Knowing Aesop’s Fable The Ant and the Grasshopper will help you understand the Greek financial crisis. Basically in the fable the grasshoppers played all summer while the ants got ready for winter. When the weather got cold the grasshoppers wanted the ants to share their food and shelter. In the fable the ants said no.
The analogy explained: Since the 1950’s the Germans have worked really hard. Like Ants. While the Greeks have borrowed money they didn’t have and played around, taken extended vacations, padded the public payrolls and generally had a fun time. Like Aesop’s Grasshoppers. Now it is time to pay the bills and the Grasshoppers (Greeks) have come to the Ants (Germans) door asking to have their debt forgiven so they can keep on playing. The last remaining question is what will the ants say this time?
This was explained to me by my extremely perceptive brother Tom who lives in England and works in Austria. I supplied the picture.