You’ve heard about the Greek debt crisis and the riots in Athens. But you may not realize that what happens in Greece could strike a lot closer to home.
ηθοποι?ς (the actors)
Greece is part of the 17-nation eurozone, a group of very different countries that share one common currency: the euro. If one country buckles, all of those nations will suffer.
σκην? (the scene)
Greece is hoping for a bailout that will reduce its debts and stabilize the economy. The price of that bailout, in part, is a nationwide austerity plan, featuring wildly unpopular cutbacks.
πλοκ? (the plot)
Next, the beleaguered nation will try to work out a debt payback plan with some of its creditors this week, to reduce the amount it owes by about $130 billion.
But such a massive debt restructuring is complicated—and dicey. If it fails, Greece might not get its hoped-for bailout, and could default on all its debt—including about $7 billion owed to the United States.
κορ?φωση (the climax)
Everyone is on the edge of their seats, because thus far neither the path to recovery, nor the consequences of a fallout, are clear. The last act could be a long way off.