The social policy of the dictatorship

The social policy of the dictatorhsip was of secondary importance and without internal cohesion. Despite his demagogy, Metaxas failed to find solutions to the country's burning issues. He tried to promote - without substantial success - a number of measures introduced by the Liberals aimed at improving the living conditions of the working and rural classes. After prohibiting the free expression of the unionist movement, he increased the lowest wages,
imposed an eight-hour working day and gave employees the right to two weeks' leave each year, along with other privileges which, however, employers never took up. The fragmentary and frequently contradictory acts of the dictatorship did not allow it - at least during its four-year term - to win the wide popular support it was seeking in an attempt to 'transform society into a fascist society' as was the case in other European countries.