Friday, July 15, 2005

Post Without a Point

Ioannis Metaxas (Greek Ιωάννης Μεταξάς, April 12,1871 - January 29, 1941) was a General, Prime Minister, and Dictator of Greece from 1936 until his death by suicide in 1941 at the age of 69.

Metaxas attempted to dulcify (love that word; not enough opportunities to use it) the working classes by raising wages, regulating work hours, and improving labor conditions. Farm debts were assumed by the government and agricultural prices were increased. Nevertheless, Greeks drifted to the political left without energetically opposing Metaxas.

After banning political opposition, around 15,000 Greeks were exiled or imprisoned. Strikes were criminalized and media censorship was introduced. Metaxas never had great popular support nor a strong ideology.

General Metaxas was said by some to have been the world's most absent-minded man. On a military seaplane, he traded seats with the pilot. Now in control of the seaplane, the General flew himself to an airport to land. Reminded that he was flying a seaplane, General Metaxas said, "Of course!" He banked the plane to the nearby bay, smartly landed the seaplane, thanked the pilot, opened the door, and stepped out into the water.

So what's the point? Nothing. No point at all.



Tom C said...

I think he just wanted to swim.

dcat said...

At The Swamp Club!

Anonymous said...

There is a very interesting website on Metaxas and Greek Fascism at