DIONYSIOS KARAGIORGAS

Dionysios Karagiorgas was Professor of Public Finance (1974-1985) and Rector of the Panteion University of Economic and Political Sciences (1980-1981), Secretary-General of the economic committee of ministers in the Centre Union government (1964-1965). He studied economics at the University of Piraeus and at the Athens University of Economics and Business. He continued his studies at the London School of Economics on a state scholarship, receiving his Ph.D. in 1962. After completing his studies, he resumed his research activity at the Economic Research Department of the Bank of Greece. Meanwhile, he joined the editorial board of the economic review Nea Oikonomia (New Economy) and, together with other intellectuals, he founded the Alexandros Papanastasiou Political Research Group, whose goal was the in-depth study of the problems of the Greek economy and the formulation of sound policy recommendations. In 1964, he completed his habitation thesis and in 1966 he was elected Adjunct Professor of Public Finance at the Panteion University. He became actively involved in the resistance against the military dictatorship, through the ranks of the Democratic Defence group. In July 1969, an explosive device intended against the dictatorship blew up in his hands, leaving him severely wounded and requiring the amputation of his right hand. He was arrested and brutally tortured, and was given a life sentence by the Extraordinary Court Martial. He remained in prison until the general political amnesty in August 1973. He became an international symbol of resistance against tyranny and inspired younger generations with his free spirit and his commitment to serving the public good. After the fall of the dictatorship, he remained active in public life. He returned to his university duties and worked tirelessly for the upgrading of higher education, the advancement of economic knowledge and its passing down to younger generations. He died prematurely, leaving a rich body of work in the fields of public finance, tax and social policy. His work Public Finance (1979, 1981) is considered a classic. He also co-authored the important empirical study Research on the Composition and Distribution of Income in Greece (1988) and designed and led the research that resulted in the collective work Aspects of Poverty in Greece (1999).