L’istruzione greca sotto il regime del 4 agosto: L’Organizzazione Nazionale della Gioventù (EON) come mezzo di indottrinamento e controllo
[The Greek education under the 4th of August regime: The National Youth Organization (EON) as a means of indoctrination and control]
Pantelis Papaioannou
Historian - PhD candidate at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The present article examines how the August 4th dictatorship under Ioannis Metaxas exerted control over Greek education through the National Youth Organization (EON). The analysis is based on primary and secondary sources, which provide a comprehensive overview of the regime’s propagandistic educational policies. The dictatorship maintained that by manipulating the youth, it would ensure their acceptance and loyalty, thereby securing long-term stability and sustainability. In this context, the establishment of the EON became a fundamental pillar of the regime’s educational policy, aimed at shaping a unified identity for Greek youth that was aligned with the ideals of the dictatorship. The EON, a multifaceted organization with a militaristic character, was designed to function as a «microcosm» of the society envisioned by Metaxas. For this reason, the dictator granted the EON the authority to intervene in the education of youth in Greece, making it a central tool for ideological indoctrination. However, despite the reinforcement of the regime’s ideological dominance, the increased power of the EON often led to arbitrary and coercive actions, occasionally provoking social reactions that, although present, lacked any significant momentum within the constraints of a dictatorial regime.
Keywords: Regime of 4 August; National Youth Organization (EON); Education; Ioannis Metaxas; Propaganda
Parole chiave: Regime di 4 agosto; Organizzazione Nazionale della Gioventù (EON); Educazione; Ioannis Metaxas; Propaganda
