In the Russian -language segment of the Internet, the text is popular about how, as a result of the world economic crisis, Iceland went bankrupt, after which the local population refused to pay external debts, the IMF froze lending and the people developed and adopted a new constitution. We checked whether it really was.

Common on the network text usually begins like this:

“Have you heard what happened on October 23 in Iceland? Probably not. Do you know why you did not hear anything? Because on October 23, a revolution occurred in Iceland - absolutely peaceful, but from this no less "revolutionary" than others. Which simultaneously showed how "dangerous" when "democratic procedures", which liberals love to talk about, are controlled by the majority, and not by the minority, as usual.

That is why the indicative example of Iceland is hushed up by the world media, is literally hidden, because the last thing the power of the whole world would like is that Iceland's example is really an example for other countries. But everything is in order. "

This is followed by a detailed story about how the Icelanders unexpectedly learned that as a result of the financial crisis, their country - “a member of the European Union, by the way” - literally went bankrupt. In 2003, the debt of Iceland was 200% of GNP, and in 2007 it was already 900%. The three main Icelandic banks burst and were nationalized, after which the country recognized itself bankrupt. This was followed by street protests and a change of government. However, after this good news was not increased, since soon the parliament decided that, on the expense of repayment of the country's debt to the World Bank and the European Union, each Icelander should pay € 100 per month for 15 years.

Under popular pressure, the president suspended the ratification of this law and convened a referendum at which 93% of the population spoke out against debt payment. In response, the IMF froze lending. However, the Icelanders could no longer be stopped. At first they figured out unpertable bankers (they were put on the wanted list), and then decided to write a new constitution that would free the country from the power of international finance and virtual money. 950 ordinary Icelanders, chosen through the lottery, together compiled the basic law of the country, and then 25 more ordinary residents (fishermen, farmers, doctors, housewives) finalized it as part of the Constitutional Council. And finally, on the above day, October 23 (the year is not mentioned), more than 80% of citizens who appeared to the polling stations voted for a new constitution.

And the world media, according to the authors, pretend that nothing happened. After all, the media, like the governments, like parliaments, "also represent the interests of the ruling class, which in any country - oh how unprofitable, so that the majority is allowed to manage."

Some historical realities in this text are retold correctly, but there are many very serious incorrects. Consider the main ones.

To begin with, we note that Iceland has never been a member of the European Union. The country applied for joining the EU in 2009, in the midst of a crisis, however I recalled Its in 2015 for a number of objective reasons. The public debt of Iceland did not amount to 200% of GN in 2003 and 900% of the GNP in 2007. Approximately such a coefficient (but in relation to GDP, and not GNP) had assets Three ill -fated banks (Glitnir, Kaupthing and Landsbanki). And this is a completely different indicator.

Contrary to a common misconception, Iceland never declared itself bankrupt. Yes, in October 2008 the country's Prime Minister warned Sokhradans that such a prospect is not far off, but the disasters were avoided. After the referendum in March 2010, the IMF did not freeze any loans. The lending program, which started in 2008, is safe ended According to plan three years later.

In Iceland, to this day is valid Constitution of 1944 (with the latest amendments in 1999). Yes, on October 20, 2012, a referendum was really held in the country about the new Constitution, however, not 950 ordinary Icelanders formed its final content, but seven professionals based on a sample of opinions presented by these ordinary Icelanders. In the Constitutional Council Entered Not 25 fishermen with housewives, but seven leaders (universities, museums, trade unions), five professors and associate professors, four media representatives, four artists, two lawyers, priest, father of the singer Bjork (a prominent trade union figure) and only one peasant.

And most importantly - this constitution has not yet entered into force, since it still had to approve the parliament, and in the 2013 elections, opponents of the bill came to power in the country. Since then, the alignment in parliament has changed more than once and the political struggle around the frozen bill has changed continues.

As you can see, there are quite a lot of serious non -contractions in the key places of the article. But even more of them in her primary source - publications American journalist Dina Strauker, entitled “Why Iceland should be on the news, but there is no there”, which appeared on the website of the “South African Civil Service Information Service” in August 2011, even before the referendum. In particular, it is said that the Icelandic prime minister requested a loan of $ 2.1 million from the IMF, while we should talk about $ 2.1 billion.

Despite the unpopularity of the resource, the publication quickly spread over the Internet, and Naomi Klein, a large Canadian anti -Globalist, who gave the article a second life through his own, played an important role in this Twitter. So the story of the Icelandic “quiet revolution”, in which the truth was mixed with fiction, began its walking around the light, which continues to this day.