6. (Mis)understanding the Social Effects of the Crisis: Elite Perceptions of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Greece

In this chapter, the authors describe and explain the attitudes and perceptions of elite groups on the issues of poverty and social exclusion. They use content analysis of material obtained in interviews with policy- and opinion-makers regarding poverty and social exclusion. Interviewees included politicians, technocrats, labour representatives and journalists. The authors show that among these elite groups, there are gross misperceptions of poverty and social inclusion. The two concepts are often conflated; elites understand only those social effects of the crisis which are familiar to their clientele or their own profession; and there is a glaring gap between the actual negative social effects produced by the crisis and the views which elites hold about such effects.