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The
Movement Setup by Globalisation Critics
Dealing with the criticism of globalisation provides a good approach to the
resulting problems. The movement setup by 'globalisation opponents' has led to
enormous public attention, and central demands have been taken up by politics.
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As a
rule, the partially violent protests, on the occasion of the conference held the
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
in Seattle at the end of 1999, are seen as the beginnings of a movement which
has been given the unfortunate label of 'globalisation opponents'. A loose
network of extraordinarily heterogeneous organisations and individuals (mostly
scientists) is concealed behind this, which ATTAC (Association for the Taxation
of Financial Transactions for the Aid of Citizens - www.attac.org)
has come to represent as its mouthpiece in the meantime. The following text
clarifies the points of criticism and solutions strategies made by ATTAC.
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Attac
Statement
[Adopted on 26/5/2002 at the Attac Counsel, Frankfurt/Main]
Globalisation signifies a
change of historical dimensions. It is changing society at an enormous tempo,
and greatly infringes upon our conditions of living. Until now, it has been
one-sidedly dominated by powerful economic interests, major banks, investments
funds, transnational groups and other major owners of capital. Its model is
neoliberalism. According to this ideology, social problems can best be solved
when ceded to the market and private companies. The neoliberal promise that
globalisation delivers welfare to all has not been fulfilled; on the contrary:
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The
social gap between the north and the south is getting larger. Whereas the rich
are becoming richer, poverty in the Third World is growing. Complete national
economies are being forced into ruin overnight, and hundreds of thousands are
losing their jobs due to financial and economic crises.
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Poverty
has returned to the industrial nations. Insecurity, exclusion and injustice
are also increasing in the so-called wealthy nations. Social security systems
are being dismantled, and are threatened by privatisation. Pensions, health
and education are being turned into goods.
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Democracy
is being undermined, because global players are increasingly dictating
politics by threatening to change their 'location'.
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New
inequalities between the sexes are being created. The deregulation of the job
markets and the dismantling of the social system are being achieved
essentially with the assistance of under and unpaid, flexiwork performed by
women. Work performed by men is also increasingly being deregulated and
globalised according to the model of unprotected, underpaid felxijobs.
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Globalisation
has led to a crass growth in sexist and structural violence again women, for
instance, transnational trade with women and children. The victims of these
new, globalised wars are also women and children in the most part.
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The
solution to environmental problems is being procrastinated. Natural
livelihoods are being destroyed by the subjugation to the logic of the market.
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Cultural
pluralism is being levelled by a powerful, economic culture-industry. The
suggestive power of advertising and brand logos is increasingly determining
values and social models. |
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Besides
other reasons, hegemonial interest and new sources of raw materials (oil and
gas), which rich industrial nations increasingly attempt to secure using
military planning and aggressive intervention, are the causes. Neoliberal
globalisation has created many losers and only a very few winners. As a
result, it favours political destabilisation and is a reason for violence, war
and terrorism. This leads to justifying worldwide rearmament, militarisation
and the stifling of democratic rights. |
We need
a different kind of politics
Neoliberal globalisation is in no way inevitable and devoid of alternatives. It
is being pursued in a targeted manner by the governments of the large industrial
nations, and with the help of the international Monetary Fund (IMF), the World
Bank and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Germany and the EU are playing a
decisive role both internally (through the liberalisation of the single
markets), and in the neoliberal modelling of the world economy.
Economic and social-political alternatives to this course have always existed
and continue to exist. We support an ecological and responsible world economic
order. This constitutes increased international cooperation, and the
sustainable, environmentally-friendly development of both the north and the
south. We want a world in which democracy for all people is guaranteed, and
where cultural variety is retained.
These aims can only be achieved if a strong, internationally active social
movement exists. Attac is part of this movement, and has been formed in Seattle,
Prague, and other places, and has continued to be developed at the world social
forum in Porto Alegre and elsewhere.
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As part
of the extra-parliamentary movement, Attac will make a contribution to the
comprehensive democratisation of society. |
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Attac
fights for a new world order in which the riches of the world are distributed
fairly and used ecologically. |
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Attac
is a component of the anti-war and peace movement, because a just world is
impossible without peace.
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Attac
supports:
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an end
to new preparations for war and wars, and civil and peaceful solutions to
conflicts. We condemn the militarisation of foreign policy and active
service by the German Federal Army abroad. |
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The
introduction of taxation for international financial transactions, or what
is known as Tobin Tax, and the use of the revenues for international
environment and development projects. |
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The
shutting down of tax havens, the regulation of derivatives and a ban on
highly speculative funds (what are referred to as hedge funds). |
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The
higher taxation of investment income and large assets. |
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A
solution to the debt crisis in the developing countries, termination of
neoliberal structural adjustment and relief from the dictatorship of
creditors through a fair and transparent process. |
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A world
trade order, that gives preference to the interests of the developing nations,
the socially disadvantaged, and the environment.
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International
institutions that serve these aims, and not the interests of industrial
nations, concerns, and corrupt elites. |
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A
democratic and social Europe, that orients itself to the needs of humanity
and solidarity with other parts of the world. We resist restrictions against
the right to demonstrate, the freedom to travel, and the right of free
expression. We reject the criminalisation of the movement against neoliberal
globalisation. |
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A
democratic reform of public services. We support a level of social security
that enables a life worthy of a human being. We reject the privatisation of
public and social services, for instance, the health and education system,
and the supply of water as threatened within the bounds of the GATS
agreement. We reject the privatisation of public property and genetic
resources. |
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A
system of security for the elderly based on solidarity. |
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Redistribution
and revaluation of paid and unpaid work within the bounds of the
international and gender-specific division of labour. |
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The
social and ecological modelling of agriculture. We reject
genetically-engineered life products and patents. |
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The
regulation and restriction of the power of transnational concerns and
economic concentrations of power through cartels and mergers. Among other
things, we demand corporate taxation, the right to a living wage, worker's
rights and joint decisionary rights for employees, equal opportunities
directives, and social and ecological standards. |
Let’s
put the future of our world back in our own hands!
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