the european conservatism. I believe , we could share some thoughts and try to promote an idea and a new path for europeans, US as GREEKS, have the duty to sow Europeans that their is an other solution rather than destroying our country
Sir,
Im a 48 yrs old engineer of Romania and Ive just discovered your person on RT TV. Sincerely, I ve been amazed (read: fascinated!) about the way you were describing the cataclismic events that occur in Greece and in Europe, in general. I’m very “touchy” on the economic subjects considering that I have a 9 yrs old boy and my rich country is in the claws of local Mafias that (according to my humble opinion), since 1990, are working in a perfect symbiosis with the EU Mobsters.
This is it. Please receive my best wishes translated with Google:
καλή τύχη και ο Θεός να μας βοηθήσει όλους
Calin of Romania
Yannis;
Extremely refreshing to see a gentleman such as yourself speaking about the “TRUE ISSUES” behind the Post 2008 Global Financial Collapse.
The Hellenic Community of Vision for the Future, both within Greece and overseas, are quite at work for the last 3 years getting the “Inside Story” out on Credit Defaults Swaps, Derivatives, and the Wall Street, New York and London Banks’ Casino Run Worthless “TOXIC ASSETS” and “Financial Securities WASTE” dumped onto the world stage for at least the Last Decade or so.
Mortgage Backed Securities, Derivatives, Credit Default Swaps,…. All GARBAGE….. and you and I, as well as the well-informed global population, which is growing by the day, all know that this so called “GLOBAL DEBT” is not owed by the Citizens of Nations, but the Banks which created it as “WORTHLESS ASSETS” Contracts.
I agree with you on all the points which you have made during your interviews with Greek Television and Radio, on Max Keiser,and all your other interviews.
The Politicians have a very bad habit of not going forward with Common Sense or Logic, for they have neglected the People for Final Fantasies.
We are always here to assist GREECE, Europe, and the Labouring Populations of the Global Community, and have Plans on a NEW FINANCIAL Global Partnership Union between Nations in collaboration with Global Organizations, to see that Citizens of the Globe and Future Generations prosper on a more Solid Foundation for the benefit of all mankind.
The Trans-Atlantic Economic System is Collapsing under it’s own doings.
The Bail-Out Packages WILL NOT WORK… Period…, for they defy the Laws of Finance and Economic Success, as those who promote such programs have NO Idea of what “LOGIC” tells the Knowledgeable and Well Informed Individual.
As a Patriotic Hellene, I commend you for your work, and I urge you (as I am sure I won’t have to urge you) to continue your work.
Our Hellenic Forefathers have taught us to Place Hellenism and the World among the Stars and in REAL TERMS, and they also taught us to STAND UP AND FGHT THE DECEIVERS AD TRATORS OF INJUSTICE.
ONCE AGAIN, WE STAND AT THERMOPYLAE DEFENDING LIBERTY, FREEDOM, AND JUSTICE.
ALL THE BETTER, FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL ONCE AGAIN SAY;
“IN THIS SITUATION AS WELL, WE FOUND THAT THE HELLENES AWOKE THE WORLD TO TRUE LIBERTY, TRUE JUSTICE, and TRUE FREEDOM…. ONCE AGAIN.
Yiasou,
John A. Koulouris
“The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks.”
Lord Acton
“It is well enough that people of the nation don’t understand our banking and monetary sytem, for if they did, I believe, we would have a revolution before tomorrow morning”
Henry Ford
“Give me control over a nation’s currency, and I care not who makes it’s laws”
A.M. Rotschild
“Congress shall have the power to coin money and regulate the value thereof.”
US Constitution, article 1, section 8
Professor Varoufakis,
In my opinion the current financial crisis is the perfect time to alter the financial system in such a way that it actually benefits citizens (instead of bankers) worldwide, beginning in Greece. Everybody in his right mind knows that Greece is broke and won’t pay up. Therefore the Greek people should not only default on its current insane debt, but also reintroduce the drachma, so it will regain its sovereignty. Even if Greece is allowed to default partially on its debt, but forced to stay within the euro, it will have gained nothing as more austerity measures will be introduced to repay the rest and a fire sale of Greek public property will start, supposedly to make the Greek economy more efficient but in reality to transfer property at rock bottom prices into private hands. Therefore the Greek people will even have less say over their own economy, slaving away to pay of its probably still unbearable debt. The last part on how to regain your sovereignty is the most crucial and will probably lead to a lot of opposition from the “powers that be”, that is that the issuance of the new Greek currency will have to be in the hands of the Greek parliament, i.e. the Greek people, instead of private bankers. Then and only then will the Greek people be free from their “pay masters”. Hopefully, then the rest of the world will follow.
“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered…I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies… The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.”
Thomas Jefferson
Κυριε καθηγητά Συγχαρητήρια για τις γνώσεις και το σθένος σας σε τέτοιους καιρούς να εκφράζεσθε καθαρά και εμπεριστατωμένα. Μετά απο την παρουσία σας στο Αλτερ στις 22/9/11 ανέτρεξα στο διαδίκτυο για να αναζητήσω μλπόγκ ή κάτι άλλο σχετικό. Θέλω να σας ρωτήσω : εφ’ όσον όλα τα μέτρα είναι αντισυναγματικά κι οι κυβερνώντες φερέφωνα αν δεν ανταποκριθούμε στις εκάστοτε φορολογίες που επιβάλουν συνεχώς εξ αιτίας χρηματικής αδυναμίας θα υπάρχουν κάποιες επιπτώσεις; και πως πρ΄πει να κοινιθούμε ομαδικά ή μεμενωμένα για να ξεκινήσει ή να εξαπλωθεί μια φυσική αντίδραση αποχής ακομμάτιστη… Σας ευχαριστώ εκ των προτέρων. Μαρία Μ
Dear Professor Varoufakis,
I would really appreciate your opinion about Australian Economy and banking system, since I have read that you lived and worked there for many years. My husband and I, are about to apply for the immigration visa and we would hate to see the crisis (the same or another) expanding there in the future.
Any comments from you would be really useful and highly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Australa is booming but after every boom comes a bust – especially a boom based on asset prices that have gone mad as a result of high price/quantity exports of primary commodities to a resource hungry China – whose appetite may soon be satiated. While impossible to predict both an event and a date, it is clear to me that Australia is heading for a hard landing. Still, a move there may prove beneficial when the alternative is to remain in crumbling, beautiful Greece.
Κύριε καθηγητά το παρακάτω βιβλίο θα εκδοθεί στην Ελλάδα;
“The Global Minotaur: The true causes and nature of the current economic crisis, London: Zed Books, October 2011″
Ναι. Απο τις εκδόσεις Λιβάνη.
Yia sou Yanni,
I am telling you a bit on my background so that you can answer better the question that will follow. I am not an economist. I have a degree in maths and one in naval architecture. I founded Forthnet along with Pantelis Tzortzakis, as well as another company on tech. for a number of years i worked in Shipping Industry and since 2006 i work as managing director of shipyard in middle east. I love Economics, which i believe is an art more than a science (more or less like Medical Sciences) and I decided to start a PhD. The subject will be an analysis of the energy mix that will be used in the future and the development of a model which will provide useful information related to the future energy transport needs and hence will enhance decision making in shipping related investments.
Shipping is a empritical “science” hence there is not much literature on econometric models etc. I am asking your help to sugggest some intrioductory books and useful papers which may help.
Thanks,
Kostis
Kosti hi,
Your research interests are not down my alley but i find them fascinating nevertheless. I think the best way forward is to have a chat. Otherwise I fear I may end up directing you to a wild goose chase. My number is 6937177387. Will be in London till Saturday, so how about the weekend?
Yanis
Dear Professor Yani
I was always curious about your origin! As being myself Yani too and of Vlach origin as well I always hoped to have something in common with such a briliant mind.
Bunâ vearã
Dear Yani, We sure have much in common. As for my name, I was christened Ioannis (the Greek version of Johannes, John, Ivan etc.). Only in modern Greek it is pronounced Yanis, though most Greeks write it as Yannis or Yiannis. I chose Yanis for brevity while living in England – in a vein attempt to simplify my impossibly inscrutable name for the benefit of the Brits…
Dear Professor Varoufakis,
By chance, I watched your interview on 22 July 2011 on ABC’s Lateline.
How impressed I was! You are one of very few economists whom I have understood, and found persuasive. Your opinion was succinct, informative and entertaining – so much so that I’m writing to tell you! I loved your “about me” section on your blog – it was refreshing. I see from your CV that you were teaching at Sydney University when I was studying there, and I am sorry now that I did not have the opportunity of taking some classes with you.
I do not follow economic affairs except superficially, and have no training in economics or commerce. However, I have subscribed to your blog, which is only about the 3rd blog I have ever thought good enough to subscribe to. I look forward to more thought provoking commentary, and I do hope that you keep up your good and much-needed work of applying your skill, experience and talent to educate and illuminate, which is for the greater good of humanity, and which is in terribly short supply in this world of ours.
Thanks for the kind words. Indeed, chuffed…
Dear Yanis,
I tried your Athens University link though it is not working.
I saw you briefly on Lateline and note you are on your way to Australia.
I would like to arrange a time to speak about a few socio-political issues and have been seeking someone on the ground in Greece to explore with.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Sophie
Societal Business
Κύριε Καθηγητά,
Ψάχνοντας το πρωί τα διάφορα κανάλια σταμάτησα ,επειδή σας παρακολουθώ,στο ALTER στην εκπομπή του κ. Αυτιά και σας άκουσα για λίγο. Σας άκουσα για λίγο λόγω κου Αυτιά και μόνο. Εσείς εκφράζατε την επιστημονική σας άποψή και ο κύριος αυτός προσπαθούσε συνεχώς να κάνει πολιτική σπέκουλα. Γι’ αυτό και άλλαξα κανάλι.
Καλή σας ημέρα
Με τιμή Στέλιος Παπαϊωσήφ
Ακριτοχώρι Σιντικής Σερράν
Yanis,
I failed to find your email on your blog, apologies for posting it here, but I guess you will find that worth your attention:
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,771989,00.html
Thanks for this. A sea change, perhaps?
Αξιότιμε κ. Βαρουφάκη,
θα ήθελα να σας μεταβιβάσω το αίτημα του κ. Suegutsu Tetsuya, δημοσιογράφου της The Yomiuri Shimbun (The Japan’s Daily Newspaper) να του παραχωρήσετε μια συνέντευξη για την οικονομική κρίση στην Ελλάδα. Το ενδιαφέρον από την Ιαπωνία είναι πολύ μεγάλο και θέλουμε να πιστεύουμε πως θα μπορούσατε να βοηθήσετε πάρα πολύ τον κ. Suegutsu στην έρευνά του.
Παρακαλώ εάν ενδιαφέρεστε επικοινωνήστε μαζί μου στο 6974906025, έτσι ώστε να έρθουμε όπου εσείς επιθυμείτε, για να συζητήσετε με τον κ. Suegutsu.΄
Σας ευχαριστώ προκαταβολικά σε ενδεχόμενη απάντησή σας,
Δημήτρης Μούτσιος
Μόλις ανακάλυψα το blog σας και διάβασα αρκετές από τις δημοσιεύσεις του τις οποίες βρήκα εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρουσες και αναλυτικές. Το πρόβλημα που εντόπισα αμέσως και θα ήθελα να σας επισημάνω είναι ότι ενώ οι αναλύσεις σας ενδιαφέρουν πολύ κόσμο και θα μπορούσαν να διαδωθούν μέσω διαδικτύου το γεγονός ότι οι περισσότερες δημοσιεύσεις σας δεν είναι στην ελληνική γλώσσα (όσο «ευρωπαίοι» κι αν είμαστε ή «θεωρούμαστε») το κάνει δύσκολο, τουλάχιστον όσον αφορά την ακριβή ανάγνωσή τους.
Σας παρακαλώ λοιπόν να προβείτε στις απαραίτητες ενέργειες ώστε να μπορούμε όλοι οι Έλληνες να ακούμε και να διαβάζουμε τη «φωνή» σας.
Με εκτίμηση
Κατανοω. Το μπλογκ όμως αυτό το διατηρώ για να επιρρεαζω τους ξένους αναγνώστες. Παραλλαγές γράφω στα ελληνικά στο protagon.gr.
@yanisv ,
@vasso
Γράφετε στο protagon.gr , αλλά τα άρθρα εδώ είναι πολύ πιο ενδιαφέροντα . Θέλω να καταγγείλω ΔΙΑΚΡΙΣΗ !!!
Βέβαια από εδώ και στο εξής θα επεμβαίνω λιγότερο γιατί εφόσον δεν μπορώ να απαντήσω με οικονομικά επιχειρήματα (δεν είμαι οικονομολόγος), θεωρώ οτι δεν συνεισφέρω και πολύ στο (οικονομικό) διάλογο , παρά μόνο στην πόλωση .
Πάντως θεωρώ μεγάλη ξεφτίλα να έχουμε ανάγει παγκοσμίως το πρόβλημα σε οικονομικό. Είναι καθαρά πολιτικό κατά την γνώμη μου . Στο κάτω κάτω της γραφής , δεν είναι δυνατόν ολόκληρος ο λαός της Ευρώπης να διαμαρτύρεται για τα μέτρα λιτότητας που περνάνε σε όλη την Ευρώπη και την Αμερική και να υποκύπτει στους κανόνες της “Αγοράς” !! Λές και είναι κάποιος Θεός του οποίου φοβόμαστε το Θυμό . Είναι παρανοικό αυτό το πράγμα .
Οι μόνες αντιρρήσεις που έχω διαπιστώσει είναι όταν θεωρούμε οτι κάποιος άλλος περνάει καλύτερα χωρίς να το αξίζει . Αλλά αυτή είναι μια αρνητική σκέψη . Δεν μπορούμε να οικοδομήσουμε πάνω σε αυτήν .
Δεν θεωρώ καμία λύση αποδεκτή που να είναι ευρωπαική και να βασίζεται στην τιμωρία , στην ενοχή και στην εκμετάλευση του πιο αδύναμου . Για τον απλούστατο λόγο οτι δεν είναι οικοδομικά υλικά αυτά . Είναι υλικά διάλυσης .
Σε μια λύση σαν τη δική σας υλοποιημένη σωστά πιστεύω οτι η Ελλάδα έχει θέση . Στην Ευρώπη των τραπεζιτών πάντως , εγώ δεν θα ήθελα να είμαι ευρωπαίος . Δηλαδή αυτούς που χρωστάνε ( και από οτι καταλαβαίνω αποτελούν μέρος συστημικού προβλήματος ) πρέπει να τους εξαφανίσουμε? Αν η γέννηση μας είναι τυχαία και θα μπορούσαμε να είχαμε γεννηθεί στην Αφρική μαύροι ή στις κινέζικες φάρμες – Αν πιστεύουμε οτι η ζωή μας μπορεί να αλλάξει προς το χειρότερο χωρίς δική μας ευθύνη –> Συνεπάγεται μια κατανόηση και αλληλεγγύη προς τον συνάνθρωπό μας .
Σταματώ γιατί πολυλογώ …
Δάσκαλε,
Η καθαρή σου σκέψη, η καλή σου κρίση και ο πατριωτισμός σου είναι αρετές που δύσκολα συναντά κάνεις σήμερα στα ΜΜΕ. Τα άρθρα σου και οι δηλώσεις σου αποτελούν φως για εμάς. Μην φοβάσαι τίποτα, η αλήθεια σου θα λάμψει!
Ένας παλιός φοιτητής σου…
ΚΑΛΗΜΕΡΑ κε ΒΑΡΟΥΦΑΚΗ, ΣΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΜΕ ΑΝΑΓΚΗ, ΓΡΑΦΕΤΕ ΟΣΟ ΣΥΧΝΑ ΜΠΟΡΕΙΤΕ, ΣΧΟΛΙΑΣΤΕ ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛΩ ΚΑΠΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟ.
ΘΕΩΡΙΕΣ ΠΕΡΙ ΣΧΕΔΙΟΥ ΦΟΙΝΙΞ κλπ
http://www.banksnews.gr/portal/home-page/124-top-story/2810——lr
ΚΑΛΗΜΕΡΑ
Lieber Yanis,
entschuldige, dass ich auf deutsch schreibe. Auf Ihr Blog bin ich durch Ihr Interview in der Süddeuschen Zeitung gestossen.
Wenn Sie wirklich und ernsthaft an der Lösung der Finanzkrise in Grichenland und damit auch in ganz Europa interssiert sind, so sollten Sie folgendes Buch lesen:
http://www.silvio-gesell.de/neo_index1.htm
Mit den besten und ehrlichsten Grüßen
Josef
Αγαπητέ κύριε Βαρουφάκη,
θα θέλαμε να σας καλέσουμε να εισηγηθείτε σ’ ένα διεθνές συνέδριο,
θα μπορούσατε να μας στείλετε το email σας?
σας ευχαριστώ εκ των προτέρων,
με εκτίμηση,
Σωζήτα Γκουντούνα
yanisv@econ.uoa.gr