Greeks are normally a very patriotic people. They do not say-'Place no faith in us. We are a nation of slaves'. Varoufakis, a former Finance Minister of Greece, is the exception to this rule. He tells us that Greece will be a country of slaves long after most of us are mouldering in the grave. Why is Varoufakis so determined to show that his country is wholly worthless?

As an undergraduate he elected himself President of the Black Student's alliance explaining that Greeks are the blacks of Europe. His point was the opposite of that of Martin Bernal. He was not saying Black people are equal to Greeks but that Greeks are not equal to more northerly West Europeans. In the eighties there was the demand for debt forgiveness for 'basket case' sub-Saharan countries experiencing war & collapsing terms of trade. These countries had also suffered colonial exploitation and had kleptocratic leadership. Varoufakis took if for granted that Greece- the most developed country in its region- was similar to some unfortunate war torn Sub Saharan African country. He thought proper 'White' countries like France and Germany have a duty (the 'white man's burden') to write off Greece's debts. This was quite bizarre. The world respects and admires Greece. Sooner or later- maybe in partnership with China- it will be a great financial and IT hub. It is not some landlocked sub Saharan country struggling with War and climate change.

Pretending your country is a basket case is not sensible. Begging bowl diplomacy backfires. Varoufakis may believe that Europe has been shamed by his own mendicant behaviour. It hasn't. It was Greece that got egg on its face. That stain is being wiped clean. Sooner or later, a new administration will institute a pro business fiscal policy. Then the native genius of the people will raise up the country to new heights.