'The Potato Revolution': A Little Freedom Breaks Out in Greece

Greeks started buying potatoes directly from farmers. Oh, the humanity!

The craze, which some are already starting to call the “Potato Revolution,” began in the northern town of Katerini two weeks ago. A group of local activists set up a website to allow people to order potatoes directly from local farmers, and then pick them up in a parking lot on the weekends. Their project was an instant hit. In the past two weeks, they’ve already sold 100 tons of potatoes, and inspired agricultural students in Thessaloniki to launch a similar program. Dozens more cities across Greece are planning to follow suit.

. . .

“A funny thing happened – the local supermarkets started slashing their prices”

But as LauraW says in email:

I'm sure there is some Greek bureaucrat searching furiously to discover what law they're breaking. . . . [A]ctually, it's a no-brainer that they are breaking some law or other. In a euro-socialist economy, if two parties to a transaction are both happy with the deal, and no one is getting bribed to allow it, it's illegal.

Sure, those potatoes must be inspected. You have to submit samples, and they have to be tested in a lab for deliciousness. Only then can the potatoes be certified as "potatoes." Greek bureaucrats will not allow you to trade in "dirtbacks" and "Idaho turdmuffins."

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posted by rdbrewer at 04:31 PM

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