Fifty years after the Polytechnic uprising, Kappa Research publishes the key findings from this year’s annual research. First, the importance and catalytic role of the Polytechnic in the evolution of modern Greek history is not in doubt; for the vast majority, the uprising is considered an important event (70 per cent) that positively influenced the course of the country (72 per cent). However, the hopes and visions of rebellion, have lost some of their dynamism; today they are considered – even if only marginally – more outdated (51 per cent) than up to date (47 per cent).
Similarly, the myth of the Polytechnic generation – after its over-exploitation on the one hand and its vilification on the other – has worn off; 65% now negatively judge its role in Greek politics and economics, while, for 60%, its visions have been largely disproved. The responsibility attributed to this generation for the financial crisis of 2010 seems to have dealt a serious blow to its image.
Based on the party origin of the respondents, it appears that the uprising is probably embedded in the Left-Right divide; supporters of the Left and Centre-Left parties are favourable, while voters of the New Democracy and the smaller parties of the Right are more cautious. In this light, this is a historical event that has never acquired “national” characteristics – and which has been essentially filtered through the country’s political passions – as it both unites and divides at the same time.
Finally, it is noteworthy that despite the passage of time and the recent sequence of crises, today’s newer generation appears more sensitive towards the Polytechnic than the generations that experienced it.
