The endless transformation of evil

"I was elected as a deputy in 2012 by the Greek people. How could the Greek people possibly elect the leaders of a criminal organization?" Eleni Zaroulia, the wife of Golden Dawn chief Nikos Michaloliakos, told judges during her testimony last week.
Her question was an acknowledgment of the Greek people but, at the same time, a hint at its complicity. Also, it appeared to be a rhetorical question, but it was not. In 2012, around half a million voters gave Golden Dawn the third largest share of seats in the Greek House. The party managed to maintain most of its power in the elections that followed - after the 2013 killing of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas.

The party now appears to have unraveled and it had to leave its headquarters on Mesogeion Avenue north of central Athens as its percentage dropped below 3 percent (the threshold for entering Parliament). However,...