The Greek Disease hits Calabria

In Italy for every 100 INPS pensions there are 111 active workers, and the bill drops to 103 if we exclude professionals who pay contributions to private funds. And in 39 provinces out of 107, almost all in the Centre-South, the employed are less than social security checks. In Calabria the record: 67 workers per 100 pensioners.

Calabria is the birthplace of the name Italy, given to it by the Ancient Greeks who settled in this land starting from the 8th century BC. The region is the Magna Graecia, with the foundation along its coasts of many Greek city-states (póleis) that remained for centuries among the richest and most culturally advanced of their time. During this period, Calabria was the home of key figures in history such as Pythagoras, Herodotus and Milo.

Eventually, their sybaritic lifestyle led to the depopulation of these rich and cultured settlements. The same happened to Greece proper.