Work Values in Politics: The European Union Debt Crisis as a Case Study

The European debt crisis has had significant political and economic implications throughout the Eurozone, particularly for its peripheral South. These were especially obvious for Greece, which had to face elevated levels of austerity and sign three different bailout programs within eight years to remain economically solvent and retain its position in the context of European institutions. Here, we track how the perception of the work values of Greeks by other member states—such as Germany, Slovakia or Finland—along with ensuing public debates adversely affected the bailout program design and implementation in Greece, and had significant political consequences throughout the Eurozone.