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Article published In: Journal of Language and Politics
Vol. 19:4 (2020) ► pp.691–711

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Legitimizing austerity in crisis-hit Greece

(Re-)articulating ‘social-democracy’ in political discourses of the socialist and left-populist parties

ORCiD logo with link | Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University | University of the Witwatersrand
 | USI – Università della Svizzera italiana
Published online: 3 April 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.19040.kit
Abstract
The article examines two key-speeches given by Greek PMs, at crucial junctures of the Greek crisis, both aiming to legitimize austerity programs to the Greek population. The speeches by Papandreou (Socialists) and Tsipras (Radical Left) represent critical moments of the crisis as the two PMs prepared to annul their pre-election promises for a cessation of austerity. Within a CDS framework, we combine Systemic-Functional and Cognitive-Linguistic perspectives to demonstrate that both speeches, contrary to depoliticized/technocratic (neoliberal) discourse, converge on the construction of a discourse that privileges ‘the people/nation’ while, contrary to left-populist discourse, obscure any references to ‘the-establishment’. We, thus, offer evidence of how left-wing discourses (of both established socialists and radical left) publicly (pro-)claim the reconfiguration of social-democracy while, in fact, capitulating to market demands for neoliberal austerity policies. Findings corroborate the view that real social-democracy has been neutered at the European level.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background of the Greek crisis
  • 3.Integrating Systemic Functional Linguistics and cognitive linguistics in the study of austerity discourses
  • 4.Transitivity and metaphor in the political legitimation of austerity
    • 4.1PM Papandreou announces the 1st MoU – Kastelorizo 2010
    • 4.2PM Tsipras acknowledges the referendum result – Athens 2015
  • 5.Discussion and conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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