When I think of solving the problems that Greece has today, my solutions almost always include the capacity of the Greek Diaspora to help Greece return to its former economic, social, and cultural glory.

Everyone knows the economic hardships affecting Greece right now. Chief among them is the Greek government’s allowance of foreign national corporations to buy up land, inflate the cost of living, and siphon profits back to their home countries.

As it stands today, the promise of GDP growth by allowing foreign entities to take hold of Greece’s economic development is not resulting in beneficial economic growth. Primarily from Saudi Arabia, China, and Israel, these foreign nationals are coming into Greece and profiting with little respect for Greek culture or Greek people. In fact, these foreign nationals are the sole beneficiaries of such investments, and their business practices undermine the local Greek population.

Compare that to the potential of the Greek Diaspora living abroad, and you will find a similarly industrious, well-educated, well-endowed group of people with a fundamentally different mindset. People in the Diaspora don’t just want to take from Greece – they want to give back to Greece and the Greek people.

Show me an ethnic Greek born abroad and I’ll show you a Greek who is equally capable of investing in the Greek economy and improving opportunities for locals while still having respect for the people, culture, and religion. That is not something that can be said about other national groups in Greece who see Hellas as nothing more than a borderless economic zone.

There are many other reasons to incentivize Greek Diaspora repatriation, such as their low tolerance for corruption. It is widely known that many local Greeks are, understandably, cynical and possess a negative outlook on Greek society, economics, government, and politics. Of course, one of the main reasons for this is that they believe the system is irreparably rife with corruption.

Corruption is indeed a huge problem in Greece. However, I believe the Diaspora can help to solve this problem too, given how Greeks from America, Canada, and Australia have a much lower tolerance for it.

Greek Diasporans are prominent business leaders, politicians, and philanthropists in many Western countries.

Greeks living in the diaspora are accustomed to low levels of corruption and bureaucracy as observed in Western countries. Bribery and multi-year wait times to obtain business licenses are foreign to Greek diaspora businessmen and women who have made their careers in America. This low tolerance for corruption will force Greece to adapt to a more reasonable and approachable way of doing business, improving the lives of all Greeks.

That is the reason why I see such a clear path forward for the inclusion of the Greek Diaspora, who grew up in Western societies, to assist Greece’s own society someday.

Greece also has a problem with an aging and declining population. Yet, by examining the demographics of Greek Americans and Greeks in the Diaspora, we can see they are having many more children than Greeks in Greece, whose birth rate is plummeting.

Interestingly, one of the main arguments for allowing immigration into Europe from non-European nations – including Greece – is that there is a declining, aging population that must be replaced. Where can Greece find replacements without diluting its unique religious and cultural values? Well, why not turn to the more than five million ethnic Greeks living abroad for support? After all, the average Greek couple statistically only has one or two children in the modern day, whereas the average Greek American couple might have three or four.

Now, I understand that I did not grow up in Greece. Nor do I pretend as if I am the Greekest man on planet Earth. My split identity between Greece and America is something I wrestle with every day. This is a reality not just for me, but for the five million Greeks living abroad.

The question is, will Greece completely abandon this group of people who feel a strong sense of loyalty to it and have the potential to facilitate real progress in Greek society? Or are they going to collectively come to the bargaining table with expectations for who can and cannot participate in social and economic reform? Of course, we agree that any Greek Diasporan who intends to return to Greece should focus on learning the language and relearning the culture that has held the country together through the centuries.

Simply put, there isn’t a single political, social, or economic problem that the arrival of the Greek Diaspora wouldn’t improve. Like many local Greeks, those living abroad are incredibly industrious and hardworking people. Through KTE’s initiatives and proposed reforms, we can all work together to rebuild Greek society to that of Earth’s greatest nation again.