In January 1882 Charilaos Trikoupis was elected Prime Minister for first time. For the next fifteen years his sovereign political personality existed. On chancellorship of this liberal reformer, Athens and Greece were more generally developed economically and socially. At his chancellorship the public services were reorganized, the armed forces were strengthened, the Isthmus of Corinthus was opened up, the Council of Territory were founded etc. However the vast expenses that were required for the realisation of this work could not be covered from the high taxation. Because of this Greece was unable to corresponds to her economic obligations, the government of X. Trikoupis declared bankruptcy, which she unfortunately notified in the Parliament on 10 December 1893 with the known phrase "Gentlemen we are broke".