How the Western intellect and the aftermath of the French revolution sow the seed for the uprising of the Greeks. Adamantios Korais, the Greek rulers of Moldovlachia and the Phanariotes… The awakening of the Greeks for their freedom begins.

In the broadcast of Sunday, August 25, Aris Portosalte with guest Mr. Aristidis Hatzis, professor of Philosophy of Law and Theory of Institutions at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, discuss the period of the Greek Enlightenment towards the time of the revolution. Their discussion begins with the main person Adamantios Korai, but beyond him they also refer to the other persons who inoculate with ideas and cause the formation of the Philiki Etairia.

These persons are Riga Velestinlis and Beniamin Lesvios who is not well known to the general public. Benjamin Lesvios is a priest and a very progressive spirit with ideas that were very radical for that time.

The patriarch of all, however, was Adamantios Korais, as he greatly influences the Elites of that time, talks with them and has created a climate both himself and his circle that will play a big role in the Greek revolution.

As Mr. Hatzis mentions, the way we feel today as Greeks is due to a large extent to Adamantios Korais. According to Mr. Hatzis, the way Korais saw the Greek nation and believed that this Greek nation should be formed to be ready to revolt influenced the intellectuals of the time so much that they gave a direction from the beginning to the Greeks which is what we all take for granted today. That, in other words, those who will rebel are the descendants of the Ancient Greeks, that they must look towards the West and that they are Europeans par excellence.

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