Home life in Hellas, Greece and the Greeks - eBooks4Greeks.gr

276 HOME LIFE IN HELLASattack and defence, that a ship is barely launchedbefore she becomes obsolete, and the game canonly be played with the aid of vast resources.The history of modern Greek legislation mightbe roughly divided into three periods. The firstgeneration belongs to the men who took part in thefight for freedom, Klephts and sailors. They gaveproof of patriotism with their lives. But it wasnarrow, often restricted to clan or province. Theirmethods were those of the Pashas, from whoserule they had but just freed themselves. Thenext generation gave evidence of national growth.It created a constitution, established schools,rebuilt the towns, made roads, and its legislativeacts displayed care for and devotion to thecommon weal. But personal ambitions and partyfeuds compromised the public interests. Theperiod, nevertheless, was fruitful in improvements.The next generation saw the direction of affairspass almost exclusively into the hands of twoclasses represented by the University and Capital.The University men were chiefly lawyers, but theyincluded graduates of other faculties, and fromthis element arose the class of professional politicians.The capitalists were frequently speculatorsand promoters, Greeks in blood but not born inGreece. Through their influence financial interestsand financial schemes were allowed too great asway in the deliberations of Parliament. Greedof place and greed of pelf were the characteristicevils of this period. Popular opinion and party