Despite periods of growth, modern Greece is no stranger to sovereign debt and severe and prolonged economic crises. Although the current, and ongoing, economic meltdown is considered as the most severe, the country has experienced numerous economic slowdowns and budget imbalances since independence. Lack of resources, political instability, foreign intervention, international economic slumps, corruption and mismanagement are some of the reasons/factors analysts have identified as the causes of the country’s financial ills. Though important and well thought out, such analyses seem to stay clear of the seminal importance of culture as a key variable responsible for widespread and persistent corruption that have deprived the country of a viable and sound economy. This lecture will seek to fill that void by concentrating on the cultural/social roots of corruption and the sources/factors that generate, nurture, and maintain high levels of corruption in the Greek setting.

Constantine P. Danopoulos, a native of Greece, is Professor Emeritus at San Jose State University (SJSU). Dr. Danopoulos served as chair of the Political Science department at SJSU. He has written or edited 11 books, dozens of articles and book chapters, as well as numerous conference papers. His publications deal with civil-military relations, national security, poverty, the bureaucracy, democratization, and the environment. He served as election observer in Bosnia (1996) and editor of the Journal of Political and Military Sociology. In addition, he served as the West Coast associate editor of Mediterranean Quarterly as well as on the editorial board of Armed Forces and Society, Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans, and the Journal of Political and Military Sociology. From 1993 to 1999 he served as president/chair of the Research Committee on Armed Forces and Society of the International Political Science Association, and Fulbright Scholar to Greece (2008). Dr. Danopoulos is the recipient of the President’s Scholar Award, the Warburton Award of Excellence in Research, and trice Pi Sigma Alpha Professor of the year.