What’s going on in Greece? Let Quartz explain…


The news from Athens is coming thick and fast. Greek voters comprehensively rejected a bailout proposal from creditors yesterday (July 5), setting the stage for yet another showdown between the government and its creditors. Greece’s membership in the euro zone, and the fate of its economy in general, hangs in the balance.
If you’re not sure what all that means, read on—we’re here to help. Glued to Greece’s bailout saga, Quartz has compiled a handy rundown of some key pieces to get you up to speed on all the ins and outs.
How did Greece get in such big trouble in the first place?
It was a long time coming:
It’s all because people don’t pay their taxes, right?
Not exclusively, but that is indeed a big problem:
So what’s up with this referendum I keep hearing about?
It was a high-stakes gamble by the prime minister…
…and it paid off for him. Or did it?
But now all the banks are closed? How did that happen?
Put simply, they’re almost out of money…
…so they had to shut their doors, possibly for a very long time:
Will Greece ever repay its debts?
Probably not. The IMF basically gave up hope last week:
How bad can it get?
Greece might leave the euro zone and start printing drachmas again…
…which would make things even worse than they already are:
What happened to that tough-looking guy with the motorcycle?
Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis? He quit today, having outlived his usefulness as the government’s “bad cop”:
What should I do if I’m going to Greece?
Bring cash. Lots of it:
What a mess. Is there anything lighter than we can end on?
How about some bad poetry?
For even more of Quartz’s coverage on the Greek debt crisis, click here and start scrolling…