????簡而言之，歐洲忽視了改革的政治可行性。他們要求希臘立即開始提高稅率并削減政府開支，這在希臘經濟陷入衰退的路上又推它了一把。上屆希臘政府已經開始實施一些改革，并讓經濟重新實現增長。但歐洲給希臘施加了太多限制，而且后者的增長速度也不夠快。

????因此，歐洲讓希臘現任政府得到了它真正想要的東西——一個把責任推給歐洲的借口。

????兩年前，阿萊克斯?齊普拉斯曾造訪布魯金斯學會。我們深切體會到了他在政治上的精明，但圍繞在他身邊卻是一群業余的、被意識形態左右的顧問。齊普拉斯當時告訴我們，歐洲和希臘需要對方的程度相當。我們和他一樣，都認為緊縮措施本身不會帶來經濟增長。但我們也明確告訴他，希臘政府也不是光花錢就行，而是要發揚創新和創業精神。

????希臘這場大戲的最后一幕才剛剛開始。這部戲的劇情錯綜復雜，希臘政府和歐盟方面都存在多種力量和聲音。他們仍有可能化腐朽為神奇。但就我個人而言，這是五年來我首次感到情況不樂觀。（財富中文網）

????本文作者威廉?安索利斯是弗吉尼亞大學米勒中心首席執行官。1997-1999年他曾在美國白宮國家安全委員會擔任國際經濟事務主任。

????譯者：Charlie

????In short, Europe has ignored the political viability of reform. By demanding immediate and unceasingly higher taxes and cuts in government spending, they have helped to send Greece into a depression. The last Greek government had begun to implement some reforms and return the country to economic growth. But Europe’s constraints were too heavy, and the growth was not fast enough.

????As a result, Europe has given the current government exactly what it wanted: an excuse to blame failure on the EU.

????Two years ago, we hosted Alexis Tsipras at Brookings. He struck us as politically astute, but surrounded by an amateurish and ideologically driven group of advisors.

????Tsipras, at the time, told us that Europe needed Greece as much as Greece needed Europe. We agreed with him that austerity would not by itself lead to growth. But we also made clear to him that neither would government spending alone – that Greece needed to unleash its innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.

????This is just the opening scene in the final act of this drama. It is a very complicated play — multiple forces and voices within both the Greek government and the EU. There is still a chance that they can pull a rabbit out of the hat. But for the first time in the last five years, I’m not optimistic.

????William Antholis is the CEO of the Miller Center at the University of Virginia. He served as Director of International Economic Affairs on the White House National Security Council from 1997 to 1999.