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REPORTS OF the riots throughout Greece in December, and further disturbances last month, have concentrated on two contributory factors: the weaknesses of the education system and the social and economic gaps between the haves and the have-nots.

But this is only part of the story. Behind these factors is the growing cynicism and disillusion of citizens at the corruption and arrogance among politicians of all parties. Most commentators – and the security forces themselves – have used the terms “terrorist” and “anarchist” to describe the political ideologies fuelling this disquiet.