ABSTRACT
Social policy in modern Greece largely reflects the adverse historical legacy o f four centuries of disastrous O ttom an rule and the idiosyncrasies of a political system which, as a result, lags behind western Europe in its ability to cope with economic development and social change and build strong representative institutions (Legg 1969). The social context also lags behind in its assimilation of notions such as solidarity and citizenship. The traditional bonds between the state and society - party political affiliations and clientelistic relationships - have tainted social policy developments.
