Download the Reader

Home , Monster (Millennium)

The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI SYNOPSIS OF THESIS P OF THESIS SYNOPSIS Content REGIONS OF THE SOUTH THE OF REGIONS TRANSFO EMANCIPATORY KEET DOT ASPECTS THE MULTIPLE FR DREAM I HAVE A HABASHI MAMDOUH BAN VIA THE A DETOUR AN FOR PREREQUISITES BERNARD FOUNOU FREE THE FOR REQUIEM DIERCKXSENS WIM U.S. CRISIS, ECONOMIC THE U.S. ANOTHER TO MAKE “UNSETT BUILDING THE AND CHE JENNIFER COX ASOCIAL SOCIALISING CHACHRA SANDEEP THESIS SHORT BERNARD CASSEN REGIME THE OVERCOME THE THESES FOR FIVE BRIE MICHAEL N THE CRISIS: BEYOND PIERRE BEAUDET O CRISIS EXITINGTHE AMIN SAMIR ANDGREEN THE CRISIS ELMAR ALTVATER ANÇOIS HOUTART ANÇOIS ALTERNATIVES CHAPTER POST CHAPTER THE CHAPTER THE CHAPTER THE CHAPTER CAUSES CHAPTER PREFACE ......

......

STATE CURRENT REGIONAL - CRISIS

OF ......

IV III II I VI V

s OF

......

THE

THE ...... STATE

TO IMPACTS

CRISIS POST

F CAPITALISM OR CAPI OR F CAPITALISM CRISIS SOCIAL CON APERS IST VISION: IST ORTH AMERICAN PERSPE AMERICAN ORTH ......

THE NEW CLASS AND HI AND NEW CLASS THE OUT WAYS

LING FORCE”: LING RI HONKALA RI DUNG ERA DUNG OF

- OF THE CRISES AND TH AND CRISES THE OF EFFECTIVE STRUGGLE A STRUGGLE EFFECTIVE

...... MARKET: TOWARDS APO TOWARDS MARKET:

CAPITALISM? AND ANOTHER WORLD PO WORLD ANOTHER AND OF CRISIS CAPITALISM OF OF FERENCE ON ALTERNATI ON FERENCE RMATION AND ALTERNAT AND RMATION

CRISIS

- OF

CAPITALISM GLOBAL

...... MOVEMENTS

THE ...... -

CAPITALISM ......

......

CRISIS ......

CAPITALISM

......

THE

–

......

CONCRETE

...... PATHS WORLDWIDE TALISM IN CRISIS? IN TALISM ......

AND E WAY OUT E WAY STORY OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES STORY

GAINST IMPERIALISM I IMPERIALISM GAINST CTIVES......

AND ...... TO ST

VES AND TRANSFORMATI AND VES ...... THE SSIBLE

IVE DEVELOPMENT PATH DEVELOPMENT IVE TRANSFORMATION

- DEMANDS

CAPITALIST UTOPIA CAPITALIST ITS ......

......

LONG ......

......

MULTIPLE ......

......

SHADOW ......

......

AND ......

INTERTWINING

...... PROPOSALS ...... N SUB N

OF FOR ORGANIZING IN TH IN ORGANIZING FOR

......

NEOLIBERAL ...... ON PATHS TO PATHS ON - SAHARAN AFRICA SAHARAN S WITHIN AND FROM ANDFROM S WITHIN ......

......

FACES ......

DOCTRINE ......

...... E 121 119 116 111 107 .

98 87 85 79 75 68 63 53 38 32 21 16

8 3 3

171 175 178 126 139 144 148 153 156 161 164 167

......

...... FICALLY SENSITIVE ...... SOCIAL MOVEMENTS OPOSED NEW STRATEGY

...... LED ALTERNATIVE ......

......

OF CRISISTHE LTURALLY SCIENTIAND NT ...... S INS THE US A AND PR CU OF STATETHE AND THE

LIBERALISM: UNION A - C CRISIS ...... A ......

...... LY THE CRISI

......

CHENJIE

FORESHADOW WAYS OUT NTALLY SUSTAINABLE, DECENT FULL EMPLOYME

......

LITICS: THE NEW ROLE IEW ON CRISISTHE OF PERSISTENTA NEO D ......

...... CRISIS

AIN SECURITY IN CHIN F THE GLOBAL ECONOMI

...... (ADDRESSING ESPECIAL

EJUN, EJUN, LIU HUAIYU, LI U CHI KIN

2 LIST OFLIST CONTRIBUTORS SHORT THESIS TO MOBILIZE WORKERS) WEN TI WEN CRISISGLOBAL GR AND WOLFFRICK HILARY WAINWRIGHT FROM THE HEARTLANDS A NOTEA ON SWITZERLAN VRATUSAVERA SHORT THESES TOWARDS TOWARDS ENVIRONMEAN PLANETARY PROGRAM OF ROCHATFLORIAN THE THE WORLD FINANCIAL PEDRO PÁEZ P. K. MURTHY K. P. IN THEINDIA MIDST O PAULO NAKATANI GUSTAVE MASSIAH OPPOSITION MOVEMENTS AN ANTHROPOLOGICALAN V LA TRANSFORMATION OF PO ALI ELALI KENZ The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI PREFACE SYNOPSISOF THESIS PAPERS fashions thelab commands and other each with compete they market financial and monetary grants financialisation ( ‘financial world. our are They entirety. its in system economic the of production the of command alone future ‘oligopoles’ The part). in the only was capitalism far so (which term the of sense full and it nature; the in ‘oligopoles’ to of present capitalism a foremost and as first is capitalism Contemporary well the as societies, both our to threat endangers a poses It limits. ethical and social political, economic, its reached has economy capitalist “disembedded” the profound and brutal global, this contrary, the On new of use the by future, the in so more even be will and amplified, is failure Their nature. and man both and consequences the of “irresponsible” today run level, international system and closed local at both groups, leading The th of tip of visible variant neoliberal ( the capitalism. of of crisis crisis the a but not capitalism is us before unfolding have we What catastrophe t for reasons the seek must we why is that and itself; capitalism of result a is dismissed rapidly the century: socialism. Soviet a of experiment half for ego” “alter unfortunate its been had vict undisputed its and century 19th the of revolution industrial thewith verybeginning fromunprecedented,its been has that phase capitalist a of end the marks it as moment, historical important an marks crisis current The as named variously E crisis and Recession Crisis, Financial this Meltdown, of quagmire the from economies triad imperialist the of Bailou ( them. expense. in by borne being centredis phenomenon this of greater brunt lay the as world, the enveloping US that the crises economic unabated ever the and ongoing the at on is world contained the in masses be working the of focus principal the situation, global contemporary only can power, authoritarian and which barbarism of democratic elements stronger ever produces integration, and societal the terror, civilisation,of crisis a thereforeto Itleads unavoidable. are etc. fundamentalism, reproduction, wars, oligar resource into social democracy destruction, of transformation Climate of security. and crisis identification a from life andtransport production, of expansion the hand, one the on of, combination the of form extreme an by characterised is It such. as civilisation human threatens financial Neoliberal - style, wit style, ised’ in the sense that they alone have access to capital markets. This markets. capital to access have alone they that sense the in ised’

– ts and stimulus packages have been doled out by the governments the by out doled been have packages stimulus and ts h, on the other, the destruction of its own foundations, and suffers and foundations, own its of destruction the other, the on h,

and alsofor whynot «passing» its – e structural crisis of the globalized capitalism today. (HABASHI) today. capitalism globalized the of crisis structural e

“iebde” n goaie eooy wih a become has which economy, globalised and “disembedded” a - market capitalism has dragged the world into a crisis which crisis a into world the dragged has capitalism market – –

and largely speculative speculative largely and S Erp ad aa i a i t pl ot their out pull to bid a in Japan and Europe US, our and ( commodity exchange markets.

– This crisis is both fortunate and pertinent, as it as pertinent, and fortunate both is crisis This

the status of dominant market, which in turn in which market, dominant of status the

BELLO effects that it generates and that affect that and generates it that effects h, ls dvds a e rcs and racism new a divides, class chy, conomic Downturn. ( Downturn. conomic ) The financial crisis is only the only is crisis financial The ) –

in capitalism.( in

– crisis has demonstrated that demonstrated has crisis

methods of obtaining profit. obtaining ofmethods –

their market, on which which on market, their EL KENZ BRIE ory over what over ory MURTHY PK MURTHY – L KENZ EL

) Financial

AMIN – n the In

) ie a like

) he

3 ) )

alist alist l. The mong those those mong to avoid the

and and ecological

even if a them part of

perialist competition. ) The global crisis is a - im ying social ramifications. social ramifications. ying - it is an economic crisis, a

– neither a new accumulation

economic policies allowed the – - HOUTART to the destruction of employment,

us crises, which are all the fruit of

) organisation of capital domination during capitalist capitalist and inter -

NAKATANI ) ts (similarly to the end of Fordism), their position is crisis crisis thus sowing the hollowness of the much acclaimed

risis risis is essentially the crisis of capitalism as a system is an reaching reaching financial and economic crisis since the 1930s, d d to deny a depreciation of accumulated capital by a trying not to record large losses. In this way, the capitalist -

- MURTHY PK MURTHY and and that is what needs to be explained. The crisis is not only a

– ) The financial crisis should depreciate a logically quite gigantic ) That the c nizing nizing ideology in the transition to a transnational mode of production

MASSIAH BEAUDET 4 conditions conditions that thrusts large increasingly leads to revolt at the internalexternal and peripheries a parts of society into soaring insecurity and facing facing the most far closely linked to food and energy crises, and which means further aggravating of the precarisation of working and living stimulus stimulus nor a new consensus in society can be expected from it. Its institutions will continue to have effec now only “ruling”, still dominant, but not “leading“ (Gramsci) anymore. We are orga based on information technology are exhausted capitalist ( system. Because of the interaction and entanglement of severe crises this appears to be a structural or organic crisis. The reserves of still dominant neoliberalism as the uncontestable fact. It is not merely a financial crisis food crisis, a natural resources crisis, an ecological social crisis, a and cultural environment crisis, a confrontation confrontation between social and political movements and the ruling ( powers. economic and social; ecological, current sequence of a financial, monetary, geopolitical; real estate, food, and economic crisis political and shows ideologica many facets of it. All these aspects play a decisive role in the crisis crisis are conjunctural, but are also potentially structural. Energy crisis, on the other hand, are fully structural. ( crisis of capitalist globalisation in its neoliberal phase. It is a structural crisis: could lead to a worldcould depression, all the accompan with In addition moreover, we are also experiencing a food and a crisis, climate crisis. an So we energy are facing crisis today four main crises: financial and food capitalist logic financial one. It is much more than that. It is also an economic crisis, which stagnation, ( even depression. or What is however specific to the present crisis is not only but its the global fact dimension that it is a combination of vario attenuate the devastating effects of its exacerbation own of crises, rather its than internal contradictions and a convergence toward the turns turns to be middle classes. In every re the 20th century, the improvement of the macro system to create institutions and more efficient instruments in order to bourgeoisie bourgeoisie is force systemic necessity than they classesdominant become stronger before were world world system will be so strong that toward a downfall, with economic, social and political such consequences that cannot depreciation would risk pushing it be predicted by experts. As usual, when there is a capitalist crisis, the amount of the parasitic fictitious capital to get to cycle of restart the capital. However, a from today on, new the contradictions of accumulation the capit Capital needs to deconstruct and reconstruct patterns of exploitation to class offset struggles and to face ( inter Under Under capitalism, crises are parts and parcels of the accumulation process. The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI the most dangerous crisis is the ecological crisis of climate change and loss of loss and change climate of crisis ecological the is crisis dangerous far most By the limits. its reaching is capitalism way, this In possible. not is scale world o limit without Growth environment. the and resources natural of crisis a is ( rising. periodically but direction, clear without fragmented and still alllevels, forming at most is affected.Protestandresistance new new liberalism. to the socialists European the by this time occurred, rallying same The of ‘endhistory’. it’s the pr guarantees ‘market’ the process: this discourse accompanied herent. same monopoly their to levy groups oligopolistic allowing globalization, financialised (1990 époque’ ‘belle second the defined that structures established capital globalizati and concentration of movement by double a crisis previous the unlike in 1945 period the in levels the to reverted again the commen after century a exactly almost of Dollar, the gold convertibility the of abandoning the 1971 with in began capitalism of systemic crisis second The and Africa. Asia of movements imperialist a of wave triumphant first the and of that capitalism’) phase of ‘supreme the constitutes of monopolies this capitalism that Lenin thought point where (tothe capitalism of ageing crisis profound systemic and first of the the deployment century’ twentieth ‘long The onwards. from 1873 1 ( future away. and go crisis quietly current us the will Let ofprospects. crisis duration the the regarding that prevails and Uncertainty suffice will edges around capitalism the regulating jum measures modest somehow if as will act banks They economy. the world at money that more pretended they and Then more economy. throwing real the could from capitalism »decoupled« finance that be pretended somehow they well, as South global the to and r did crisis the as then, States; United the of borders the beyond spread could it that denied they then sector; housing would the go beyond theydenied First thecrisis ofdenial. that astate in leaders world’s The ( of crisis. thesystemisin management whose oligarchies by governed is world contemporary The South. for the development of theabandoning resources, and plundering theplanet’s serviceof the of militarisation in the globalisation leadership, and US oligarchies, financialisation, of generalized power globalisation, political barbarous the of ‘oligopoles’, of capitalism capitalism the another: one late imperialist T hegemony. of crisis financialized the systemic multiple of but sum the nor crises crisis financial a neither therefore is crisis death. to leads cancer, like latter, the and growth exponential with principl The onourplace ( unfortunate planet. all an make and we if time as had act still must we know, don’t we since But it. past already are we perhaps from crises a We over. is game these the hold, taken prevent environment and the with mistakes so our Not correct recurring. can we over, start and even or in social food, finance, with Because most? it fear we should Why biodiversity.

The industrial capitalism, which was triumphant in the nineteenth century, entered a crisis crisis a entered century, nineteenth the in triumphant was which capitalism, The industrial equality, if we make enormous political efforts, it is possible to go back go to possible is it efforts, political enormous make we if equality, cement of the first. Investment levels and growth rates all collapsed (and never never (and collapsed rates all growth and levels Investment first. of the cement o edes cuuain ht eie cptls i synonymous is capitalism defines that accumulation endless of e

aken together, the following phenomena are inextricably linked to to linked inextricably are phenomena following the together, aken oiooe’ Ti cii i as a te ae ie cii o US of crisis a time same the at also is crisis This ‘oligopoles’. eebr h ls srcua cii, t ofca bgnig in beginning official its crisis, structural last the remember and their advisors, particularly economists, largely remain largely economists, particularly advisors, their and

AMIN

apidly spread to the rest of the developed world developed the of rest the to spread apidly f oiooe’ te eln o dmcay the democracy, of decline the ‘oligopoles’, of - ) out effort, right now, to reduce the burden we we burden the reduce to now, right effort, out

GEORGE nti re on the threshold of such an extreme event, extreme an such of threshold the on re - capitalist revolutions (Russia, China) and the anti the and China) (Russia, revolutions capitalist - 75). Capital responded to the challenge not challenge the responded to 75). Capital – –

) 1873

ne uaa goa wrig has warming global runaway once - 1990 CANDEIAS – osperity, democracy and peace; and peace; democracy osperity,

is therefore is therefore ) But first of all there all of first But ) - 2008) of 2008) both the century of of century the both 1

The current The sat the start p on. As such, on. such, As GEORGE n a n - 5 )

) in in

) By AMIN

) North North seek nt question, of licts over the whole COX/HONKALA CANDEIAS s of the South is clearly Keynesian and ecological - me in the last half century ) One importa ible success, as that of the

) MASSIAH neoliberalism. neoliberalism. The second is that of a

BELLO An An opportunity and at the same time an

sential sential element to prevent the restriction or – r r country will continue being used as cannon which Keynes had denounced without much of an

ough ough with a green dimension this time around? Or – th

– neoliberalism and militarization. ( of of revolutionary political realism, it concerns the whole

– the poor of ou

will will only exacerbate the scope of the contradictions which are

– – litical organization litical among organization the victims of the same system within cult and dangerous moment for moment and cult ( left forces. dangerous

fter fter which control will be given back to the corporate elites? Are we going to 6 and and its twin heads contrast, the fragility of the power held by the autocracie races races in the US remain unorganized and isolated from the global movement for “Another World” fodder and as an unconscious social, political and material base for the empire military military control around the world depends on independent po the lack of consciousness and the belly of the beast. As long as this growing class of poor and excluded of all to remain in power once the crisis is over. They do not feel threatened. ( The power for example of the US empire to impose its economic model and its conservatives conservatives in the 1920s echo at the time the root cause of the 2008 financial collapse. The oligarchies of the Is Is the reinstatement of the capitalism of financialised and globalised ‘oligopoles’ possible? Today the powers that be, those who busy did not foresee restoring anything, are the same system. Their poss new new social coalitions has started. especially diffi avoid. avoid. However, conditions for at least partial steps to the left are favourable these times, since the active consensus is eroded and splits between groups in the ruling power bloc impede or reduce their capacity to act, and the search for the case when struggles are not seen mode as of hegemonic social conf organisation. Then what happens interests is into the the integration ruling of power partial bloc by compromise. This is also difficult to just a long term objective, it is an es the relapse into corporatist (that towards single reforms is which regularly intensifies subalternity, group what is always interests in a narrow sense) or societal organisation, the common disposition about the immediate conditions of life. This orientation towards the whole of the social structure is more than The The depth of the crisis and the conflict over ways to overcome it will determine the next years. It marks a historical break in capitalist development. Therefore, within the framework in the system of global capitalism, but at no other ti fluid. ( more those limits seemed have growth, growth, and high wages will we witness the beginnings control of of the economy in fundamental a more popular direction? shifts There are limits to reform in the ownership and a see a second round of Keynesian elites capitalism, along where with the labour state work and out corporate a partnership based on industrial policy, course, course, is how decisive and Other definitive questions, however, the go to the break heart of with capitalism itself. Will neoliberalism government will ownership, intervention, and control be exercised simply to be. stabilize capitalism, approach or a “Green New Deal”. The third is set in the context of the historical question of going beyond capitalism. ( landscape in 1945, following a world war. Several scenarios are possible. One is that of a conservative nature, fundamental a reform of war capitalism by choosing a neo 1929, 1929, the Great Depression in 1930, the New Deal in 1933, the new political The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI alternative to chaos socialism to to alternative road F the sadness. on itself for commit therefore cause only be will is would humanity that but place so, Probably in century? in case previous currently the was the as is South, the in revolt that the by questioned be globalisation it Will vulnerable. of model The visible. possible world.possible ( another build to on now from start must we And topical. now is it beyond going collective new, A contradictions. new is project emancipatory create will it and contradictions from experienced feudal out already starting is in It difficulties. experience emerged will it and relations today, social capitalist way societ same this foreshadowing the relations social development, already are There project. emancipatory is alliances political century. past the in seen and have we social widest the onslaught another be could what avoid to indispensable world the throughout Building ( subsidies. state i.e.state, the andwithoutagainst,sometimes verywithin,oftensometimes state, aren political well the asin as civil within society takes place alternatives short a have they whether and reach global or national local, a display they whether society more us be will it whether question, the poses move crisis this to solution a ( can capitalism? of parameters the beyond How have? now we one to the system as financial realities a w regulating system and productive developing a of finance crisis. indeed, the use, before off the left is had What one where from anew, again beginning involve e the of regulation simple A approach. holistic a without whole, the of analysis an and vision a without solutions consider to impossible is It civilisation. of crisis real a facing are we that suggests situation overall the of analysis an Ultimately, ( the South. in those and North the of countries the in both defeated been have will servants, ooi sse wud o b priual sgiiat f t ee ipy to simply were it if significant particularly be not would system conomic - ies. The new world, born from the old world, is beginning to take shape take to beginning is world, old the from born world, new The ies. term, medium or long term impact. In the real world the struggle for for struggle the world real the In impact. term long or medium term, A MIN MASSIAH ALTVATER )

–

once the powers of the oligarchies, their allies and their and allies their oligarchies, the of powers the once on the agenda. Capitalism is not eternal; the question of question the eternal; not is Capitalism agenda. the on )

)

ih s s etutv o eooia ad social and ecological of destructive as is hich

( BEAUDET HOUTART ) The challenge is to define a new a define to is challenge The ) ) The urge for transformation for urge The ) - drive against the peoples like peoples the against n or more state more or n –

h ol humane only the - a ofthe driven, or 7

- but but wn wn

osed osed ) We ) The ntribution to ntribution ALTVATER in in physics, which ALTVATER profit, i.e. “bubbles”

- ) distributed distributed from the AND ITS ITS AND

atives (allowing the use ) Financial markets have ) The form of development of

NAKATANI es „saturated“. ( ) Though, the economic crisis is a

)

NAKATANI

HOUTART banking markets. In spite its lack co of of markets. banking BELLO - ncial investors must be serviced out of the accumulation of capital money in the ’60s and ‘70s, mainly ‘70s, of ’60s in accumulation and money capital the nd contracts on exchange rate, interest rate, stock prices. interest rate, stock rate, exchange onnd contracts - EL KENZ inked, as has been true of past crises, with over

ery historic period. ( historic ery

consumption. ( -

The The claims of fina

y y dispossession“ as well as greed of individual managers. 2 market market capitalism is inevitably one of the continual creation of -

GENERAL CAUSES

The creation place of the "fictitious capital" is the system of credit, that not only consists of the banks, not only that the of capital" consists is credit, of the "fictitious the system creation place of The

8 These instruments originated from the overoriginatedfrom These instruments inter in the from and the Eurodollars petrodollars and the creation of nourishes value from redistribution capitalsurplus the production, this benefits own(NAKATANI) of fictionala remuneration. as its capital mean 2 funds speculative (hedge investment funds, pension exchange, also companies, stock ofthe insurance the two the extremities the chain. of State and enterprises being funds)other similar institutions. and a derivatives Nowadays,the to is add right it speculative bubbles, within which societal wealth is re production production and under this financial bomb, the “ICTs” have served to generate speculative super that generate crises. eventually ( The present financial crisis is l and and information science, yet uncontrollable in their use. made possible the generation As of nuclear energy and hence also its use as atomic fictitious capital. surpluses produced in the productive sectors of the economy. ( are talking here of those famous derivatives, made possible by mathematical themselves on the detached from economic the real productive economy logic. and generate claims ( independent on the efficiency and power of the productive economy. Capital became of of other credits or contracts on the future prices and integration of of the assets). stock exchange The and banks deregulation into globalise markets moved the centre of power gravity towards the leading finance, whose diktats imp Since the dismantling of the Bretton Woods structure, the credit system has had considerable changes, in particular, the creation of deriv I.2 THE MULTIPLE INTERTWINING OFI.2 THE CRISIS FACES MONETARY AND CRISIS FINANCIAL I.2.1 leading leading to an economic downspin. ( "normal" working way of the in ev mechanisms can vary capitalist system, even though its causes and we we are seeing »contradictions« of global capitalism: the crisis is of overproduction, also kno the as overaccumulation or overcapacity. intensification The result is an of erosion of profitability, one of the central crises or shrinked shrinked and profit rates of productive industrial capital fell. Economic growth rates decreased and already fundamental crisis is overaccumulation. From the perspective,progressive what rich countri „accumulation „accumulation b Moreover, in the real and productive economy, surpluses of real accumulation The The main causes of current crisis are autonomization and disembedding of the financial markets due to liberalization generation and deregulation of since the high 1970s, a financial claims due to „financial innovations“, the I.1 CHAPTER I CHAPTER CAPITALISM GLOBAL OF CRISIS THE OF CAUSES FACES INTERTWINING MULTIPLE The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI be required, and would be paid exclusively and parasitically to this class of the of class this to parasitically and exclusively paid be would and required, be would product gross global the of cent per four fully fortunes, these on paid be t were cent of per one only of accumulation rate interest real The a If pressure. sector. utilisationredistribution and gigantic generating private is fortunes the cash private to in trillion public $200 approx. the from and up bottom profits from theirfrom tothe moneyprofits access thatinforeign thelastflooded decade. US ca speculativefabricatedmaniaonby thepartlargely ofdevelopers that wanted greatfinanciers and make to late the 3 of expansion of the of strategies pillars essential the constitute practices these Both question. the in of regions resources natural of plundering the and peasantry the of expropriation peripheri the In I.2.4 FOOD CRISIS ( ( their strengthen to contract. would economy real the before time of rivalsmatter a only was it up, seizing up buying Not or cash base. their financial to ( on recession. holding are global banks scale the activity, productive facilitate large to lending of task primordial a their performing causing is it economy, theactual Tha level. in international It onan now is causing acrisis ( system. capitalist the of typical economy, the of fundamentals the affecting one, economic an but crisis, financial a only not is it that know all We I.2.3 EC non so become has system financial whole fatally the because are over keel many they until how infected and who know don’t we plague, capitalism’s a with as And, Global infected. up. was game the loans, housing other and mortgage, adjustable loans, subprime the on raised investors bought that themortgage suckers the on li risk the the foisting down while profit, tidy a make and upfront institutio money and your get quickly, banks sale a make to was other idea The institutions. financial foreign to and possible as banks other onto quickly securities mortgagethese offloaded turn in institutions These as investors. the them by offload traded to and as assets other with so risk understated who middlemen of layersdifferent with workingoriginators bundled then that were (CDOs) assets obligations« th that odds debt the on speculation »collateralized enabled called commodities spectral »securitized« then were assets these that is reason The 1990’s. early the of bubble technology the of bursting the of effects recessionary the counter year Alan was it of dimensions hou the encouraging key Greenspan’s Some Implosion. Subprime the as known also market, housing US the of collapse the from stem crisis current the of Dynamics I.2.2 CRISIS ESTATE REAL waged the to presented is ofstrata th bill the burst, bubbles these When rich. idle global

CANDEIAS BELLO The subprime mortgage crisisThemortgagesubprime acaseoutrunning notofsupply real dema was - - transparent owing ( tolackoftransparent regulation. o o 1 e cn i Jn 20 ad epn i tee o oe a er to year a over for there it keeping and 2003 June in cent per 1 of low ONOMIC DOWNTURN Te cuuain n n xadd cl i n lne guaranteed. longer no is scale expanded an on accumulation The ) e population, sector. andpublic tothe ( ) ne 3

How did problematic mortgages become such a massive problem? problem? massive a such become mortgages problematic did How –

s te aprzn dsossin aiet isl i the in itself manifests dispossession pauperizing the es, h hnrd o tosns f ntttos n individual and institutions of thousands of hundreds the upiigy wt goa cptls’ cruaoy system circulatory capitalism’s global with surprisingly,

sing bubble by cutting the prime rate to a 45 a to rate prime the cutting by bubble sing - tied securities. Whentheinterest rates were tied securities. iatc icltr sse ws fatally was system circulatory gigantic mrgg wud o b pi. These paid. be not would mortgage e iaim f h ‘lgpls. The ‘oligopoles’. the of pitalism BELLO BRIE DIERCKSXSENS )

)

–

that is converted into converted is that nd. The nd. was»demand«

Ised of Instead ) HOUTART t is, nal 9 o ) -

- n to

tal. tal. ) The

which, which,

– . The problem GEORGE the enormous

– ) This corresponds ) This millions of peasants

two two main causes of the but it is fundamentally

– GEORGE ) The rising prices of minerals roduction roduction of agricultural products,

) ) It has been reinforced by growing short period culture was discovered as a realm for ALTVATER S AND CRISIS OF NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL S CRISIS OF AND HOUTART HOUTART here, agri

– fuels, is putting the majority of these countries in - han forty years now, peasant agriculture has been

)

) hed hed its height in of the spring 2008 when it plunged tens of XSENS costs and increases of prices of agricultural and mineral AMIN

) There are ecological limits of growth: limits of resources („peak DIERCK consumption of energy. That has accelerated during the neoliberal -

CANDEIAS 10 hyper Certainly, the energy crisis also has increase conjunctural of the price of dimension oil and gas over a structural. Since the dawn of capitalism, growth has been characterised by due due to increases in agro ( danger. commodities commodities on the world market. ( have led to a deformation in the economic structures of countries that possess these resources. The rate of growth in the p oil“; „peak of everything“) and limits of the carrying capacity spheres of (greenhouse effect,the „ecological planetary footprint“). The provision of resources yields higher droughts, droughts, and floods ( but also in form of massive destruction of capi I.2.5 ENERGY CLIMATEI.2.5 CRISI AND Already, the ecological crisis is apparent in everyday catastrophes life, not only threatening in form of the lives of millions of people through storms, contradiction contradiction between the fact that everyone in the world needs food, and the capitalist of logic accumulation. ( economic calculation of destruction, costs: neither of which is subject to capitalist accountability the devastation is that of the food crisis is built precisely on that kind of logic: it is the result of nature, the and also social with with the two main aspects of the logic of frontiers capitalism: first, of the accumulation search for new capitalist investment; and second, the exclusion of externalities from the of of course, meant into hunger. ( inequalities, reac and peoplemillions more hunger into dire poverty. and ( the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in each of the years 2007 and 2008, more than 50 million people were pushed below the poverty line off off their land. There is a new concentration of land property and a real counter the accumulation. agriculture of the new becomingland reform, frontiers one of Moreover, this food crisis has had immense social consequences. According undergoing undergoing a monoculture agriculture. transformation This has been called the “green revolution”, but it has to been very destructive a of the environment, and has driven capitalist type of production, into order order to achieve capital gains in a speculative manner. The structural aspect is the fact that for more t conjunctural conjunctural aspect of the problem was seen in the explosion of food prices i 2007 and 2008 at because the financial Chicago capital moved commodities out of exchange. minerals to It invest in was food products conjunctural in Although the Although increased cost of petroleum didn’t help, the food crisis were the massive switch playing on a reduction into of stocks, but not so agrifuels much of production. ( and financial speculation, contemporary contemporary form accumulation. ( the tendency towards pauperization linked to dispossession of the peasantry (in Asia, Africa and Latin America) is the major The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI e dmnin. S dimensions. The new period. neoliberal the of onset CO of the increase since to accelerating prepared been is has opinion public It world admit. than severe more much is service crisis and climate goods of exchange global the of expansion the with period, Intergovernmental PanelClimate thoughton Intergovernmental Change issued it possible whenitsreport in 2007.(GEORGE) greenhousegas methane,a far powerfulThisCO2.than more proc that 6 fuels.fossil (GEORGE) isintocycle wholeaccount,theirtakento three timesmore five greenhouse actuallygasesproduce than 5 whichthesameresidence,follow involveeconomic logic,also immense consumptionof energy. anenormousenergy.Theindividualisedmodes which of transportationconsumptioninvolves of and 4 only a but not richer get rich the means that This rising. been has produced wealth total in labour of share the to compared capital of share the power, took Thatcher Margaret and Reagan been has which inequality of crisis social building the is roads converging the of One I.2.6 DEVELOPMENT THE OF PRODUCTIVE AND FORCES SOCIAL CRISIS could ( irreversible. become th where million 200 and mid 150 by between migrants climate expect done, is nothing if the can, of we Stern , Nicholas Bank World by 2007 in Government British the migration. for prevent prepared to report States, United the that and like countries, Mexico two between the between border to the along Bangladesh wall a building of already territory is India million. 10 the of more population a with Belgium of size of has the times four territory now 17% country than That more disappear. cause would 1°C than more by increase an that estimated is It disappear. will earth on species all of century % this during 1°C th exceeds century, warming global if that Some estimate (GIEC) biosphere. Climate the on the Scientists International on of Group effects the of severe experts means also nature of destruction The date wasso Belgium, however, that 23rd September by exhausted been already had 2008 for capacity this that calculated been has It diminishing. t little, low endangers which levels, sea CO absorb to capacity their i are too, oceans the been have growing primarily warming, will global to world due reasons the many For destroyed. in forests natural all before left are years many Not destroyed. are million 15 year every but world, the in forest virgin of hectares oceans, and forests as such CO absorb sinks, which carbon of destruction the is aspect second contributing

The Arctic summer ice has summerTheArctic ice The oflabour,Withdivision theglobal of 62% –

Nobel Chemistry CrutzenNobel Prizewinner,ofPaultheMax PlanckInstitute, that shown hasagrifuels,if 1.3meters.Permafrost allthe isCirclemillionsaround Arcticmelt, startingtonnes to releasing ofof e aaiy f h erh o aual rgnrt te ishr is biosphere the regenerate naturally to earth the of capacity he

ey live now. Unless urgent and costly measures are taken, the situation the taken, are measures costly and urgent Unless now. live ey up over decades. Particularly since the neoliberal regimes of Ronald Ronald of regimes neoliberal the since Particularly decades. over up e increase of the global temperature was 0.75°C was temperature global the of increase e – 2

let o rltvl mds degree modest relatively a to albeit emissions and of global warming since the 1970s has taken on taken has 1970s the since warming global of and emissions

and other greenhouse gases. greenhouse other and c nw mrig onre a Cia n Ida are India and China as countries emerging new uch

been reduced inthespacereducedthree been of ametersthickness years from of 2.6 half to cesnl ad ey ail lo rapidly very and ncreasingly

- century, i.e., people who will no longer be able to live to able be longer no will who people i.e., century, 2 HOUTART

lso that demand for economic goods and services is services and goods economic for demand that lso . Another effect of global warming is that of rising of that is warming global of effect Another . – all industrial productiontransportedindustrialallis theoceans, across

- n goa sae i w tk a onr like country a take we if scale; global a on yn cutis n catl cities. coastal and countries lying metime in March. in metime )

hn 5 mlin naiat i a in inhabitants million 150 than 5

There ess is advancingmuchis ess fasterthethan

ig n motn pr of part important an sing – are still some 400 million million 400 some still are

o hs hnmnn A phenomenon. this to –

– between 20 and 30 and 20 between

uig h 20th the during codn t a to According 6

ite by Little

acidity, s. 4

The 11

- he he lly, lly, are age age

- – entless entless ) In the centres, long long decline in - ) The rel some economists even economists some market market capitalism

- –

The The existence for “up ut crushing the middle

GEORGE ) Increasing profits can only us value at the expense of the especially in communications health, education, care, old

– CATALINOTTO – liberal globalization of production, - ter to 40 40 percent ter today. to ALTVATER neo

) urchasing power or with no marketable accumulation accumulation cannot be reduced substantia -

CANDEIAS se of capital intensity and hence of the organic

called »added value«; now its share is down to about 60 percent, with a percent, downabout with 60 is to its share value«; now »added called etc.). ( etc.). - ) The first danger of the current crisis therefore relates to

whose beneficiaries are the oligopolistic plutocracies ) of of private exit options from the health, education, care and ) against and the colonised. It is also abo

cterized cterized by an acceleration of social distances and encouraged

- – workers workers pay funds into a system which endangers their jobs, t BRIE -

7 emic crisis caused by neoliberal capitalism. ( is one of the essential sources from which financial )

MASSIAH HOUTART –

) ncrease in capital’s share at fourteen points. According to them, at labour received once its peak, to them, points. According fourteen share ncrease capital’s in at earners, the state and nationally or regionally restricted capital. Ever -

In most European countries, capital has increased its share ten by points GNP its share has of capital increased European In countries, most AMIN GEORGE

12 7 the i put nearlyso of quarters three up from capital, about quar a for corresponding increase

poverty. poverty. The usual approach is to make the poor pay for the crisis, starting with the discriminated classes. ( produce produce for categories with income.( law p The The crisis is chara by the fact that it is more profitable to invest in sophisticated products (goods and services) with a high added value able to be bought by a minority than to institutions for paupers’ welfare. It is splitting society into classes basic ( rights. in terms of themselves, and thus at the same time lose that dignity. scale” individuals pension systems is one reason for the degradation of these systems to draws. draws. Wage environment and global security, and produces pitiless the competition “practical to which constraints” all who of wish to live in dignity must subordinate The The privatisation of the social security systems support reproduction reproduction deepens in a way as accumulation to endanger itself the foundations of (lack profit, prospects for capitalist of infrastructure, qualifications, cohesion, and growing growing areas of socially services necessary dry up. work, Whereas over public infrastructure, and and new areas social of investment are opened up insufficiently, the crisis of social be achieved by constant redistribution of the surpl wage Counteracting Counteracting the increa composition of capital is an increase slowing down in times of globalization. ( of labour productivity. Wage increases monopoly monopoly rents synonymous with the dispossession of the entire ( productive basis of society. countries countries and also between the richer and the poorer countries. This is one part of the syst available to the transnational corporations. downward pressure ( on working peoples’ salaries has been a huge factor, with the result that inequalities have soared everywhere, both within our individual workers’ workers’ real wages, one driven outsourcing and by technological breakthroughs and information technology and by the doubling of the worldwide workforce ( Even before the financial crisis, there had been a decades compressed compressed because there is less wealth in the collective pocket of labour. The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI o cntn cii o rpeetto ta hs eand neovd o some for unresolved remained time. has that representation of crisis constant a to from away turning some fromdemocracyformal even This and itself. governments, parties are centres old the in population the of sectors Increasing I.2.7 CRISIS OF REPRESENTATION, AND DEMOCRACY PUBLIC OF SPHERE THE magnet for a fora magnet deeperdiscontent. (WAINWRIGHT) 8 are triad imperialist the of countries t to access the the limit to obliged societies, henceforth affluent of status their maintain to order in For violence. extreme by marked necessarily is ‘oligopoles’ mana political The I.2.8 GEOPOLITICAL CRISIS costs. social high has it as miserable, ( more constantly us makes private ofthe privatisation radical The spaces. its and public the the of moment a in becomes so processed commercially externalised, process, personal/priva the that are the so media, in idiosyncrasies and, personal valorised and economically intimacy Individuality, Even ( but this only handover Not to money. i.e. privatize to public urge the is go services, of public cut to pounds pressure the accompanying are million any) servants (or last Public their questioned about spending. even not are public bankers while paperclip, last of the to down scrutinised crisis been a has markets into financial the turned of crisis the which in situation extraordinary ( media. public of and spaces public p the of property, public of services, de general as such an to andled crowdinggoodsunparalleled of enclosurepublic out provision of and public it, consequences, built has decades three last the problematic of radicalism market liberal the of as multitude a ine growing or democratisation is there instead fulfilled; been not have democratisation even or decentralisation and reduction of de practice of everyday terms the of part a been inpolicy privatisation neoliberal of promises The policy. property and economic has privatisation now decades For ( home. m control to the are only not meantwhich in system a by created situation is volatile increasingly this level) international and domestic the (on war of idea permanent the of application the and world) the (and society our of militarization populism. fascistic and fascism to rise give even and repressive regimes and dictatorial produce may evolution this regions, some In Roma. solidarity, and and migrants scapegoats, of exploitation agitation, nationalist and islamophobic movements social o and law terrorism, of of instrumentalisation criminalisation measures, anti on repressive based strategies management le order, social maintaining in insufficient proving is (Wacquant) prisonfare and policing

RILLING WAINWRIGHT In theUKIn theunderlying crisistheUK eruptedthequestionoverin ofMP’s ajorities of peoples of the world unable to survive, but neither are millions at millions are neither but survive, to unable world the of peoples of ajorities 8

Within the states, reinforcement of securitization deployments, massive deployments, securitization of reinforcement states, the Within COX/HONKALA aoe raiig h cnet f h sblen. ( subalterns. the of consent the organising alone t )

o xcl te rvt mres hc ae o lal failing. clearly so are which markets private the exactly to - bureaucratisation, increase in efficiency, cost savings or price price or savings cost efficiency, in increase bureaucratisation, )

eet f h wrdie oiain y h cptl of capital the by domination worldwide the of gement )

quality. The powerful hegemony of the private, the of hegemony powerful The quality. te are completely processed by the media and media the by processed completely are te RILLING

- oil rettos ed o ey on rely to tend orientations social he planet’s natural resources to their to resources natural planet’s he rder ideologies, xenophobia, racist, xenophobia, ideologies, rder ) The UK for instance is now in the in now is instance for UK The ) bi sco, f ulc evc, of service, public of sector, ublic

expenses whichexpensesbecamea CANDEIAS

( MASSIAH n t be to ing

has lead Crisis ) ) The ) 13

- other other

called called Public Public ) -

) Now, the MASSIAH liberalism as lies: - term term development - BEAUDET style style is unavoidable; ) Since the majority of - companied companied by war, the stricken stricken regions. These of of neo - ut to ever more new wars, AMIN iteria, more strict controls, e most obvious example for the so overburdened that its difficulties in abilisation abilisation is systematic. The forms of war

d d by the dozens: inflation of money supply, ) ) ization and the deregulated market going haywire,

CANDEIAS called called Washington Consensus and its institutions, but also ) In the US, the Bush administration continued and - are looking for new ways of ensuring a more autonomous

DIERCKSXSENS (

) The crisis has exposed the core myths term term owners (the economic democracy of stakeholders); an - EL KENZ ) Because of the threatening ›meltdown‹ of the financial system, BELLO rated rated what was already in motion by the 1980s (including under BRIE gical gical revolution of production, transport and life (

14 mainly mainly in South America, popular majorities neoliberalism, and and governments have rejected development. The so confidence confidence in markets and governments has clearly suffered, neoliberalism has been discredited and its dogmas are crumbling. Especially in the peripheries, ceilings for CEO payments and intervention investment into and bonus credit systems, policies, but sometimes also corporations, etc. For neoliberals partial of conviction, in this constitutes socialism. government ownership of nationalisation without of banks, state credits guarantees, and central bank anti cyclical stimulus packages, abolishing all public borrowing limits including the ever so holy Stability Pact and the Maastricht cr imperial projects lead not to any “pax americana”, b etc. neoliberal dogmas are abandone requires requires long ecolo action. ( A market society cannot exist; people are not primarily entrepreneurs of their own labour and their own conditions of subsistence; long With the collapse of global the neoliberal metaphysics that propped up contemporary capitalism has been thoroughly discredited, though it will undoubtedly engage in some rearguard of the strong against the trivialisation the strong the weak, ( and torture. of of CRISIS IDEOLOGICAL I.2.9 war war and that almost one conflicts are permanent billion and the dest people live in along the war changed the militarisationwith have of societies, apartheid, global war imperial overstretch. ( imperial overstretch. Countries will be marginalised and ruined by the crisis. The world is already at carrying carrying out its task in the interest power‹ of the ›soft interests, the unilateralism, to Bush's destroying led so of the transnational bloc and in American way of life. The defeat in is Iraq th only its own Democrat Democrat administrations). It reached a dangerous plateau because ideological oversights and mismanagement led to impasses like Iraq. ( US as the global monopolist of force is system, system, is a carrier of violence in various forms, including the use of militarised violence. ( accele economic crisis. Neoliberalism, being at the origins of the crisis of the international financial regions regions of the discounted. planet. War generates a political crisis at the international level. It causes The a potential crisis use of governance of since it nuclear cannot give capital arms an adequate should response to not the be natural natural resources are found in the South, they are ferociously fought over by the dominant countries. This has already caused wars that are spreading to of of globalisation which I have elsewhere described as the “empire of chaos”. The new ‘belle époque’ of capitalism was from the onset ac war of the North versus the South, started in 1990. ( own own exclusive benefit. This new is requirement at the origin of the militarisation The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI eoe hy r de n bek re rm M ifune Ti etis global entails This aredevelopingcentres with theso influence. capitalist IMF new and relations, from power social the freein shifts economical and break political increasing and an due are by they before dismissed openly are South global fromthe states of number approaches Governance Good the - called BRIC and Gulf States. ( and Gulfcalled BRICStates. –

those who c those who an afford it, pay theirdebts pay affordit, an CAND EIAS )

- ere ere last four months,

dictated dictated ‘Structural

linked, insulated and -

ular, ular, the workers in the export

ed ed to admit the fact of the severe ate sectors and consequently, there this global phenomenon would not have workers workers and peasants who had been victims of economies. economies. Just like many governments in the

World World Bank and WTO

–

– units rendering about 100,000 workers jobless. In

in the unorganised sectors. The worst affected by the

the peasantry. In the industrial and the service sectors, that another 500,000 would lose their job in the coming

pronouncements that

ed ed is the Indian economy to the strings of Imperialism, that when time economic policies pursued by the Indian ruling classes at the

16 jewellery jewellery units. There were 3,000 units before the onset of the crisis. The crisis has gobbled up some 2,000 Exporters’ Exporters’ Association period. of city The Surat in the state Gujarat has a large of concentration of and diamond another 500,000 had been added engages to around the 2,500,000 unemployed. workers The and 2008 some 500,000 leather were between displaced from work. It industry was predicted September by the Leather and December million workers are employed in these units. In the textile and garments sector, some 700,000 workers lost jobs by the end of 2008 and in the the long instances of the imperialist triad. oriented units had to bear In the brunt of the crisis. It partic is estimated that around 15 In In India, there are 37 millions working in the organised sectors of the economy and around 370 million crisis are the labouring classes the bubble in the US burst, it had bursting. its version in the Indian bubble of growth Needless Needless to say, this growth was fuelled primarily by inflows of foreign capital and that too speculative capital, resulting in the creation of bubbles in the share markets. So ti Liberalisation, privatisation, globalisation, deregulation et al, were hailed by the rulers as paths to the economic development of the country. Growth rates w shown as indicators of development and as vindication of their policies. workforce workforce in both the public and the priv basis. regular been reductionhad a in employment drastic on the working class and the structure of employment was distinctly characterised by contractualisation and casualisation of the labour force. Temporary labour replaced the regular The The last 18 years have demonstrated the adverse effect of the policies imposed by the IMF/World Bank/WTO diktats on the broad masses in India particularly Adjustment Adjustment Programmes’(SAP). But economies, as the ruling the elite was crisis in country. the impact on the it economy had constrain began to bite into the Third Third World, it parroted the theme though of these ‘decoupling’ were the from same governments the that tailored world their economies economy to the imperialists directed IMF much much impact on decoupled the from the imperialist Indian economy as it was de In In the backdrop of the initial phase of the crisis Manmohan in Singh the of US, the the Congress Prime led Minister United Progressive Alliance, in power India in made loud INDIA CHAPTER II CHAPTER CRISIS OF THE IMPACTS REGIONAL THE The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI oe 000 mlye wr son h dos ewe Spebr and September between doors the IT the in shown jobs their lost employees 25,000 some Hyderabad, In were2008. December employees 10,000 some so t Bangalore, of city The the In crisis. jobs. the by hit been their also has markets, lost US the to caters workers mainly which sector IT the 150,000 industry, sunrise over industry, foundry the prevented thesequences capitalism’sprevented of bubbles speculative Democrats Republicans andin alternatedpresiding that interventionsoverstatenever solved or 10 theimpact crisis.oftheglobalunder thatis the Thereality grimproblem CouncilAdvisorythat be theEconomicwouldthese Zerodeclared in unemploymentby thecountry2009. solvewould theunemployment byinIndia highproblem2012.2007, theglorygrowthgloating In of rates, 9 techno military the and finance like sectors ‘competing’ on resources concentrate already and governments municipal and state to deficit federal the download benefits, and wages down push to hopes capital growth’, ‘jobless this 18 ‘non rendered and o millions of destruction the only not is years, 60 result last The China. like powerhouses industrial new of rise the and delocalization the for an classes or ‘middle’ ‘occasion’ an time same of the rapid destruction the at by translated is is This ‘reforms’. capitalism neoliberal accelerate of to ‘opportunity’ stability the for is it so The wa did. it indeed and crash to going was economy ‘speculative’ the and economy ‘real’ the between ‘deconnection’ the that decade trends. conflicting out t push in the out in «bubbled» ahead and moved onslaught) 1970s, (neoliberal the 1980s in initiated was represented) it compromise long the America, North In AMERICANORTH the by capital of withdrawal the oil, and materials raw for prices in fall the demand, global in decline the crisis: the by affected massively were China) India, (Brazil, countries these export, towards orientation strong a with countries all with As BRIC ANDS GULF country the ( in capitalists the to of advice piece a recently had country the of Minister Finance the losses, job of midst depressi wage rise, the on are sectors services and manufacturing the both in losses job While cross well could ancillaries and units export 5,000,000. the in both period this during depe export these only Not sector.

MURTHY PK Way back, Way thegovernmentappointedTask Force onwhich a EmploymentOpportunities

Since capitalismSince 1945, US imposed further 12 “economic thecurrentdownturns” in crash. culminating - s only the last in a series of busting bubbles. This destruction as dangerousas as destruction Thisbubbles. busting seriesof a in last the only s

0) bt msie oil ipaeet f n nrcdne sae With scale. unprecedented an of displacement social massive a but 20%), old capitalist centres, etc. ( centres,old etc. capitalist dn o tee ae en al afce. t s siae ta jb losses job that estimated is It affected. badly been have these on ndent - industrial complex. ( 9

) on is also a serious factor affecting the lives of the workers. In theIn workers. the of lives the affecting factor serious a also is on

h mnfcuig etr hm o te ensa pplr and popular Keynesian the of home sector, manufacturing the TATES

of unemployment hasunemployment seriousof assumedthe year proportions in last one

BEAUDET - em etuto o Kyeins (n te class the (and Keynesianism of destruction term 10 - CANDEIAS retd etr bt lo hs scos ht are that sectors those also but sectors oriented

antem cnmss xlie fr vr a over for explained economists Mainstream ) f jobs (with real unemployment reaching unemployment real (with jobs f

)

–

d nt ernh u ct wages”. cut but retrench not “do and sociallyand disastrouscrashes.(WOLFF) he main IT hub in the country, the in hub IT main he he 1990s to temporarily temporarily to 1990s he - ald sub called - opttv’ by competitive’

ihy n debt in highly - declaredthat rm crisis prime - called called

17 -

- - - real real

– States, which

with with millions of

– the state of Michigan thousands thousands families of s, cultures, languages

ust 2009. Including -- trinas trinas that are endemic growing growing proportion of part known known bourgeois economic - - called called bailout gives little aid. Official - ff, ff, who are going bankrupt and losing xcluded xcluded segments of population the of the o

- )

) s’ vocabulary. One well onomic reasons, of having children die or maimed in class families who have recently lost their homes, jobs - 30 percent. African American and Latino communities face CATALINOTTO - middle workers workers and domestic workers, African Americans in the poor

- the

isis has accelerated the growth of a New Class of people in the COX/HONKALA African African Americans, Indigenous, immigrants, poor whites death death situations, or who lose their homes when a health care crisis

est parts of the country in the winter, of watching families die in house fires - ventable. Every day we have more in common with the poor across the –

nd nd especially the former industrial powerhouse of Detroit, for example 18 Americas, Americas, in Iraq and Afghanistan, in Asia,Africa and in Europe inand the world as a ( whole. and and 26 of the Universal Declaration country of Human in Rights the (UDHR) world in the are pre richest particularly criminal because they are absolutely Every Every day we suffer preventable government and the “Katrinas”, corporate and financial Katrinassectors, Ka committed by to the neoliberal capitalism. US These widespread, daily violations of Articles 23, 25 government government officials for ec a war they went to only because of their desperation to feed their families. cold from using unsafe means to heat homes, the terror of watching loved ones outside die of the world’s best hospitals, of having children taken away by every every day leaves millions without basic Economic families live Human daily the Rights. terror of Millions homelessness, of of mass eviction, of abandonment government in the face of natural disaster, of hunger, of not having heat in the bankrupts them. There is an invisible yet deadly war occurring within the United the poorest reservations of thethe poorest reservations country, homeless families, who live every day with the fear of not being able to access health care and in life workers, workers, as well as the everything; graduates from the best universities who have incurred heavy debts newly laid in order to pay for their education; landless farmers, impoverished families in urban urban areas; or access to health care and education; feed members their of families or the are military losing their who homes; both cannot blue collar and white collar suburban communities: immigrant unemployed farm coal miners and factory workers, working working class families who previously formed the base of the American middle class, to form the new class made up of people of all race and backgrounds in every corner of the United States, from rural, urban and the US economy and who have no future brings together historically poor and e in this economic system. This class US Neoliberal policies, “free trade” agreements and automation, and eventually the economic cr United States, a class of millions of people who are permanently excluded from analyst, Alan Sinai, said in August that, “This jobless recoveries.” ( is going to be the mother of all unemployment unemployment is 25 about double the national unemployment rates. The term “jobless recovery” is now part of the economist million member workforce seeking work. In some regions a unemployment unemployment reached “discouraged workers” and accounting nearly for the ever 10 timers brings a more realistic estimate 30 million to nearly members of the 155 percent in Aug For For the working class, the recent so The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI gross national product (1991) to 6.9 % (2007); in the EU this percentage was percentage this EU the in (2007); % 6.9 to (1991) product national gross of % 8.8 from sunk has personnel on expenditure State million. 2 over by 2006 an 1991 between sank employed of number the services public GERMANY’s In EUROPE prof theunderstandingmanyinvolvedactually presupposesprotagonistsin themof in toorderin itselfaassert 11 pa be probably on will dependent unemployment reasonably 1970s, the is in which Like country, markets. this external will in situation deteriorate the likely, to most continue And, insurance. social against attacks of string considerably has a general this in to workers add on increased; Pressure increase. sharp a seen has several been by Switzerland in low traditionally has of are figures official reproved Italy) being and is p Germany, It no is there However, parties. fainthearted. France, and EU, confused States, as described United OECD, G20, the It from notably pressure. (most abroad” under from “attacks is with dealing government in management” The “crisis defence. its for mobilise to public the on calls and siege of state the declared has centre, financial a as SWITZERLAND, and pensions the2010 thebuild upto in ( election. pay, sector public but provision) for deficitcreat topay the Trident not (meaning spending and public City the in cuts of issue the to make to media rightwing the and Conservatives allegiance the allowed state’s the change Labour’s seriously to reluctance This speculation. on tax a for arguing Industry of Confederation the of head previous Labour on The scorn poured later it reorganization; and policy lending of terms in support usual’. short as banks ‘business the to turn return them to press, financial mainstream see the even debated proposals rejected government to was interest main w way a in banks the out bailing last resort, of guarantor banks’ the as role classic state’s the with accordance in crisis the to respond to state British the led Brown Gordon minister prime UK, the In the in led example, for has, privatisation of toan Federal Republic politics the of crisis present However, the power. purchasing his to public according customer a treating of of principle apparatuses and The equal particular. sectors and functions, private the 1980s, the ofauthority, widespread underminedtheprinciple hasseverely since individual of of direction the privatisation in massively shifted now qual “public the in for moments public Central the disappearing. importantly, is authority” and addition, In subaltern. the of interests the reflect could that quality public remaining any overboard thrown fact in has logistics, welfar social traffic, the science, telecommunications, and education service, (postal infrastructure some of in and system areas financial the national in active capital gross state of of quantity The %. percentage 2.6 as investments gross Public product 2.8 from decreased 2007. in % 10.5

Though,bypublicpropertytoreturnno means of theusemarketexcludes the it - oriented oriented economic environment.

treatment for each citizen, since it in many cases had to compete with the with compete to had cases many in it since citizen, each for treatment

eeec t te iy oefl oiin n h U’ eooy has economy UK’s the in position powerful City the to deference -

em no ulc tlte ad a dw condi down lay and utilities public into term incipient incipient process of re

–

oe r es recent less or more % (1992) to 1.5 % (2007). In the EU 27, this shareis% (2007). 27, % (1992)to1.5 IntheEU

olitical crisis olitical ed by the bail ed by the WAINWRIGHT hich assured them that the government’sthe that them assuredhich e services) has shrunk drastically and and drastically shrunk has services) e – -

municipalisation. ( municipalisation. far from it! All proportions kept kept proportions All it! from far , ongoing or at least planned planned least at or ongoing , - out, the central political thecentral issueout, – )

the rate of unemployment of rate the t o pltc, a by has politics, of ity - shaped mechanisms,shaped but RILLING in for tions ) 11

rtly 19

d – – a s

ding ding those (and maybe without without even mentioning

– inclu

– ey are part and parcel of the system. In

) called “illegal” workers and other “dismissed - ROCHAT insecure insecure jobs, young people, old people be refugees” who are already having a hard time with the existing laws - qualified” migrant workers risk to bear the brunt of it, as well as female -

20 their their redundancy notice. Farmers are desperate even more that others) who have largely complied ( “specialisation” directives. with “modernisation” and and and terrifying measures, even though th a large number of companies (particularly in the largest enterprises, as well as in the banking sector), employees have to fear each day that they might receive about 300.000 to 500.000 so would certain measures currently under discussion are “low put in place. Especially the workers in exported: exported: maybe to a lesser extent than at that time, but all the more violent, if The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI SHADOWOF NEOLIBERAL DOCTRINE THE CURRENT STATEOF CRISIS CHAPTER III the State. ( the State. by intervention immediate gigantic, and massive demand their elites same these of speculation, because themselves ruining of risk non is changed. even were Father a countries within both resources of concentration greater even causing imposed, were policies adjustment of types all whatsoever: forgiveness no was international there unpayable, being of of point the reached debt tremendous the how elites and financial treated is countries poor of ( zeroes twelve dolla with billion seven thousand seven of neighbourhood the in somewhere were we Worldwide, billion. another80 swallowed receivealready having dollars to billion thirty line in was AIG company massi insurance financial third international its getting was Citigroup ( class. ruling the in the relief of mood For unrealistic an and history. point low its since percent US 50 nearly of increase market in stock a profits, bankers the to and bankers surviving giveaway government such the dollars, Treasury largest of trillions of injection an with 2008 September of crisis financial the to responded administrations Obama and Bush the both US, the In stimulus much will( refloatspending it take to thesubmarine. how being elites Northern among difference only the practice, levels breaking record legitimation because their claims financial the reduce to order in payments premium and bonus to limits banks, bad to papers“ „toxic of transfer recapitalisationbanks, of banks, Monetary taken: pol been has system financial the stabilize and save to Measures technol new especially issue ofthequasi base, the example, for material thirties the During itself. system the operating for instruments new a 1929 the during both case the was deal than to crisis it to financial available with kit tool better a has system economic the globalisation, way c the this more even in increasing banks, larger the by absorbed be to order in collapse are to banks permitted medium and Small losses. astronomic its of costs the assume to has mean in fails bank this essence, In largesystem. financial international the no of collapse the avoid that to order so costs all at intervene to trying are the governments and banks central crisis, financial international this of beginning the From III.1 THE REACTIONSTO GEORGE icy of „monetary easing“ with discount rates near zero, state guarantees for guarantees state zero, near rates discount with easing“ „monetary of icy htte rft fte akn ytmrmi piaie,wie society while privatized, remain system banking the of profits the that s - intervention. Nevertheless, when the international financial elites run therun elitesfinancial international the whenNevertheless, intervention. ) Nevertheless, there is a very great contrast in how the External Debt Debt External the how in contrast great very a is there Nevertheless, ) DIERCKSXSENS

s rae. hn h etra db o te eihrl countries peripheral the of debt external the When treated. is - nationalisation of ( didnationalisation banks arise. noteven s eprie. ( jeopardized. is

Wall Street investors, this has meant a revival of banking of revival a meant has this investors, Street Wall –

CRISIS )

something anathema to neoliberals neoliberals to anathema something oncentration of wealth. ( wealth. of oncentration – Faced with the debt of the poor, the neoliberal creed neoliberal the poor, the of debt the with Faced

add vr o h bns n ohr companies. other and banks the to over handed

ALTVATER d ewe cutis Te od t Our to words The countries. between nd - CAPITALISM ve injection of federal funds and the the and funds federal of injection ve

BE CATALINOTTO . asv siuu sedn at spending stimulus Massive ). LLO DIERCKSXSENS )

AND THELONG

repnil gms of games irresponsible ge, u as new also but ogies, - 3 pro, including period, ’30 HOUTART ) In spring 2009, spring In ) –

a become has rs rs ) Thanks to Thanks ) –

) ht is that

- - — And And

12 market market market - - the crisis more, more, not

– – 20 20 and the EU - icy. icy. Rather, the d d to increase

) the G

) shaping of the world’s — liberal financial except of course to save course of to except the

- – GEORGE called called Economic Partnership n fact it requires tech re i -

- – the nearest cemetery once and

20 20 objectives cannot make us - ALTVATER Pinochet’s bloody coup in Chile care, qualification etc.). Problems -

– The The Commission is, rather, pushing hard

, social and ecological alternative. It was ll legally establish a kind of charter for neo Free Free trade implies ng the energy, climate and food crisis

democratic ) -

RILLING willing willing to talk about the power of neo This This concentration on trade is the strategy known as “Global

It It looks, rather, as if the international system

Its credo is based on privatisation, deregulation, unrestricted free trade, market solutions to to solutions unrestricted market free deregulation, trade, privatisation, on credo is Its based

roblem and a corresponding absence of government intervention intervention government of and a absence roblem corresponding till the the limitsof markets the limits rationality and of profitability. of And

gh gh unique redistributive mechanisms; a “neoliberal Keynesianism” (Altvater) r r bilateral and regional trade agreements and so The neoliberal doctrine, and I am using the word “doctrine” in the religious sense, has been completely been completely religious sense, has using the word the am in “doctrine” and neoliberal The I doctrine,

22 12 discredited. every p when system it goes wrong. economy, economy, and a new, integrated global division of labour which broke down the founded founded in a cemetery of smashed marked its beginning. It was hopes able to achieve its goal because it was in a position to combine violent force with a new wave of high capitalism has established itself since comprehensive the economic 1970s, against perspectives for a especially optimistic for the “end neoliberalism”. ( of especially optimistic for If you aren’t capitalism, don’t bother to talk about alternatives. Neoliberal financial less liberalisation, more financial freedom corporations. for EU corporations policy, like including the banking G and colonialism under another name. The EU wants a world where the rules are still dictated in so far as possible by the rich countries and where the category nothing of merchandise. escapes Agreements. Europe”. These measures will quickly wipe out struggling local industries local and banks, just as they wi in Brussels, the European Commission is not wasting any waits for the time WTO to show signs of life. either while it fo but can we? in particular, are absolutely determined to save neoliberalism at all costs. If If only it were so easy to bury neoliberalism in for all; if only we control, or at least back to where they were thirty years ago, it would be great could put worldwide capitalist financial activities under recapitalisation. ( THE LONGIII.2 SHADOW OF NEOLIBERALISM are presented as ensuring the common good (“rescue”)ni but function as well is being implemented, whose only purpose is “consolidation” and removed removed from positions of power the representatives of this pol latter are trying to play the public card in restoring are socialised, market mobilisations of radicalism: state funds losses in the amount of hundred of billions then will seize the productive „real“ ( economy. the seize productive then will The deep crisis of neoliberally radicalised private orientation has in no instance there is a problem with capacity an economic of upswing at nature the economic and limits crisis by of aggravati society. the carrying The danger threatens of overcoming the biotechnologies and personal services (health are s (i.e. economic competitiveness. growth), The disappointing to expectations investing into are: new energies (fossil energy, nuclear energy, renewable energies), overcome The IEA the proposals of saturation an The The crisis triggered other measures to boost the production of real surpluses The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI f h fedm f h mre scey n hc ec idvda i the is individual each which in society market the of freedom the of promise the into them integrated and oppression, bureaucratic and sexist racist, against movements emancipative the of demands some up took It classes. lower upper an on based was It capitalism. Fordistic in inherent development to constraints the market are “integrated” in various elements driven by the same logic, the logic, same the by driven elements various in “integrated” are market the to relations their in them of each of autonomy the as well as another, one with Law, pol (the the elections, the institutions certain of autonomy relative The project. neoliberal the is citizen of foundation the asgovernmentality” “neoliberal of notion the to us brings This the Europe: in frequently, who expects hetakes, than return something in for hismoney. more and moreto g willing not is whoconsumer the mere a were if he as act encouragedto in and, observed be States can serv as United practice, political whatever by illustrated is choose transformation to subject, enjoined calculating a to reduced is subject political and moral The democracy. liberal of reference ideal the was that an subject democratic the adds of end the means it dimension; economic the and in institutional contained largely is which “liberal”, of acceleration capitalist a than more lot a means thus “neoliberal” in “neo” The social and reality economic calculus. institutional an normative producing th its actively anthropological relationships as about subject is new calculating It rational, reference. the constructing with reasoning, at economic aims of the auniversalisation practice into atputting Neoliberal aim policies dispositions. by Neoliberalism stimulated and after, looked government. created, mechanisms into comes the it through given; simply being not is power of to object the a is Hence, is interest. objective proper who of overall man of The type aim human. certain a neoliberal the produce the subject, with new entrepreneurship, a producing “responsibility”, competition, spheres, th of its of public reduction of anthropology total fields athe on Based life. individual and social all of areas all and or action affecting logic State normative a the by of of guided is withdrawal It framework ainterventionism. to mere less the even and beyond liberalism, e old far the of reactivation the to goes reduced be cannot It politics. project economic neoliberal political The many marginalising time same ( social groups and regions. the at while actors, key for provid prospects to life and image, new own its in society global shape expansively to able was Neo message. the so priority, top a as it, from “saved” be to had then which catastrophe, the caused which institutions primar was it crisis, current the In installed. it which constraints financial education neo ultimately, And groups. through social and countries many for opportunities mobility social obtain unions, trade the weaken deregulate, privatise, capital, of circulation global the to barriers the down break projects: realisable forward put It subsistence. own her or his of entrepreneur eooi hmn en, t nlecs pcfc oil n subjective and social specific influences it being, human economic e - plus - akt aiaim n at eae reitbe de o h practical the to due irresistible, became fact in capitalism market - middle t r sll gvre b te rnils f market of principles the by governed solely are at oiia dmnin ht opeey les t sgiiac. It significance. its alters completely that dimension political -

ls alac, ih oe potnte fr etos f t of sections for opportunities some with alliance, class ice, the public sphere) that characterises their relationshipstheir characterises that sphere) publicice, the

own labour power and of the provision of his or her her or his of provision the of and power labour own BRIE )

- liberalism was a hegemonistic project. It project. hegemonistic a was liberalism s i poe itrss et This best. interests proper his es pt to let himself be governed by his his by governed be himself let to pt Tee rjcs rmsd new promised projects These .

ily precisely theprecisely ily - ive more ive oriented conomic - liberal 23 he e

- d/or d/or based. based. liberal - - shed: the ns and forced ns This This mode of

13 social struggles. However,

) ) The threat of another global

) productive forces were still unlea still were forces productive

– neoliberalism's mainsimultaneously neoliberalism's function

World World debt, a regulatory organisation L KENZ

– E EL KENZ CANDEIAS is ruins the foundations of liberal capitalism, the neoliberal management of the transition to a the transition of to transnational the neoliberal management

tionalisation culture, goods and consumption dissolved national goods and consumption culture, tionalisation regulation regulation of the system, after a long period of - o the neoliberal project. The contradictions within

)

benefit” effectiveness is the finality of every action, -

forms of the Financial and Monetary System (Stiglitz - rd rd approach is that adopted by the Commission of the United nationalisation dissolved state paternalism. For instance, demands by following paternalism. nationalisation dissolved state - nimating nimating the discussion regarding the necessity of economic constrained constrained to solicit political action, be it ordinary or force

DIERCKSXSENS mindedness, de mindedness, - ir realisation seems to be blocked. The current power bloc can no longer bal are crisis irrelevant. solution is to replace The the actors, the incompetent

cluding cluding the way out of this global crisis. There will be not enough space for By no means could neoliberalism be understood as a purely destructive force (Bourdieu) or destructive force (Bourdieu) purely bea as understood Bycould neoliberalism means no

24 burden of hard physical work. The interna burden physical The hard of work. narrow familyfrom patriarchal relatio ›liberated‹ housewives the women's movement, neoliberalism into them the labour market. mode of production based on information technologies on mode information technologies based production of base serving promoting hegemonic societal and as change new from freed monotony, inworkers withdrawal division production extreme anlabour ofof (Taylorist) automation could relieve the and computerisation their knowledge, integrate forms production of could 13 Even“conservative (Bischoff). restoration“ Commission). Commission). It advocates such strong regulations as the abolition of fiscal safe havens, banks secrecy, the “odious” Third second second position advocates re deregulation. A thi Nations for the Re position in response to the financial crisis is very clear: the other aspects of the glo or corrupt bankers, and the system will be restored and ready to continue. A regulation. ( Mainly, within the capitalist camp three solutions are proposed. The neo Finally the social effects of the crisis will be proportionate to the resistance that will be put up against neoliberal logic. ( depression is rea everybody. everybody. But then, the neoliberal economic logic alone will not be enough to convince the next of victims this crisis; and,to contrary its own principles, it will therefore be neoliberal logic, the “cost in III.3 THE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED THE SLIGHTLY AGENDA III.3 Given the fact that we are experiencing a global crisis that is consistent with the that the crisis will make things easy for the left. Projects, tendencies, scenarios are being developed from capitalist bourgeois rule. ( develop different sides in order to reconstitute an possibilities for intervention by the neoliberalism left will globally be characterised by may fierce appear. Of course, it overcoming would be imprudent to rely on the collapse of neoliberalism and to assume productive productive solutions that could take up the interests of the subaltern and thus restore the active consensus t the power bloc are deepening, such that a reconfiguration is likely and the counter the erupting signs of crises and their complex entanglement with production production hardly offers sufficient possibilities for expansion and development under neoliberal conditions to meet both the needs of accumulation and social needs of the population to improve their situation. The potentials are there but Neoliberalism has already lost its progressive and propellent social function in managing the transition to the transnational mode of production. for for “it is owing to this independence that up to this point it has been possible to preserve an interval and a tension between the capitalist political economy and politicalthe liberal system”. democratic ( same calculus: that of interest. Th The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI world as before, to continue financing the auto industry, the monocultures and and monocultures the industry, auto the financing continue to before, as world na of exploitation the continue is: question The regulations. than more no are they but measures, strong indeed are These etc. bodies, international new of creation the IMF, the and Bank World the of reform a banks, the for level international the at Annan, thesociologistHeld, Stiglitz, Gates.laureate BillAnnan, David Joseph Nobel even and amongof, others,consistingJeffrey theeconomistSachs,Soros,former George UN Secre 15 or removedthem.weakened most of (WOLFF) thathurt thoseregulationsevaded then interventions profits, that laws wereand statetheestablishedend possible, theyinterventions oppose.fought capitalists theNew US Deal financeThird, profits capitalist bylabor theleft),supported andlegal profits capitalist finance ofevasionsthoseinterventions.illegal and their finance toopposition.stateSecond, when capitalistinterventionsthatstateimpact negativelyprofits are by use whocapitalists opposed thei 14 institutions multilateral the reforming fundamentally while avoided be must unilateralism conditions; environmental and social to subjected but promoted by advanced be must trade inequality; increasing by accompanied be not must growth world; propositions key the benefi essentially is Globalization following: the are Among GSD of partisans capitalism. global for consensus of differences ideological course,reinvigorated a and order social reformed a about bring to same: the of are, Therepeople these of positions the legitimacy. in nuance and stabilization for dual needs desperate capitalism’s to respond to order in GSD, or Democracy«, Social o establishment the within debate a be increasingly will there nationalization and spending deficit Beyond a with line in are t solutions will for the discredited what willtaketosave capitalism. but it doctrine not hand ground or at whether not the task is the capitalism on of for managers facts questions, these The to fact. answer the predetermined determine a not is Reprivatization the aggressively how over. is crisis the once is management private to banks the return will it whether elites the of the control its divide exercise will that government questions the and progress, banks the of Nationalization ( IMF. more two It find fit. to sees hard it be would as dispense hundred to Fund several Monetary International over the hand to dollars to billion prepared also were They Organisation. Trade neolibe markets free and trade free around revolves scenario real their But indispensable. is regulation market now financial everyone agreesmore that because there, minor changes here and G the of agenda the On ( change. will little admitted, be cannot nonsense strategic this as So long done. always have they as them stat undermine and thwart, block, to to major resources opposed the and Those directors revenues. net enterprise of of disposers and boards receivers the as them positions select who shareholders that enterprises capitalist of Today’s pr agro

JoiningBritishPrimehasMinisterGSD discourse Brown in aGordondiverse articulatingbeenthe group thehistoryofWhereas,state responseintervention in capitalistto lessons.strategicteaches crises First, - fuel? Is that the way tosolve Isproblem? ( theway fuel? that GEORGE ralism. They will advocate a conclusion to the Doha Round at the World the at Round Doha the to conclusion a advocate will They ralism. oposals once again leave in place, unchallenged, structure place, leave theinternal in again once oposals )

ideologicalcampaigns, political andweakenillegal, toand and,legal where -

20 governments are a few more regulat more few a are governments 20 –

n whether to go on the path of what I call »Global »Global call I what of path the on go to whether n hc i t sy h peevto o te ais of basics the of preservation the say to is which

– -

ture as before, to prolong the inequalities in the in inequalities the prolong to before, as ture patc cnend y neoliberalism by condemned practice a

neoliberal institutions than the WTO and the and WTO the than institutions neoliberal

- interventionsnonetheless succeed those(especially itretos otne o cur the acquire to continue interventions e 15 , but the but , aoiy hrs f h sok and stocks the of shares majority HOUTART thrust of their perspectives is perspectives their of thrust

regulation for what? To what? for regulation

)

enacted, enacted, and finally

ions and a few a and ions taryKofiGeneral cial for the for cial WOLFF e state he r profits profits r –

25 in 14 )

reaching reaching new ustments and up. And, while - m concepts for m concepts ter contradictions contradictions of - reaching attempts -

nsification nsification of this is undecided on whether the the more on is whether undecided

– volution« volution« must be put into legitimize legitimize neoliberal global - reaching nationalisations in the USin nationalisations reaching -

term. But so But far, term. long 16 - concessions and minimal political t as the principal mechanism for especially in Germany especially in

–

temporarily or permanently; the forces involved are pushing inpushing are involved permanently; the forces or temporarily

)

BELLO rmist rmist initiatives go beyond that clearly the status quo ante. ompromise that is accompanied by new methods to contain ts; global social integration must accompany global market is driven from crisis to crisis by inherent tendencies toward

thin the management the crisis. of

ding role (»Green »Green Capitalism«). role Keynesianism«ding or regulation can be observed on the national level as well. If they succeed in - run financial institutes donot run exist financial yet. institutes - legitimizing legitimizing and restoring neoliberalism with only small adj

- The conflict is in full swing: conflict The is full the government in

26 active role of the state should be applied applied active be the state of should role far instance, the for varyingquestionable, whether directions. is It mid in reversed be actually bankingcan sector and insurance state regulations regulations (even only temporarily), and in blocking a more far 16 changes changes (predominant in Germany, for instance) versus far of re re financial markets and their regulative containment. reinstating Similar struggles neoliberalism around with only small state to reinstall the previous intertwined with refo order, and want to This plunder its simultaneously finances, reveals are the attempt to re Conflicts Conflicts of the future are especially regulating evident the in global the financial search system: restorative for forces new that forms wish of to use the same time, various tendencies within neoliberalism but being reaching beyond developed are simultaneously. New wi emerging state interventionism appears to be The The effects of more than ›below‹ 30 years of to liberalisation and redistribution ›above‹ redistribution through rescuing from banks are and socialising debts being and risks. At the countered by an inte contemporary contemporary global capitalism and to relegitimize it after the crisis and chaos neoliberalism.left by ( or or minimize capitalism‘s Democracy tendency and the toward New function crisis. Deal of stabilized Just Global national as capitalism, Social the the Democracy historical is old to Social iron out the Like traditional Keynesianism in the national arena arena, a new class GSD c seeks in the global from from labor, overproduction, and tends to push the environment to its limits in its search for profitability. critical of neoliberalism, GSD accepts the framework which of monopoly rests capitalism, fundamentally the concentrated private production, control deriving of profit the from means the of exploitative extraction of surplus value production, production, distribution, and consumption; it experts hatching is and pushing reforms on society from a above, instead of being a technocratic project, with participatory project where initiatives percolate from the ground the GSD perspective. GSD shares neoliberalism‘s bias for globalization; it shares neoliberalism‘s preference for the marke economy economy along more environmentally a leataking sustainable paths, with government A critique might begin by highlighting problems with four central elements in motion, especially in Africa, through the engineered widespread seeds. adoption of Huge genetically investments must be devoted to push the global integration; the global debt radically reduced; a of massive aid program or »Marshall Plan« developing from the North to countries the must South be must be cancelled mounted; a or »Second Green Re and and agreemen The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI the US economy with the renewal and expansion of the public sphere, especiallysphere, public the of expansion and renewal the with economy US the of decline the ameliorate to trying are Obama president around groups Certain reac is project Deal Public andNew A worse. made be only will the crisis then consumption, production of relations, financial and economic global the of construction rbe; s sot n mdu tr maue hwvr i i a ey good very profit a of ( rate is the it of however, crisis measure, the to term solution medium and short energy the a to solution as term problem; long a nor crisis climate the to solution a neither be would result The urbanis land. their salvage from peasants more or million 60 estimated destructio twenty a for a the project given this drastically, of most has: continuation and water, and monoculture soil the that of pollution the ramifications biodiversity, associated the all Asia, in with fuels, such land of production the offor monocultures to America hectares Latin and Africa of millions of hundreds of shift the entail would that bio of agro of development the is cycle energy the in change a for need the address to developed has system capitalist the solution Another mu crisis consideration. into financial the of impact the financed: be must investment green Also examined. be critically must interventions its and society capitalist a in state the of role The production? and consumption of cha pattern the to changing possible it Is nature. on effect negative economic But growth. havetherefore a sustainable sinks and andresources natural consume necessarily surpluses of illusion the fosters Deal New Green The ( bubble. just t e.g. such, contradictions, as inherent production its of reproduces mode capitalist the on impacting without nature, involvingto relations societal our cities, our of structure by the society, car the of economy hegemony product the of Changing and structure subaltern. whole the of accumulation to interests procedure and groups a oppositional capitalist is progressive it instead, expanded crisis, ecological the restore to capi solution green the the Consequently, be restricting crisis. cannot thereby ecological commodity, the solving a for into possibilities turned are environment the Nature capital. and of accumulation for areas new opens that production, of mode t subsidised state massively and initiated state a ecologically an short conscious, than more mean could It economy. market free the legitimize employ new reproduction, a of constructing for and crisesthe as wellas economiccrisis, financial and the answerto an advocatedas jobs society of in millions consensus create to base accumulation CO of reduction re general The and healthsystemsand thosesectors. withof thecreation in new jobs programinvestment new with HOUTART - ul. oee, n re t cnttt a el co real a constitute to order in However, fuels. ig o ifrn poess f rss vn eod h fnnil sector. financial the beyond even crises of processes different to ting CANDEIAS ) Furthermore, in countering the energy crisis there generally exist generally there crisis energy the countering in Furthermore, ) - to ad tog irto pesr. hs ti pooa is proposal this Thus, pressure. migration strong and ation - term programme to contain the crisis. Moreover, it could mean mean could it Moreover, crisis. the contain to programme term retto o ivsmn twrs nry fiiny and efficiency energy towards investment of orientation 2

- ( ) msin wud e h ncsay technological necessary the be would emissions ALTVATER

–

et n te clgcl crisis ecological the and ment ›re Nw el ta i aray en strongly being already is that Deal‹ New ›Green a o, h patc ad utr o cnueim the consumerism, of culture and practice the ion, mes in public infrastructure, reforms in educationinfrastructure,reforms in public in mes )

- five year period, the expulsion of an an of expulsion the period, year five

n o te cuuain f capital. of accumulation the of and e agr o a gen financial ›green‹ a of dangers he g te nry eie without regime energy the nge ransformation to an ›ecological‹ an to ransformation - tiuin o solution, a to ntribution production the industry, –

n teey o re to thereby and t e taken be st

talism

of n and 27 - -

ountry’s ountry’s e permanent As As for former

) However, the 17 t the rock bottom ) AMIN regulation regulation (stimulating - obvious obvious than ever before, ROCHAT internal debates, whatever the EU whatever debates, internal of a ‘reconstruction And the world’. of of

gainst the classes popular (at all levels: social

ries, ries, a war begun already in the 1990s by the )

) imperialism“, i.e. by generating power in the - working country that some may even envy, but -

are insufficient, having no vision of structural and hint that the strategy of bilateralism with the EU may well be coming to be the strategy the EUbilateralism of with coming well that hint to may

VRATUSA ALTVATER (

liberal socio/economic policy of the corrupted government is -

g g indebtedness and trade deficit. Under the pressure of IMF the to the planet’s natural resources, information and communications, awia, neo

engineering’ of the Middle East and Central Asia remains a necessity for a 4 THE ENDLESS WAR 4 THE ENDLESS -

Though, the road has become considerably narrower for this unavowed member of the triad. The The triad. of theunavowed this member narrower the for road has considerably Though, become

28 politics, the Federal Council gives a a the Federalpolitics, gives Council fifteen or ten, happens in finally If bethis eventually Union inevitable. may its endto accession the and that some ofout twenty at years,least the advantage sorting have it will reality be. may 17 the c Some its peers. of is by challenged peculiarity becoming and imperialism more Swiss of more in Thearmy a this. issue ofparticipation committed the Swiss of more leaders are beginning to realise on Andup. Swiss brought report its last in frequently and more more abroad is “peacekeeping operations” ‘re war war of the North ‘endless war’, against rather than finishing the with Bush, is South likely to be must transformed. The continue. ( it is perhaps no coincidence amidst the flurry that it was followed by a summit meeting of NATO, the right reinforcement hand of NATO’s of military involvement contemporary in Afghanistan. imperialism, Th and by the US leadership is without doubt in crisis. The recent G20 Summit in no 2009 the beginning marks April way in London in people of the recalcitrant periphe deployment of military allies. NATO subordinated control over the world by the USA and their access weapons of mass destruction). This “apartheid on a global scale” implies system a permanent war against the states and the which I have also described as In In the new imperialist globalisation, the domination of the centres is no longer exercised by the monopoly of hitherto) but industrial by production other means (as (the had control been of technologies, the financial case markets, through shady shady deals. through III. government government is contemplating taxing already law salaries and pensions, instead of progressively taxing banks and new millionaires that became rich over night protective protective tariffs without any advantages accruing to EU member states, fall of investment in technological renewal of old equipment, dependence on and credits risin destruction destruction of domestic banking robbery system privatization of and strategic enterprises industrial and systems production a prices through with new owners failing to organize production and abolishment of measures measures for buying cars in exchange However, for these old measures ones, infrastructural projects). innovative transformations necessary to mitigate great damage made by Yugosl to a certain extent corrected in the direction of state re the picture becomes blurred by the debate, describes which a is “brave largely little internalised hard and that remains isolated at the heart of Europe”. ( insurance, public services, employment etc.) will continue even and though the intensify. symbiosis between And the dominant political machinery and the Swiss financial and industrial conglomerates is more Sahara ( (“Desertec”). As for Switzerland, the offensives a tendencies of a new „energy The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI ls alac o te eln, u sil be to able still mind into remains comes tiger’ ‘wounded the but of image The world. the of Eurasia part decline, significant the of on middle alliance class the in powerful a by dominated are Canada and US flows The asset. undeniable an therefore energy Controlling competitors. empi declining Deal Public New the of also and neoliberalism, restoring in difficulties the of view In contain to or consensus chauvinistic level. international them militarilyan at national a and measures cr Growing authoritarian poor” unrest. and the social tensions prevent “punishing and social and compliance their policing ensure increased to (Wacquant) used: being increasingly are workfare) assistance, of instead (obligation policies social as well as conform, to oppone compel to persecution) judicial and (violence measures Repressive they did the1930’s. ( in as vacuum, the fill to in step will forces other then crisis, prolonged reinvigorate and severe to effort its ju equality, in fails a Democracy becoming on built program and vision a with to out Social come to unable is Left the and capitalism breakthrough Global their If make mass. might may critical it they that that the is crisis worry in my developing everywhere and and movements world, developing economics, such and populist of developed solidarity, know communal We of leadership. mix authoritarian same the with Sarkozy’s again associated. been an the like has wings, the president French in waiting ones radical more are There mild. relatively is the populism conservative which hand with go policies can class working traditio country‘s the over winning and class capitalist French the of in Sarkozy Nicolas sectors President key up shoring at ofaimed policy industrial aggressive of approachkind The France. the in this of some see already can opposed as tribal evoking politics, its in exclusionist but policy, social its in populist rhetorically, least at economics, anti its in be neoliberal would that response a be could there fact, In democracy. social global going not is period coming the in choice The onslaught an III.5 THERIGHT THECHALLENGE FROM that reason any of because not Iranagainst would build allied, is Russia which whom offe renewed a mean might that term, short the On ago. decade a Union to Soviet the to happened what like ‘brink’, the to Russia back push lie would a and opposed of are establishment sort the within some many But implies particularly. other which with retreat, Russia, tactical identified with a those for compromise For need a disagreements. is tactical there several Obama, are there US, the militaristic stra a is and ‘security’ new a of thoughthere Even ‘barbarians’. the development against rampart a as citizens forcedon state, the in not factor key but a form, remains in changed war endless the be all, in All imperialism. of deployment to ‘strategic’ a by substance, likely is aggressiveness This dangerous. more somehow and erratic becomes monster the weakening, (relative) its in as n Gen e Da, seily ih ead o lbl optto and competition global to regard with especially Deal, New Green and tegic consensus on these issues within the political and economic elite ineconomicelite and politicalwithinthe issues these tegicconsensus on stice, participatory democracy that appeals to people in a period of period a in people to appeals that democracy participatory stice, e ual t cmee gis Erpa ad hns economic Chinese and European against compete to unable re, ti - BELLO Muslim movement of Gerd Wilders in the Netherlands, the in Wilders Gerd of movement Muslim - ss nrae h tnec t cnrn te with them confront to tendency the increase ises up US militaristic ambitions the militaristic in ( up US region. - ) in

- ie U fre ae t ik n eta Asia Central in risk at are forces US wise, ad ih h ecuinr anti exclusionary the with hand

to boil down between the Left and Left the between down boil to

moe t dmnto o a on domination its impose

to people’s solidarity. We solidarity. people’s to nsive against Iran, with with Iran, against nsive e e n the in be be BEAUDET - immigrant nal white nal

nts 29 in )

- - – re re and and

- financial In In view of

) classes and groups leads

ely ely determined. iven capitalist recovery are CATALINOTTO

) market market capitalism, while at the same time, - unhindered unhindered imperial appropriation of oil and

cade, before a hegemonic direction develops out of the CANDEIAS

ge ge them to oppose them early enough and find l further. This crisis solution holds even greater crises in es used to impel capitalist growth since World War II

are no longer capable of propelling a capitalist economic

a possibility despite the risk this war might represent of ) — — neoliberalism” (Ulrich Brand) does not characterise a new period of capitalist of period new a capitalist (Ulrich does not Brand) neoliberalism” characterise with with a simultaneous decline in the rhetoric about clash of cultures -

BRIE – stellation of interregnum will evolve from the various tendencies and erlying erlying dynamics of financial the future organisation of society is in debate. A new term must be coined must aas A as debate. hegemonic soon in term new is organisation society future of the composition of the power bloc. Meanwhile the crisis can persist for a long

- Therefore, “post

A A con 30 18 search occur processes numerous which in or adevelopment. Instead, period interregnum it is transition and projectapparent. becomes by by 80 per cent or more before 2050, which means catapulting the enti terrain terrain and the direction of development will be larg the challenges of the tasks ahead, rapidly overcoming the world economic crisis and the even greater task of reducing greenhouse emissions of industrial states competition between the different projects hegemony to will dissolve encompass the a crisis. certain This band new width of different paths but the projects which are developing in parallel and as a result of the blockage, de re period, perhaps even a de creating a new disaster for the U.S.( for class. creating disaster a new ruling revival. revival. The forces exhausted. No consideration of the role of the that US can ignore the threat of a new have imperialist historically war dr period. The measur military spending or financing on the real estate, technology or other bubbles, credit card debt Benjamin). ( But there is no guarantee that the bankers’ recovery will endure over a long called called practical constraints of neoliberalism (reduction of public expenditures, privatisation etc.) stil store. The fact that things will continue in this manner is a catastrophe (Walter global global cooperation etc., are all no problem whatsoever. That has revitalised the und costs have been created which, as an additional burden, will intensify the so market market capitalism have been secured by state intervention. If the will is the there, expropriation of banks, nationalisation, expenditure of large sums of money, III.6 CONSTELLATION OFIII.6 INTERREGNUM The ruling elites have achieved a temporary restabilisation by the means of an enormous expenditure of public funds. The power and property of Left must acknowled ( emancipatory answers. abundance in green oases, securely inhospitable fenced planet. Authoritarianism is certainly not sufficient off, for a hegemonic on an otherwise project, barren since its and attractiveness and economic potential remain limited, but the to an emphasis on security policies by the that ›ruling class‹. a Mike selective Davis assumes adaptation will inhabitants occur, which to will continue allow to the first lead class a earth comfortable way of life with permanent centres. The unequal distribution of the unavoidable consequences of the world economic crisis such as the climate crisis on the social significance and antiterrorism. Nevertheless, resources will remain an essential objective of the old and new capitalist unimagined unimagined consequences of the crisis, authoritarian trends may grow in The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI risk of economic crises, or a conversion which is too slow with aggravated aggravated with slow too is which conversion a or crises, economic of decision risk to leads whic conversion pressure thorough time and disruptions This great without crises. possible be not will this decades, three within future solar a to years 150 than more of age based fuel fossil the from economy areas. ( areas. non of neglect the to simultaneously and consumption resourceincreased growth, more marketization, further on concentrating by crisis the to solutions socio res a to leads measures ecological and nature of valorization and environmental CANDEIAS )

mas etuto o od etr ad aia, the capital, and sectors old of destruction means h - cnmcl rss fet. utemr, the Furthermore, effects. crisis economical - aig rbes ewe a between problems making triction of possible of triction - profit 31

- g g of depth

the

called «green

- ion on the State at times dismissing this is the meanin

– globalisation movement’s - reover, reover, it is largely in favour public consciousness of represents represents a hopenew is that born

predominant predominant approach of adapting our

ation ation for the one defending the employment managed managed activities and mutualisation, and -

) For much too long, e.g., the marxist left has

)

) Green parties and by the surge of a so ation movement, the workers’ and the social movements, and the struggles for and struggles social movements, the and the movement, the workers’ ation MASSIAH

globalisation movement NAKATANI -

CASSEN system system measures, causing an extraordinary rise in exploitation

d d on diversity, self - In In short, there is a widespread

cy cy of the ecological crisis, but the radical left has not provided its own ngs the risk that they accept this dominant ideology and support anti globalisation movement does not neglect possible improvements and -

GLOBAL LOOK It can be defined as a movement representing both a prolongation and a renewal of its its three aof historical representing prolongation and renewal a both a ascan It movement defined be

32 19 decolonis predecessors: the freedoms constitute as as the democraticthe well struggles, imperative, social Decolonisation, freedoms. of movement. the predominantculture this historical

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHTS INDIA be predetermined. ( is committed to avoiding unbearable situations. Mo of a radical capitalism very seriously. transformationThis is a long term objective and the and outcome cannot takes the possibilities of going beyond and of the nature of development. of and The alter Current Current debates inside the movement raises the question of power, highlight which takes us back to the the discuss strategic question. and This touches on the questions of parties, of the model of social transformation apparent: that of access development to of fundamental an alternative rights to for the societies all. to the This world market through represents regulation by the the global capital market. emphasise solidarity, freedom and peace.and emphasise freedom solidarity, a new They also build political culture, which is base which prefers “horizontality” over hierarchy. A strategic orientation becomehas the statement “another world is possible”. The alter strategy is built around the convergence of social and citizen movements that answers to it.answers ( However, the alter from the refusal to accept the status quo as inevitability capitalism». and urgen turned turned a blind eye on concerns like the them ecololgical as petit crisis, bourgeois. This vacuum has been filled by the sham proposed alternatives by most struggle struggle for workers’ total emancip right, within the strict capitalist exploited system, worse. even ( if this means the right to be effects effects bri crisis but pro rate. For example, the common defence of the capital has substituted the remain remain without structures, strategies and necessary struggle programs for socialism. to The restart fact the that poor people face most of capitalist crisis’ A The organizations of workers, parties, unions, or even, social movements, CHAPTER IV CHAPTER WORLDWIDE MOVEMENTS SOCIAL THE OF STATE THE The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI otold y ait gop or groups ( Maoists by controlled regions the in experiences contradictory very from apart project, state left a to linked not are they However, networks. justice social global and Dalits, landless, Powerful n h rcn ps, oua mvmns n iiitvs n ot America North in initiatives represent and they as movements neoconservatives popular the defeated past, recent the In AMERICANORTH autonomy. and solidarity of manner a ( in life organize to order in territories, agro for biomass mass the soagainst and agriculture sound environmentally scale small for and crops andmodified genetically against whichfight Brazil, in terra“ sem Occupation collectively. deciding known also and is squattering together working of act experiences factory to of flew, means by over Capital took Workers self owners. capacity and Argentina. managers workers disappeared and factories in are plants economy occupied solidarity subalterns’ in cooperative, management a for forms the of Examples expand for( persist. possibilities development ofthepeople partially redistribution (Handlungsfähigkei that social stronger and policies reforms progressive participation, they more ways different In etc. export towards orientation stronger Kirchner, and Lula of left project the and Ecuador, and and Bolivia in different populations indigenous in the by supported strongly projects state acknowledged left the to through century, 21st the of been have that co governments the by ways contradictory Initiatives state property. representation, with and dealing of century. way another enforced have 21st movements the centre approac in brought transitions governments, socialist and ( progress revolutionary perhaps Nowadays, LATIN AMERICA Trade the of their rights. ( Committee for struggle Coordination and strike Joint the join allegiance India their of All irrespective workers Unions, the of call the at the and time, t right of the supportive of are Unions a Trade which such major government for the reasons of the dominance of the Some are country. situation the in place taken not has workers opposing strike strik on on sector. Insurance went Health staff the teaching sector, education in the employees in Even Capital foreign insurances of entry the and and privatisation banks time, recent e do laws, labour anti new and retrenchment closure, oppose to and wages jobs, defend to resistance mass for ground a benefits, social other ALTVATER NAKATANI CANDEIAS e t priiaie oiis n sldrt eoois ad indigenous and economies, solidarity and policies participative to hes . t hud e ad ht o a sc a eeaie rssac b the by resistance generalised a such far so that said be should It e. oeet hv fre i Ida mvmns f esns, the peasants', of movements India: in formed have movements - ) In the backdrop of the growing job growing the of backdrop the In ) cuainacmaid y self by occupation,accompanied Srn sca mvmns n ot Aeia ae toppled have America South in movements social Strong ) ) MURTHY PK

- ul. h gnrl agt is target general The fuels.

t) –

ny ai Aeia cutis fe sae for spaces offer countries American Latin only even if the problems of inequality, poverty and limited and poverty inequality, of problems the if even ) in the context of land occupation by the „Movimento the by occupation land of context the in

- et oenet t pwr established power, to governments left

– n communist in

on shifting internal power relations, with relations, power internal shifting on ee oiis Bt s t apn every happens it as But policies. hese ncerned: by Venezuela's Oil Socialism Oil Venezuela's by ncerned: –

tre professors and teachers had to go to had teachers and professors - aaeet n te new the and management - - prpito o dispossessed of appropriation losses, wage cuts and cuts on cuts and cuts wage losses, d ‘la ad immediate’ and ‘clear a ed CANDEIAS - ue sae lk Kerala. like states ruled xist. Though in the in Though xist. - l rely all oil democratic social )

et eid idle behind left - production of production –

despite 33 -

- - led The The

back, back, 21 -

) Americans, Americans, - re re is a danger of BEAUDET lay lay a role in the

d labor from insurgenciesthe labor d capitalist expressions. However, expressions. capitalist profits plus the state’s taxes taxes and the state’s plus profits

- provoked closer coordination closer coordination provoked to ‘really existing’ capitalist -

so hard to achieve. Labor and the ransfers ransfers to financial capital and wing ideologies. - Public debates around the crisis are

) out racism ( fascism. and - gislations and promote mutual support and WOLFF

struggles indicate however. developments new struggles

labor labor le bles over interventions’ details). The US working class - war movement of the 1960s and more importantly the struggle for civic civic for more importantly the struggle and 1960s of movement the war - g g divided by race and insider/outsider status within the n the 1920 was this movement able to build a political platform. Time and again again Time and build political ablea platform. 1920 movement to n this the was d state economic interventions (a dramatically renewed Keynesianism) are largely co are largely renewed interventions (a dramatically economic dKeynesianism) state American communities were also democratic andanti were American democratic communities also - zation zation (politically and ideologically) by the capitalist crisis even as it ritories ritories are a central target of huge capitalistic projects. The second

Historically, the emancipatory movement in North American movementhas triggere in the emancipatory North Historically, Massively increase Massively

34 1930s to the 1970s. The anti 1930s 1970s. The to the by rights African Debs never Eugene since i demagogy,and it right populism, was by racism manipulated between state and large industry focuses brings (private betweenvast and industry resources focuses large brings state (2) and appropriate “solutions,” control public perception the crisis of borrowings) (1) and shape limit to dominate politics. and legislation, (3) 21 20 social programs. crisis The democratic opting displacing traditional or internationalization whereas US and hemispheric battles along Canadian with counterparts from Mexico, Central activists America, the p environment environment and anti resistance. The US Social Forum, the Quebec Social acting at the Forum, community, environmental, various labor levels are coalitions all expressions of this ter development is the internationalization of the North American movement. This has been translated in various alliances to fight free trade agreements, anti accumulation accumulation in the US superficial and level. Canada, unlikely These involving to poor movements and be middle class ‘greened’ bring communities, youth, except and together first nations at whose new a social coalitions movements, struggling at the micro level. Many of there environmental issues, struggles which are organically are related around and support more of the support more and same. ( of currentTwo dimensions first development is the rise, multiplication and complexification of ‘local’ New New Deal that labor and the left had struggled left in the US cannot yet acknowledge or face the implications of this history of failed Keynesian state interventions. They continue, with Obama, to propose came to distrust and disengage from the century. Democratic Democrats seemed Party unable over or unwilling the to last stop the half destruction of the creates vast new opportunities for them. constrained to endlessly repeat arguments for relatively more versus less state intervention (and quib The The central problem for labor unions and the marginali left in the US are their further people’s alliance that could be sustainable. As time goes by, the a real dislocation that could lead to some sort of a neoconservative come tainted all with this time more much so far has been unable to impose on oppose the government massive to t rescue significant parts of Trade the industrial unions sector. have failed (in a continuation of historical defeats) to build a working working classes, lon ‘labor market’ and without a common perspective considering the weaknesses of national political and social leaderships. Faced with the crisis, the movement movement movement took form with the US Social Forum in Atlanta biggest in challenge 2007. of One this of coalition the is to bring together various segments of the ‘old’ ‘old’ and ‘new’ social immigrants (as illustrated by the sectors mass immigrant strike on May like 1 2006). It trade to unions, the creation youth, of an African unusual alliance to support Obama. This multitudinous danger. danger. This was done by a combination of mass struggles that brought forward The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI s odtos osn ail fr rwn mlin o pol, tuge are struggles people, of millions growing for rapidly worsen conditions As ( these instances, more and more and local In places. other many and City, Quebec Windsor/Detroit Seattle, in demonstrated was it as America, South and Caribbean rfr o al sca lbrl” eas te hv set the spent have they because liberals” “social call I ones to the people; way” prefer “third or democrats social the from get either to likely help not much We’re attention. pay don’t we if even way, the us showing for FRANCE, country, own my and ITALY social the of left the liberals. to not, or organised now whether forces, the all meaning ( solidarity. international to freedoms, the to issues, social to directly ecology tie who ecologists the among those neoliberalism; to subordination the following disaster the comprehend to begun have who democrats pract social the alternative among those of refusal collective and individual the libertarians, express the to trying Sovietism; of collapse the after itself left; rebuilding extreme the communism, from itself distinguish to continuing Left, the of left The Left. countries particular the on depending peculiarities currents political five distinguish can we EUROPE, Throughout EUROPE American the among opportunities organizing ( people. major of m our movement) robbing and global us, killing are myths these And couple. how just are face and we barriers is, the great reality our awful how just understands one no States, United and from private benefit over human environment all prioritizes and which rights which world a in nature, world with harmony a in wealth, for the control struggle the in globe the around strong, a organizing broad to committed is PPEHRC The world. the around poor the military and war total of state The practical. and This world. the around sisters and brothers with up linking in die literally will it But repression. and huma dangers increasing the of economic spite in growing is of movement The communities. violations national on and regional Commissions local, holding Truth and races, and sectors all of people poor of caravans organize to helping poor, the of marches hemispheric and summits National the of Conventions headquarters the Republican towards marches people’s poor organizing largest the families, homeless government abandoned of over take encampments to families homeless building the labor is organizing the It to class. in dedicated growing movement. been allies this have strategic of forces beginnings its social other and and (PPEHRC) movement Campaign Rights Human greater been never have States. United the across developing MASSIAH BEAUDET - ae mvmn ta uie wt ohr rcse ad movements and processes other with unites that movement based

COX/HONKALA Here I could also go into detail about our weaknesses, beginning with beginning weaknesses, our about detail into go also could I Here

international struggles merge, thus creating a new paradigm, ‘glocal’. paradigm, new a creating thus merge, struggles international ) Who ) )

–

is about keeping us disorganized, unconscious and disunitedfromand disorganized,unconscious us keeping about is

can we count on? count we can –

like so many movements before movements many so like . For more than ten years, the Poor People’s Economic People’s Poor the years, ten than more For . )

uig h ls tre lcin, raiig global organizing elections, three last the during –

from resourcelessness to repression, to name a a name to repression, to resourcelessness from h PER i ddctd o organi to dedicated is PPEHRC The

We can count only on the “left of the left”; the of “left the on only count can We

– At the same time, the dangers and needs and dangers the time, same the At rpry rgt. Bcue e r i the in are we Because “rights.” property

while praising GERMANY and Die Linke Die and GERMANY praising while economic, political, social, psychological social, political, economic, –

intending - n rights in dozens of of dozens in rights n owned houses, leading houses, owned –

if it does not succeed not does it if vmn (n the (and ovement

is both strategic both is at ope of couple past

– o eul the rebuild to

ih certain with ig this zing ices; 35

- n what what

– operation operation - organisation, organisation, - generalize generalize an nefit from the

operation operation with For For the present, - elf

operation operation - of this co

an an alternative model of caping the crisis have little We have any number of ideas

) rs rs to have passed its zenith or is operation with management was - operating) operating) is based in part on the made in back office functions that - and and GERMANY: Many hopes of the

– GEORGE building building the organisation of the union and rom rom the social crisis in recent years, but not

) operating with the municipal management to secure and - emerge emerge into a wiser, more resilient society based on exception, perhaps CANDEIAS ion and co acles, all the handicaps, all the difficulties of our situation, we are also rich However, However, the opportunities for left alternatives in the sense of a

36 they push for and what they accept in negotiating the terms (there is always more than one way of co provision provision has been as much about strengthening members' participation in it, management. as Indeed the union's it view of the nature is of the co about co increased increased investment in staff learning and operation development. The with strategy management of co to maintaining wages secure and public conditions. Moreover, provision, this is strategy also to secure based public on conditional on no transparency outsourcing, and openness, including openness to management’s on plans and o avoiding compulsory redundancies, on working working model of public sector industrial services were democracy. improved At and the savings were same time were reallocated to the frontline services. The co exemplary exemplary experience of privatizat a local branch improve public (in provision. In the process, the union Newcastle and management created a council) defeating outsourcing outsourcing and privatization with the development of managing the public sector, based on industrial democracy. UNISON, the major public sector union in the UK is seeking to learn from and new questions.new ( A strategy emerging in the public sector in the UK combines resistance to German German Left Party (Die Linke) in Germany. The understanding of a productive relation between participation of and society and civil representation, state is and facing unsolved the party and the movements, of s decomposing decomposing themselves. Some smaller countries such as the NORWAY Netherlands are or an European left (left parties as well as movements) refer to the success of the difficulties difficulties of the neoliberal block parties: they were pulled down into the abyss with the social democrats in FRANCE, ITALY or SPAIN, or marginalised, itself in crisis at the example, the stagnation very or erosion of moment activism in Attac). of In Europe, the the old left socialist crisis or communist in parties neoliberal in many rule countries (see could for not be from from the financial crisis. The global social justice movements which initiated a new cycle of transnational struggles at the beginning of the 1990s and activated the search for new paths of globalisation appea revolutionary political realism have hardly been used to date. The left in Europe and abroad has gained ground f bad bad ideas, while those who have good ideas for their to ( compared power adversaries. es dug dug and help cooperation, democracy, greater equality and a us green economy. however, our basic problem is this: Those who have power have no ideas, or in social movements, people and organisations. and proposals which could actually pull us out of the deep pit that the crisis has social liberals have consistently deregulation and, more recently, supported the EU Constitutional Treaty. In spite of all privatisation the of public obst services, decades decades accompanying neoliberalism rather than combating it. In Europe, the The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI oiiain; oehls, hs eitne ean famne, scattered, fragmented, remains resistance this nonetheless, mobilisation); – meet well may elites the by offensives the SWITZERLAND, In ( of importance more socially responsible…capitalism. ( more socially responsible…capitalism. transformations be to not seems there movement anti expected and be with can no but elections opposition unemploymentrising, new con In public in and available locally athuman sources aiming transport, developmentinstead profit. private at energy renewable in planning European investment democratic means, and and production of ownership Balkan social classes, the working sens the project the in in republics regional advocating socialist of democratic are federation groups social left of growing at tradition potentially attempts but less small still Presently and consumers self and realizati at producers between attempts middlemen no still are There owners”. “better and partners” “strategic in rescue the for search to plans pri group of form some ownership, employee majority privatization still is There the anti appearing. no are however them of manage to employees breaking the to enterprises for of demands of w owners new with agreements coordination of encouraging however, examples weeks last the isolated In fragmented. of still fire is the resistance extinguishing strikes, in owners and trad government bureaucratized the between with unions cooperation to due YUGOSLAVIA, FORMER In weakening of the“welfare state”. rampant a accept to ready are and capitalism regarding criticism fundamental “g a of idea a of conviction the to a stick people bourgeoisie, petty the remains in especially circles, some possible, In minority. also but necessary, only not is capitalism a Amin, Samir of words the with thespeak to apartheid”, about “global of worry sirens the offuture, and them gets competition the before advantages meagre “everyofclimate a infear to that, reason give least) is what not are referendumso this in a lacking to submitted (issues contrary votes the popular On numerous perspective. political a from nor organisational, lefthasnotbene thepolitical But tonow, up the anti of feminist, 25% as than well (more as organisationspopulation), migrant to drawn be should attention buildi are fronts several Though, that. called being of worthy intermediary political any without WAINWRIGHT lways find more open ears in the polling booths. The idea that an alternative toalternative an that idea The booths. polling the in ears open more find lways

eitne fres wres f eti cmais kick companies, certain of workers (farmers, resistance - aiait retd oiia pry n ih. ihn ral dfnd left defined broadly Within sight. in party political oriented capitalist iin we gvrmn hs ut e primnain mr ta the than more parliamentarians few just has government when ditions n f nerl self integral of on en e da” Bt o a al ot: epe iscae t rm any from it dissociate people costs: all at not But deal”. new reen

osaty teghnn uin atcpto ad organization. and participation union strengthening constantly ) -

- – aiait ratruh, ic ee i etrrss ih the with enterprises in even since breakthroughs, capitalist called semi called g p ufruaey ctee ad ntbe particular unstable; and scattered unfortunately up, ng

rdmnt dmns o re for demands predominate - aaeet t l lvl o dcso making. decision of levels all at management - direct democracy, 20 to 30 each ye each 30 to 20 democracy, direct - returning and obligations their fulfill not did ho

mlyet hog coeaie avoiding cooperatives through employment ( ROCHAT enough radicalism to demand anti capitalist anti demand to radicalism enough - ula, n anti and nuclear, VRATUSA ) fited from the crisis, neither from an from neither crisis, fited from the

o te oe o, o ad y the by and for of, power the of e ) -

medd mr organized, more embedded, - man vate property, there are there property, vate - - for iiay organisations. military - himself” to save hissave to himself” –

sometim - f o unionist of off

ar at the very the at ar –

results of of results es fierce es 37 e

d Ideas Ideas are

rogressives rogressives

ve. And these forces ve. And these forces s our ideas and our which which can overcome

based heated capitalist - the early 1990s. Progressives jects of entry into fundamental

ilding ilding up a critical mass for winning parliamentary dimensions, is decisive. Politics, Politics, in short, must once more be in - market market capitalism have shown that a

- e. e. The rulers have themselves demonstrated ratic ratic capitalist restabilization schemes of Global CAPITALISM? THE PATHS TO PATHS THE CAPITALISM? -

scale war against neoliberalism, reformist thinking was market market capitalism, but in fact prove superior to it, to - market capitalism market move towards a society and of solidarity. - that Rosa Luxemburg and Gramsci and Lenin can teach us -

) We must move away from the economism to which the global

ving ving from criticism to prescription. The challenge is to overcome BELLO hegemonistic hegemonistic alternative must overcome not only the weaknesses of opportunity opportunity to initiate a transformational change -

CRISIS OR POST OR CRISIS - liberal financial liberal financial - -

38 waged waged strata, pensioners and the global South is still defensi will remain on the defensive if they do not succeed in calling into question the The The societal forces of solidarity must develop pro transformation, and fight for their implementation. Today, the prevalent form of action against the dumping of the effects of the crisis onto the population, the possible. And we should stop system. using them to rescue this parasitic capitalist The The funds used to fundamental redirection is possibl rescue financial that alternatives to privatisation and the “invisible hand” of the markets are overcome overcome it in the sense of an Aufhebung. The present crisis must be converted into an neo An An anti neo democratically. left was reduced in the neoliberal era. ( command. restabilization schemes of nationalist and fundamentalist populism. not enough, and what will be decisive is how one translate values and our vision into a winning strategy and tactics that can triumph one hand, against the technoc Social Democracy and, on the other, the mass individual liberation ecological and, add, individual stabilization. one must That is a perspective that we must people’s might minds fight but for for their not hearts and simply souls, in and here a the battle struggle for is, on the unabashedly unabashedly aim for equality and participatory democratic control of both the national economy and the global economy as prerequisites for collective an aggressiveness aggressiveness of the neoliberal challenge collapse of in the bureaucratic the socialist regimes 1980s in combined should with the boldly aspire once again to paradigms of social organization that policy, and progressives must work double time matter to of mo engage it. It is not just the a limits to the progressive political imagination imposed by the decisively, decisively, and this we cannot afford to this were time engaged around. in While p full percolating in critical establishment circles. This thinking is now becoming power, with parliamentary and extra Nature abhors a vacuum, and we must be ready to fill that vacuum or we lose, today, today, it is that, good will, values, and vision politics are not in enough, that the in sense the end, of building, a and powerful wise vision, supple an tactics effective of bu strategy of coalition If there is anything CHAPTER V CHAPTER POST TRANSFORMATION The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI with a new wealth of free and socially secure development, a solar revolution solar a development, secure socially and free of wealth solidarity, new in a life with of way new a productivity, of form ecological and social new counter a such to Central agenda. the on transformation counter a into incorporated financial of structures economic and social policies. The US, as main originator of the crisis, but also but crisis, the of originator main as US, The policies. social and economic ›post different for looking been obviously too have states BRIC the as well as countries American consensu transnational visible a there is nor longer, any rules the determine can Europe or US the Neither and crisis. the crisis, after disappeared the have will before delegitimized been already had alte Consensus for Washington search the as well as orientation export extreme and privatisation liberalisation, to turning adherence blind the from promotes away deligitamtion neoliberal and crisis economy world The an rule our So evolve. they and everyone for best is whatknows collectively, orsingly us, of none that variousshould be too are arrangements their and people process. democratic a s each through it to outcome, the particular whatever factors that is other feature main of The host society. a and culture geography, of because on time much u parameters. for too complex too far are societies lost our because dangerous, already even sterile, are arguments has These societies. ideal leftabout arguments The viable. environmentally or should society how organised, be knowwill to want not do I fast. act open must stay really won’t We forever. opportunity of window The hand. to close give is else whoever than or rather opportunity the seize danger citizen for ordinary and unity the for help need the understand we if work, try to We must luck. amountof with anenormous blessed ifwe and alliances are political hard of lot a of an rulers present our from planet the and people theeconomy, the save to manage just might left” the of “left the how show to try should We regulation. ecological concurrent demands also regulation economic n a causing is reality This materials. primary of reserves the of exhaustion of period a is century 21st The wewillhavecivilisation thetwenty in human of kind what determine will struggle This solidarity. of world a towards neo of authoritarian hegemony an to the of lead could which scenarios into incorporated crisis be can which elements generating financial The process. of transformation hegemony the end opportunity, this seize should We solidarity. in development for potentials into solidarity. financial in transformation of time essenti forces same an the at motive constitute would fortunes important private of most overaccumulation the the capitalism, of elimination The development onsolidarity. based to transition the and d of none usshould good. common the ( todictate try — otherwise they may start finding scapegoats and blaming immigrants blaming and scapegoats finding start may they otherwise

The future will be and should be different in different places, if onlyif places, different in different be should and be willfuture The

- except that it should be less centralised, more democratic and democratic more centralised, less be should it that except neoliberal‹ forms of integration into the world market and of and market world the into integration of forms neoliberal‹ - abrsd id f aiaim o, n dfeet dire different a in or, capitalism, of kind barbarised l ore o te ren u o te ud nee fr a for needed funds the of up freeing the for source al -

market capitalism itself. For this purpose, they must be must they purpose, this For itself. capitalism market nature a ew and grave dilemma for the economy. Therefore, Therefore, economy. the for dilemma grave and ew

The crisis is an opportunity for converting dangers dangers converting for opportunity an is crisis The - eeoit taey hc pae fundamental places which strategy hegemonist

No society ever reaches a “final” state, because state, “final” a reaches ever society No -

rsrig ye f erdcin ad global and reproduction, of type preserving - akt c market - first century. ( ntv pts o dvlpet The development. for paths rnative ptls ad ntae global a initiate and apitalism s to be able to consider all their their all consider to able be to s d their allies, if we are capable are we if allies, their d BRIE GEORGE - hegemony would be a be would hegemony )

ol oe about come hould )

- ieaim is liberalism s. The South The s. n o the to in - market ction, 39

– crisis crisis - es, for a, a, India, South oriented capitalist - sided dependence on - access into a different orientation. If not, there - nded. nded. The transregional the Gulf States). The BRIC

but want to autonomously neoliberal‹ reforms that can be - organisation, civil society and - operations. They do not want to -

orientation in viewpoints government - operations between China, Japan and - supporting supporting economic factors and in using - ntries.

South co - operating with China or Brazil. Furthermore, - in view of ›post

as self – the chances for this are not at all bad, considering the

are even more clearly trying to bring capitalist dynamics

– called South - lsewhere lsewhere and this guarantees a still higher standard of – their their wealth in resources and oil for this purpose. This also

position of the ›global South‹. After the collapse of the WTO –

m a role leading in solving the crisis and forming the post even critically

d d as a counterweight to transnational institutions such as the – especially in China and Venezuela (or

– controlled controlled development with selective market -

e G7/G8, have lost the legitimacy to create a new global financial structure. where where available

rowth prospects of the prospects states. of rowth BRIC 40 institutions are not already functioning in every case; especially in Africa the IMF, World Bank or the WTO. South Korea or And the Asean states co are being strengthened. Regional development banks such as the Banco del Sur are being fou the EU, the USA or the IMF, by co regional integration projects such as Mercosur or ALBA being in promote Latin America are capitalist centres. This strategy is a shining example for smaller instance in Africa, countrithat want to free themselves a from one uncouple uncouple themselves from codetermine the the conditions and forms of further integration of world their economies market, into the world market and at the same time reduce their dependence on the old strengthening the negotiations in Cancun/Mexico in 2003, Brazil,more strongly China on or so South Africa relied Internationally, another G20+ was already formed within the WTO framework some years ago, as a loose cooperation of countries of countermeasure the to the bargaining power of Europe, the ›global USA and Japan and thus South‹, as a be considered cou in the industrialized generalized There There is a focus on stronger public and education social infrastructure, and state interventions than e living for large sectors of the population. The Scandinavian experiences should developed developed despite neoliberal hegemony. This kind of capitalism has not rejected the trend towards liberalisation, is market and extraordinarily has successful simultaneously achieved on higher the labour and world social standards. relation, and thus determine the future of the Even country in (more) Scandinavia, autonomously. different approaches of another type of capitalism have China's state or capitalism the Gulf States with their public investment policies practically top down and state groups groups and investors g is a risk of escalating severe social unrest, whether it be in or Bolivia.Africa Chin the At same time, this re has to occur without confrontation with the world market democracy democracy states and the countries on the peripheries must sovereignty, consistent land link reforms and this ecological re to policies of food potentials, in developing them – requires strengthening the elements of self order. order. Increasingly, it will be decisive for BRIC and Gulf States to promote social justice by refocussing on the domestic economy, unleashing its productive Consequently, the group of those involved needs to be expanded to the G20. The transnational of fractions capital and feel have challenged thefounded B20 in an attempt to reclai th The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI parameters will have to meet four major criteria: The first is to affirm that we that affirm to is first The criteria: major four meet to have will parameters new The utopia? an redesign we can How position. postcapitalist real only the we fact, In Nevertheless, obstacles. leadsuccessful tofurther ( will projects projects. insurmountable face practically projects integration principles described. ( principles four the on based be would which Goods, Common Humankind’s on Declaration Universal a of idea the promote not why So force. moving thei a as it, use to possible establish to seeking forces political imperfect is it and Rights, Human of Declaration Universal a get to centuries two taken has it enough, True On shape. real take can the reality of in participation ensure to vision order in notonly the tobuild religions instances, ethical and means a envisage o to construction is today problem The capital, big of hands systemfor knowledge. of scientific and thepatent finally theabolition the in information intr on monopoly be the to end should an too, mean, progress human of elements Qualitative GNP. of definition new a require would It more. having than rather well) (living vivir” “bien of idea the present They world. the of parts other and America Latin con the of example, for acceptance, the of life of conception philosophy new a multiculturality, new is parameter final The state. a the also but society, to individuals of approach new a means nothing economics, In relationships. societal other all in also but elements, participatory through field political the in only not democracy, of generalisation the is parameter third The public of restoration implies It products. food s with speculation of kind of prohibition any the means it And solidarity. and complementarity but markets, between competition not is regionalisation for basis the Here, America. Latin in philosophy new a with also but markets, common promote to only not economies, of regionalisation the means also It region. or country each for security food first, m assure, to is solution would The sovereignty. food to value secondary use to priority “odi Giving the of and secrecy, bank of of havens, suppression the fiscal also implies logic Such education. and health seeds, water, no can We accept demand. and longer supply but between few, mediation the of for place profit a a be making rather must for forum a merely be longer no can market life for from activity: economic th produces that activity to interest private for value of added of production philosophy different a economy, of definition new a need We value. exchange over value use of priority the establishing involves T life. of source the as nature for respect a towards and commodity a as nature of exploitation of concept and the beings from away human earth, the between relationship the of philosophy new a means That sustainab a develop to have ervices, not only in the material, but also in the theervices, notonlyalsoin in but material, cultural sphere. –

physical, cultural and spiritual spiritual and cultural physical, –

need not only regulation. To find alternatives and new parameters is parameters new and alternatives find To regulation. only not need but also the ethics of a new political and economic construct. economic and political new a of ethics the also but te uue o al nweg sses n pioohe, f all of philosophies, and systems knowledge all for future the f h mratlsto o wa i idsesbe o hmn life: human for indispensible is what of mercantilisation the HOUTART e utopia in the history of humankind was human rights. human was humankind of history the in utopia e ol b ls dmcai ta te aiait ytm It system. capitalist the than democratic less be could – le and responsible mode of using natural resources. natural using of mode responsible and le

o wsen ad lo ujc o aiuain by manipulation to subject also and western, too )

– tributions of the indigenous peoples of peoples indigenous the of tributions a ta agro that ean

for all human beings in the world. The world. the in beings human all for hgmn. u i eit, n i is it and exists, it But hegemony. r - ous” debts of the Third World. World. Third the of debts ous” CANDEIAS he second main parameter main second he - exports would become become would exports dcd Ta would That oduced. )

, like that of ALBA of that like ,

–

the reading the

Utopias e basis e –

with 41

of of the catastrophe catastrophe

–

) element element

al development. – type experiments. - ts ts social effects and omic omic boom (“Trente ttributable ttributable to physics EL KENZ

oundation oundation of capitalism” on a rn, will depend on organisational for for the other regions of the world

– certainly certainly important

– World World War II econ ers - but also social and ecological

– al ribution of wealth and the return of the domestic regulation” and “ref - the the crisis will be exactly inversely proportionate to the

ory ory still to be told that will be made up of the clashes of two embed embed it. We have to rethink and reorganise its laws by subjecting - groups groups and national situations faced with the actions taken by the leading

em to the laws of society, of ( em to the laws i.e. to “civilise” it somehow. alled alled conflict and, in this case, social conflict, which is increased through the 42 emergency emergency requires a transformation Similarly, the crisis of of the political model of representation the reinforces the need mode for social of democracy and participative soci democracy, as well as for reflection on market market offer new chances of protection stabilising and and guaranteeing of wages reorganising and the social public services. Likewise, the ecological Let us remember six ideological opportunities inherent defeat in of the regulation. Secondly, the redist crisis. neoliberalism First of favours all, the the strengthening of public the limits of Keynesianism of the post decolonisation. the crisis of of in glorieuses” France), actors actors bringing about all of these dang and for the working classes in Europe. analysing the We deadlocks of the can neoliberal period, identify of the failures the of Sovietism, of opportunities by th We must strengthen the opposition movements and expand the coalitions alliances for and freedom, democracy and peace. Europe is one of the principal globalisation, it might be the society, to re right moment to replace the economy within transform transform “the effects” anticipated by the former into successes achieved by the latter. Beyond containing the crisis in order reconsidering to regulatory mitigate theories, i which are by the way made ineffective by accountable for their actions vs. the dominated who will former either or submit resist to them. the This resistance, in tu capabilities and hence on forms of mobilisation that will be put into practice to “effects” of this crisis thus do not not “effects” do this crisis thus represent of an unavoidability, a they do not have destiny, but a st power groups that are present: the leaders of an economy who are not c concerned sectors and hence the affected groups and countries. The said but to history and social dynamics. For “these effects” do action not exist before is any being taken, and depending on they the act reactions in that a take place way in that return. is Such a more relationship or is less intense, The The very mechanical principle of cause and effect that links the IFS crisis to its social effects, the way the media like to present it, is not a dynamism dynamism will lie with the social and political struggle in all countries, and the “social effects” of to meet. the resistancestrength and are going they ensemble of dynamic and diversified reactions, social depending on the individual groups of the respective economies. The role of containing the drifts of this Considering Considering the economic sphere as a social ensemble allows us to go beyond the notion of “social effects of the crisis of the international financial system”. In fact, these effects in reality make up an “healthy” basis we must now think deemed “insignificant” after of the failure of the alternative socialist Soviet hypotheses that had been makes makes it today possible and which legitimate has to reached subject its limits the “reformist” with capitalist illusions globalisation, civilisation, of to “re radical criticism. Beyond The The global scope of the financi The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI oeet ae rnig owr fsiaig rpsl caatrsd y the by working the characterised for improvements that proposals realisation class fascinating working forward aspects bringing these are all the movements Regarding and geopolitics. Northern global on the perspective between balance new Southern a creating Moreover, power. orders of the economy, whi economy, the of orders regulatory and institutional the in changes political concrete introduce to able is which conception a is that reality, shape to how the of conception precise a develop and vision precision, poli lack of will power privatisation private, of the politics of the politics and to rhetoric opposition the to conceptual identification a of create point doing contrasting so in and “privatisation”, to and counter effective “private” publicly a up holding in succeed not do we If forempowerment andsocialinsertion structural deeper ( changes. democ term the create to long is idea The targets. unfolding radical more towards advances further exclude in crisis’ rooted the be nations. should and that classes initiatives constraints of capacity increasing reaction the of upon imposes danger the on focuses employme full (indispensably decent of program perspective planetary sensitive environmentally scientifically an and strategic building culturally healthy of sustainable, agenda) the horizon’s a time the With and of each in action. job present decent political a further fou to key for as responsibilities) rights state’s consequent citizen’s the (and the environment values basic society’s social demands. and and artic political the up in build conjuncture, could the in peoples relevance and classes working inexorable the of the fears and crisis be and the troublesthreatening life solutionstothe “politicallyofsensible” proposition could of arenas funda deployment the ideological of the affectation national foreseeing and in global the overcome the of weakness in generalized values The victories. democratic early but small for priorities the crucia it’s sense, that In demands. its of effectiveness the in itself proves that but alliances, electoral with end nor start not do that accumulation political addresspost the for aims principled most should years) (next term long the and year) one months, the six (next middle the for of up follow consistent pedagogically deployment The process. this of the block to direction moral the of construction the initiatives, viable (2 the from targeting, and order term in short very level the speculative planetary for the agenda at an define months) can forces democratic The between alliance minimal an movement of for theworking classes?( thebenefit on based avoid is re potential a that radicalise to to How regimes? authoritarian reformers green, and reforms How and forces raised: conservative and been neoliberal already have fre the questions for struggle social ecological the if and and in stronger grow result movements only opposition can the they if itself; situations imposebetter to going is opportunities these of None hegemony.reasserting European eipee pn u a e pae f eooiain n a new a and decolonisation of phase new a up opens hemisphere - amne mfas gna ht s cont is that agenda mafia’s warmonger

tical persuasion and mobilisation. It is especially necessary to to necessary especially is It mobilisation. and persuasion tical t m cnrbto t a imdae rgamtc platform programmatic immediate an to contribution my nt, o eape i ses taeial ncsay o ntl i the in install to necessary strategically seems it example, For etl ed o te okn pols Te continuous The peoples. working the of needs mental ch represent a real and differentiated alternative to alternative differentiated and real a represent ch

- crisis world in the horizon of a wide spectrumwide a of horizon the in world crisis dm ad gis wr nesfe. Two intensifies. war against and edoms lto o aray non struggles ongoing already of ulation

classes should not be sought by sought be not should classes MASSIAH ratic struggles and do not not do and struggles ratic rolling the events thus far far thus events the rolling )

l te proposed the All - concept to th to concept PAEZ

directly the directly - ndations l to plan to l political )

form 43 - 4 e

- – also also

: : the – worlds, worlds, action political political - - - capitalist capitalist discourse discourse - - changing, changing, “hard”

especially its state

– of of a left state project

kes kes possible and offers immigrants immigrants relationship); - democratising democratising the debate on - that is in the state. In this struggle

good good orientation the existing social ) - good good orientation, an opening up of paths - ocially ocially equal way participate in their use, term term a possible second pillar of societal - women women and nationals - RILLING . ( subaltern project of a political change of direction at is ready to confront and to struggle; defend and - r r protagonists of neoliberal capitalism. It is a genuine by by being a medium of the solidaristic and providing a material lved lved is a non by by the powe

– s, s, developing these moments and inventing a politics of their co

our our of “less taxes” have the wind at their backs; develop networks of a social

44 promote promote principles of equal opportunities and solidarity in the social (especially struggle with regard to men and and solidary economy, production goals, with taking into account the the ecological, cultural aim and reinvigorate social a crisis; unionism of th re sovereignty sovereignty and food quality; struggle for tax equity and fairness (regional and global, taking into consideration the fact that fav in the current debate, those in transformation of capitalism of transformation Some potential initiatives: Reconcile city and countryside on the issue of food societie (c) and, finally, enabling such a politics to use the visionary power of the idea of the commons and of common, in order to reveal paths to a fundamental state instruments in a pragmatic, practical way; (b) with a the complex project public, of going back to alternative the political developmental culture moments of and memory of trajectories a of multitude bourgeois of inequalities can be minimised. Thus a threefold sleight of hand is demanded of a left transformational politics: (a) using, and at the same time public goods in this sense would have to distributed be that that everyone goods can are in so a produced s and and that through such a common to individuality conditions of life, through participatory basis equitableness for the symbolic control in of time. A central the criterion of a elementary left politics of project of the public democratisation would of domination, the promotion have of political, economic and to social distinguish equality, and a prioritisation of a common aim at achieving life. Looking at it in this light, four issues can be identified: Such an alternative reproduction. reproduction. For one thing, the public become can, an in the effective most diverse medium participatory equity and life the common appropriation of elementary conditions of of solidarity if it ma resources resources alternative and in the middle What is invo is to a transformation and be opposed of, the public, to atoward, political which crisis mobilisation of the still remaining public resources create connections between state and society, through which a social project can be organised as an alternative to the politics of privatisation incidentally through the concretising of a new, left understanding of the state. is therefore of central examining whether the importance concept of the for public cannot play the a role political going beyond left.the rhetoric of the Furthermore, state and nationalisation, we a role that can propose only only the economic order but also the structure been and altered. The space development and of political presentation the political has decades. decades. The societal confrontation over the private has shifted and now occurs almost in the space of its formal antipode, different conceptions of the state are put forward and fought out. In the end not the world of the private, which has arisen almost everywhere in the last three The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI ntttos ht rae sae o te tuge o lbrto wee t is it where imperat crucial is liberation It for struggle the for space developing ( and itself. asserting a create that institutions governance” “global alternative for proposals specific forward put etc.); history, reaffir interventions; armed imperialist refuse the importa the to points alliances of question the for experience this of significance wider The cap while even to challengemanagement committed strategic co toa the including organisation,capacity and autonomy its of maintenance the and members the of participation union's the developing on emphasis constantly union’s the with underpins recognition This managers. struggle sector private the worst the as vicious as be to management sector replicating public a shows UK the in strike on automatic based not is model co profit private, the in traditional management of strategy the The beyond staff. sector public management as of seen are allies managers sector potential public which in terrain a strategic to new on unions relatively sector public the leading are privatization against struggle the crisis. climate and economic led market to opposed as relegitimising to importance central of are alternatives wider a have to beginning are reform of strategies disasters indeed thefailures the As choice. all and reform of g. mantle the claiming by (e. champion users' privatization of advocates partie the political mainstream where context strategic a central in of are importance reform service public of models alternative Secondly, parties. for discuss to need internal these institutions we implications important have control Both democratic formovements external and locality). state the transforming (beyond generalised for and strategies combined be two could these how think to which model useful a provides IV chapter in introduced experience UNISON The of municipality. the of process democratization internal of process parallel a in participation union a of absence the been has su experiences of these degrees varying with was world, the that across institutions cities state local over control and towns smaller other andmany Seville in Alegre, Porto in with experimented popular exert to attempt and necessary a is it First, reasons: several for important and interesting is alternatives, around practice effective tothinkingand central as sectorpublic the democracy industrialin on focusThe and oppression.( exploitation w there exists it as long as that and labor of division class the of expression capital legal the just is property private that reminding keep transnational to activists by below. from exacerbated addressing practicing purposively unemployed, and rule imperial at divide implementing and differences laborers hired precisely of organization transnational

nce of alliances with sections of the trade unions who are taking an taking are who unions trade the of sections with alliances of nce

n uh iuto I i te hleg fr h ms cas conscious class most the for challenge the is It situation such In o eue ulc rvso mvs ulc etr rd unionism trade sector public moves provision public secure to – –

it has to be struggled for. struggled be to has it

rethinking electoral political institutions, including political including institutions, political electoral rethinking ive that transnational organization of capital is matched by matched is capital of organization transnational that ive f rvtzto ae nraigy el nw, ulc led public known, well increasingly are privatization of – i te K, ae aae t ps a te service the as pose to managed have UK), the in s

Fourthly, these union these Fourthly,

cnmc taey eesr t la ot f both of out lead to necessary strategy economic VRATUSA complement to the kind of citizens’ participation citizens’ of kind the to complement ROCHAT - driven, sector. This convergence of interests of convergence This sector. driven, )

)

Indeed the present postal workers postal present the Indeed a atssei clue (arts, culture antisystemic an m - led alternatives f alternatives led public impact. Thirdly, these Thirdly, impact. public anti cs. n o te iis of limits the of One ccess.

the kind of public led public of kind the - capitalist globalization capitalist ill persist as well as persist ill - prto with operation - operation. operation.

workers and and workers orged out of of out orged ct and acity

from

45 – –

- - – ct of profit” - and and “de - r, r, without and and climate

- young young people an example of

– – eeded eeded instead of

growth” - ) appropriation of land, of - , and more generally a often often between ‘old’ labour territorial territorial movements and e - – ALTVATER of of finance, of the economy, of

) in the face of the multiple crises

– rs rs is only “second best” after the driven. ( driven. strategy is a comprehensive proje king king with allies on developing political - - of of men to nature, not only technical precarious precarious jobs are created instead of job

fossil fossil solar energy system is some kind of - – WAINWRIGHT exploitation and they are not attractive enough - and and hybrid alliances

–

ur ur Party vacates it’s traditional role as political

n sections of the unions and the green movement over party party - profit profit based, participatory - although state it is rather

strategy strategy is only possible in the social framework of a cooperative, competitive competitive capitalist firms on the market place but non – -

–

production, distribution and consumption. Instead of petro - formation formation matching a post

sections of the unions are open to wor

46 trade trade unions. But also a green new deal social change closed closed factories, of dispossessed resources. The social movements pushing e.g. the fossil to a renewable energy system are socio security. For all this, material and immaterial public goods on all level from the the local to global are crucially important, and therefore r precarity, and solidarity. The dismantling third of secto the welfare state “normal” and the “transformation paradox” (Oppenheimer). sector, The “third” too, and is “non another example. It is oscillating between informalization, success success cooperatives survive only on a low and precarious competitive level,enough without self they are not as to be overtaken by competitors. Successful cooperatives transform into solution solution in combination with market incentives. Also globalisation” a “de solidarity economy on the basis of renewable energies. Howeve smaller smaller units, non transformation of the social relation only only the energy source without changing economic and social forms? social No! The cooperative socialism. Required are adequate economic and social structures conflicts conflicts a strategy of sustainability in a solidarity society is n fossil combustion and financial repression, energy e.g. regime for by renewable, foremost opening solar energies. the Is it closed suitable fossil to change There There is no simple exit from the multiple crisis energy, the climate and food. There is an energy ecological necessity to decentralise many cases they have stronger international networks than they have alliances inpolitical national institutions. ( around around the environment and also international issues such as Palestine, public service managers around the destruction of public services are most developed at a local level. How they will gain national expression is unclear. Indeed in demanding demanding government action around a green industrial strategy. These kinds of political movement organization and newly radicalized social groups growing growing alliance betwee green employment, both defending existing green jobs hit by the crisis and responses from a base outside the political system, as a new bargaining base for an within. influence having This can be seen in the UK over green issues as well as privatization. There is a the same time becomes increasingly political – trend trend in the unions in the UK, is an increasingly important one. One reason for this is that representative as of working class interests and as the the nature of these interests at Labo increasingly increasingly strategic and political role. And this trend, though not the dominant The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI ht e is ne t epan n mk cer n epes id i the is minds people’s in clear make and explain to and, need first mankind we to threats What for lethal the and resources issue natural of availability the term long ch climate assumptions is policies alternative capitalist promoting and and demolishing for opportunity medium unique a importantsimultaneously, most The upr ad oiaiy bt ih ifrnitd epniiiis n roles and responsibilitiesentirely presage would programs cooperation regional such modalities, benefit’ differentiated ‘ with such Within capacities. and resources but to according solidarity, and mutual of principles support on based and negotiated such democratically and from collectively emerge to programs The practical survival. human counter and the security, of transformative peoples’ view and in and initiatives insecurities and creative instabilities change climate looming by made i imperatives the of context is the within pressing more and stronger even countries neighbouring between cooperation/coordination effective of long The innovation the but for shared and on sources essential energyappropriate gene la energy also renewable is (rivers, distributed cooperation unevenly Such resources resources. wild natural water and other fisheries biodiversities, shared and forests aquifers), over direct underground to attaches cooperation importance vital and regional equally crisis crises, economic change global climate of emerging conditions under Furthermore, development. self region thus more for needs urgent food global are the there of crisis context the In levels. global and/or regional national, local, cri to Alternatives neededexpenses ( crisis. tosolve financial the public enormous the Se with contradiction a constitutes course term. of necessity which energy, long a of field the the in technologies for new develop in to needed be need will solution investments thefundamental the being energy; of is use first our this restrict to the have will We questions, demand. of contraction enormous significant raises really energy ultimate the facing now are We production. energy of cycle new a towards fuels fossil of out moving cycle, energy its transform to have will humankind years, fifty next the during Indeed, the expose to arguments of 21st onlyas the ( safeoption. century socialism amount an cooperation such equality, promote to and disposal capitalism of logic suicidal intrinsic tour a had before Never we them? between have shared be to adjustment of price the is how but i are classes, social of regardless of South, and the North the of Inhabitants “development”? and begin: “growth” difficulties call we cleared, do is what ground the once But water. others, many among to difficult u too totally are not forces” is it on, then generallymore“market and, capital flowof free trade,the free that demonstrate From capitalism. of process accumulation non and eart space of finiteness the hand, one the on between, contradiction fundamental - - tnig ainl fr hs cuil einl ragmns o more for arrangements regional crucial these for rationale standing

and often pragm often and - based, food productio food based, - eeal rsucs n, n h ohr ad te limitless the hand, other the on and, resources renewable sis - al t gaate ar ces to access fair guarantee to nable prone capitalism can be conceived and implemented at the at implemented conceivedand be can capitalism prone ration systemsand technologies. atic atic limits. Thus, the problem of changing the source of source the changing of problem the Thus, limits. -

cooperation and coordination will have to be to have will coordination and cooperation n, and for mutually supportive agro supportive mutually for and n, n the same boat, on the one Earth, one the on boat, same the n - ufcet n self and sufficient HOUTART CASSEN ange, the coming limitations on limitations coming the ange, - esrs o seta for essential so measures give

) omn od sc as, such goods common

) -

od mjr financial major cond, and - take’ and ‘mutual and take’

- h ecosystems. the utiig and sustaining, - industrial e and kes - mposed and life and a and h’s 47

- rth’s rth’s regional’, regional’, - gnificance gnificance nking” nking” and determined determined for the long

- –

first first century. The - It It is in the light of

) rit, I situate the ‘new or or ways

– KEET g g a more self economic strategies, they - can be conceived and aimed

whether at the at ‘sub whether

– – f humanity.f ( sible sible radicalisation of the struggles is not

south) south) levels s. -

pheries. This conflict becomes therefore the regional alliances regional societies of the triad will not be will societies questioned. the triad is of There

regional regional (south enables the conception of a possible crystallisation of a -

only only be advancing alternatives within and for the countries and rds rds the transition to world socialism? Or will these struggles remain efore efore the financial meltdown. Pauperisation expresses itself mainly by the

48 therefore therefore a serious risk of a ‘remake’ of the wave of of struggles emancipation as happened in the twentieth century, that is to say, a some by its peripherie of exclusively questioning of the system common common front of the social and political forces bringing together all the victims of the exclusive power of the ruling oligarchies. As long as this target strategic is the stability the excluded of socialisation of the ‘oligopoles’ by deepening democratic practice.socialisation by deepening democratic of the ‘oligopoles’ The current crisis consensus” is not realistic and dangerous illusions. The real battles therefore are developing on other grounds. A perpetuate radical “wishful thi left must dare envision nationalisation as the first inescapable stage of the ‘oligopoles’? ‘oligopoles’? In this situation, the pos an improbably hypothesis, even if the obstacles remain pursuing formidable. However, attempts to identify the components of a “progressive global separate from one another, therefore or become will ineffective, they even leaving clash the with initiative each to other and the capital of the the peoples in question. The real challenge is struggles manage therefore to converge in as order to pave the follows: way will these route towa plundering plundering of the South’s natural resources, which is demanded by the pursuit of the model of wasteful consumption to societies, prospect any of ofaffluent development this destroys worthy name the for exclusive benefit of the No All All the “advantages” of the imperialist triad can now be annihilated unilateral by policies conducted by countries of the periphery. In this spi agrarian question’ at the heart of the challenge for the twenty societies at the dominated peri barbarism”. and the alternative“socialism central between axis of was was b growing contrast between the affluence of world the system societies in who the benefit centre from of the the imperialist rent and the misery of the a new wave of ‘wars and revolutions’. powers do This not envisage is anything other than even the restoration more of the sosystem as it since the ruling regional regional economic and political power bases for the whole o capitalism, for globalised and and towards alternatives to Today we have reached this crucial moment which announces the probability of implement amongst themselves alternative could not socio peoples within their own regional groupings, but also from their putative and and hold out possibilities for alternatives to globalised capitalism, through de globalisation. If such regional groupings of countries are able to negotiate and re/positioning in relation to the system global or economy even, partially and or system totally, outside or of these possibilities the that such regional againststrategies carry broader global si system. the continental or inter at ensuring more effective engagements by such united global groupings economy within the and political system or at enablin exploitative capitalism. globalised strategically, and Most broadly different different systems and relations to those that drive competitive, mercantilist and The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI meils tid Iiitvs hc ae needn o te oiis ht the that policies the of independent are which Initiatives triad. imperialist circ can classes popular linking hegemonies without a for globalisation nations negotiated the and States the of battle the periphery, the of countries the In n nevnin n ulc eae ut rw n ocps and concepts on draw must debate public in perspectives.( intervention An happened. already has as elite, ruling the by over taken are left the of demands far practical detect requires to time This same initia the situation. at changed and imagination the and proposals to reaching regard with position strategic new a find must left the this, to addition In problems groups. social and social problems isolate deny to correlations, always bloc these ruling separate The to life. oftries way our and production of mode capitalist the m and crises these theall between crises, economic and ecologic between connection between connection conversion, etc. dismissals, on ecological The ban a to services, public packages of expansion stimulus participation, extended economic and bailouts linking numerous the nationalization no will simple as or money more for well demand The demands. old the as with processes, proceed cannot we crises crisis, the with deal to charge in those by pursued initiatives intertwined the Considering problem of over markets. financial re indispensable and important an demand only to sufficient situation historical hegemon no open where relatively a in still are we intervene Currently, socialist transformation. towards could demanded, Luxemburg that as positions Realpolitik”), “revolutionäre left oder developing on work e to necessary is It ( possible. and necessary is peoples the and workers the of internationalism new A progress. their on limits same the produce would that situation a past, the the in on But consciousness. socialist same athe confront still could South the of societies the of hand, other awakening the help could South the s the the re the by caused benefits Moreover, which neutralisation. rent imperialist of the strategy of this decline of success positive a the make to could system of contribution the of project centre the at criminal countries the and of movement demented force its could militaril renounce conditions world the controlling to these retreat, in to produced imperialism advances best the the In agenda. the scenario, on now possible is awakening” South’s “the of stage second A miserable the like just name, ofpractices giving ‘aid’, eschewreal with engagement thischalleng its in conducted interventions the and ‘humanitarian’ proposed is that discourse ‘democratic’ in The initiatives. forces these support democratic The etc). Sur Shanghai, of Banco (Group initiated already are enforce to tries coalition imperialist AMIN ffectively, and at the same time to develop a radical political realism (radikale realism political radical a develop to time same the at and ffectively, l projects l ) t succeed unless it is given greater content, for example by a demand for for demand a by example for content, greater given is it unless succeed t

–

vnuly upre b te raiain f h dmns f the of demands the of organisation the by supported eventually CANDEIAS – - -

accumulation and thenu accumulation organisation of the international equilibria to the advantage of advantage the to equilibria international the of organisation that can be initiated from a minority position. Otherwise, the Otherwise, position. minority a from initiated be can that

ic direction has yet been taken. Consequently, it is no longer no is it Consequently, taken. been yet has direction ic oe far More umscribe and limit the powers of the ‘oligopoles’ of the of ‘oligopoles’ the of powers the limit and umscribe )

- ecig rjcs r ncsay o ofot the confront to necessary are projects reaching y. And if this were the case, then the democratic democratic the then case, the were this if And y. lil cie ms b epaie, the emphasised, be must crises ultiple merous socialcrises.

h cutis f h Nrh must North the of countries the –

h cneprr fr o de of form contemporary the ceis n usin itself question, in ocieties -

regulation of the of regulation n cags to changes, and e. challenges as challenges

49 - -

ithin the

) and and especially the poor

– movement movement in our country

COX/HONKALA uggle uggle to fundamentally change the f us. ( f capitalist capitalist utopia. We find ourselves, - class struggle in the United States. s possibility in the abstract its growing l, Iraq, South Africa, France or India, our

on as political dynamite that has the potential to of of the United States are invisible and unorganized, a into a national movement into and the struggle, global

- model. model. But as long as the people ion and regulation on the planetary level. The search for an ts, philosophers, intellectuals who consider themselves

) dicating the path to a revolutionary struggle for socialism, even if o future o future in this economy (and resulting outbursts of struggles in response itting the resurgence of a post

e recognize that our interests are one and the same with the poor and with CATALINOTTO 50 alternative to neoliberalism is giving rise another economic model which to will bring new forms of socialism the to the debate. possibility and necessity Globalization of did not just create thi Beginning with earlier crises, there has been a growth in the debate about how to ensure that the demands intervent general interest prevails over particular interests. This on the brink can also functi another civilization. vindicate perm contradictorily and simultaneously in an era of much hope and much insecurity. Nevertheless, the extreme concentration of wealth in a world that is teetering This This great crisis could be the context opportunity to of place the other economy socialdemocracy, justice and, today we can add, ecological sustainability. This is within social the relationships based on principles of solidarity, global global movement will not be able which is killing all o socioeconomic model to really confront the US empire and the people the country across for another economic and workers of all races have have n across the US) provides unprecedented opportunities for organizing millions of common common enemy is this system which has preventable by death homelessness, and disease. war sentenced billions of us to hunger, The global crisis and the concurrent rapid growth of this class of new poor who workers workers in every corner homeless shelters, impoverished farms, of on the streets or the in abandoned factory world. towns Whether in the we United live States, in Brazi shantytowns, neoliberalism and militarization. As our government attempts to keep us apart, w that the only answer is to organize a massive social to uniteand it struggle worldwide. peoples with the poor movements The and of of the United States is the struggle of the poor internationally against Yet while the situation of poverty, war, repression and rampant violations human rights worsens both in the United States and around the world, we know left’s ideological retreat since the objective USSR’s collapse. The need conditions create ( an for reawakening ecological ecological destruction that threaten the very existence of life also on means in the planet. It that struggle seems remote given the current balance of class forces and the softening its contradictions. It means explaining the contradictions w system that condemn those oppressed and exploited by it to ever more onerous conditions of life. It means showing how capitalism drives toward war and system. system. In the imperialist countries, of which the United does States is not center, this mean prescribing programs to extend the life of capitalism by revolutionaries revolutionaries should have as their main task analyzing the current dominant world capitalist system and the forces behind it, with the who goal of are aiding directly those organizing for a mass str Marxist economis The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI intervening in the economy. Global crisis might guide us to an economy that that economy an to us guide ac might crisis political Global whether economy. the of in question intervening the post with guarantee left are not We does nevertheless, itself, by capitalism. market, the Increased of necessary. more planning and possible more this making are contradictions the voice of worldwide topof thevoice forstructuralThiscitizens.without justof wouldthefreecapital, substituteany role thevoice marketfor bure usecapital effective of labor.andcould transformedregulationSuch be centralizedeconomic into a diversifiedandresources naturalindustrial managing planning, justnot uses, natural but themost inthethis way, ofthecurrentgrowth expansion and e investmentsrealm reorients towards withthegoal theproductive sustained of guaranteeing economic 22 and thought the of processes rebuild to urgent is it conditions, these off In production. power of means the than rather relations economic production capitalist of destruction the until and political domination capital and classes’ of end the until just limit, thecontrad take to up the worsen to possible to is it when occur and crises The bourgeoisie. revolution the start w masses to opportunity the theoretically gives crisis systemic a struggle, class of terms In those but activists ( and intellectuals the mainly be left not should group target Our South. the of peoples exploited the and North the in masses popular the of consciousness the raising by politics on wherecommunication field the isHowever, media mass future. and immediate the within them to end an put to alone let break, to or destruction mass of weapons and planet the of resources techno in South monopoliesmodern of the to interferewith possibility or thelittle no has particular, of Peoples the and general, in classes popular the of interests the of defender the as Left global the that obvious is It level. global the on therefore mustbe level theproject but local always onthe take place Class struggle battles comprador their and North and lackeysagents South. inthe the of governments the by pursued corporations cannot alone parties these the of disl the each achieve and of North struggle the the since of South, the classes of working peoples popular the of collaboration close the without the achieved be on cannot goal start a Such and society. classless subjected, and socialism to are road they which to exploitation the to end an put to rise to periphery, the of countries theas of Center, peoples exploited the the to of as countries well the of classes exploited the to call the is crisis This or for “useful” thisis not themarket. whether and planet our on not) or human (whether beings living all for life to right the guarantee can we approach, this With sustainability. other ecological and of complexity bottom the within basedregulations social democratic economics integrate a to demands Regulation means social specific This and local from start demands. to has It consumer. abstract an of not and nece concrete with people of life concrete the from precisely starts which necessary, is regulation economic alternative An capital. not and life reaffirms HABASHI

It is possible topossibleIt imageis a new economic at order theinternational with aplanned economylevel which aucratic apparatus in order apparatuscreateandin to aucraticplace a perpetrate puttointo the ofplan accumulation oy dmnne f iaca mres fe acs t te significant the to access free markets, financial of dominance logy, 22 )

ocation of the dominant neo liberal policies of the transnational the of policies liberal neo dominant the of ocation - downregulation.

on the principles of solidarity, democracy, social justice,solidarity,democracy, ofsocial principles the on

( DIERCKSXSENS the left can hope to have a significant impact significant a have to hope can left the conomy. This implies a global assignment of finiteconomy. global Thisof a assignment implies - p eiiin f priorities. of definition up )

in s tl cpbe of capable still is tion o o’ ee read. even don’t ho –

that means that ssities, ictions long 51 -

) NAKATANI

52 capitalism. ( action on socialist transitions, against the work exploitation and for the end of The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI AND PROPOSALS ALTERNATIVES TO CRISIS CHAPTER VI banking servicesoffers banking thepurchasewhetherlikematerial, thepurchaseoforcomponents,like immaterial ofadvertising or involvetelephonemay mobile 24 were cheating. they if glance a at would show and jurisdiction each in paid and taxes 23 LABORANDECONOMIC, SOCIAL POLICY REGULATION without exceptions, few with TAXATION so, done have we reading reference theauthor. to better for a demands for and and proposals of overview crisis of regime an the overcoming gives chapter concluding This

TNCs are mastersoftransfer TNCs are pricingreduceintoorder taxestheirth to I t would require that transnational corporations publish their sales, profits, number of staff, number profits, their sales, publish corporations transnational that require t would                   

Active fiscal policy of the nation st Active nation fiscalpolicy of the control of parliaments. the under banks national central sovereign by them replace and business outofinstitutions,as organised private whereare they banks, central put five of least a guarantee yearsonallindustri at corporations e.g. transnational getting under control, goods, common of management the world at water, level, of control citizen and public considering of credit common financial asa good, to is job whoseutilities public like treated and control social under banks of place alsobritish i.e. closing ones downhavens, tax like Jersey, of „fair trade“ ofmoney laundering,fight criminal capitalism, against of certai prohibition control and re regulating investment businesses, of„toxic“ Prohibition and been has taxes ofdistance morethousand one kilometers. than which product manufactured any income on tax a graduated incomes, on profits tax” a “unitary transnationals highest the ofinheritance taxes, reinstatement of taxation global fortunes, global taxonthese annual an t currency including tax tax/Tobin transaction financial a of Introduction ransactions,

serve society,

an an pricestherebyopportunityandasmanipulate taxesto well.

- regulation of markets, globalregulation financial —

trulyfictitiouslyor

n transactions financial on markets,

banking in orderspeculation, banking in todisincentive - CAPITALISM - capitalism. They are grouped under keywords, under grouped are They capitalism. —

more than two countries,each anddozen than more transaction ate,

23 – ;

CONCRETE DEMANDS

al productsal

e absoluteminimum. e 24

rnpre fr a for transported

A A simple

(alternative (alternative

e financial incentives, countries, -

policy policy and by activating civil

the bancor,

–

system system because of the untolerable

- and surplus and -

he danger of an uncontrollable devaluation

perative finance, priority to small and medium

and coo

globalisation. -

environmental programmes.

lacing WTO, lacing to address to the address global system of reserves and to open new possibilities for in the struggles public global goods, of further construction also to insist that the countries receiving cancellation participate in the environmental effort through reforestation, other and biodiversity conservation new role of the SDR, of role new reconsidering Keynes’ proposal for an International Trade Organisation, rep international currency reconsidering but cancel the debt of the South establishment of a new indebtedness of currency the US and t the USD,of exchange rates, for zones target interest caps, adjustment for deficit structural loans for buying electric or other alternative energy automobiles. electric other alternative buying energy or loans for imbalances, global of Reduction precedence at granting loans of SMEs of atprecedence granting loans corporations, transnational over granting loans to SMEs with environmentally sound projects materials, organic construction, food), energy, lightweight granting loans to individuals who want to buy energy neutral houses or homeowners who want to attractiv as solutions in with Germany energy fit their existing houses with alternative uses for credit money to needs, money ecological social and by credit be determined uses for support of micro enterprises (SMEs) organised participation, along cooperative lines with worker overcoming overcoming exclusion by active society, social orientation towards the domestic market, regionalisation and a to de trend partial legal regulation of minimum regulation wages, legal labour, precarious instead of decent labour of informal work, regulation hours, working of reduction citizen income, reorganisation of the labour process, the labour of reorganisation concept work, of decent

                         

54 ECONOMICSTABILISATION month packages to four stimuli two Global within

TRADE SYSTEM,WORLD DEBT AND CURRENCY LOAN GRANTING POLICY The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI

external debt moratoria and that could be combined with the generalization of generalization the with combined be could that and moratoria debt external UNCTAD space. policy fiscal create to urgent it’s deploying for capabilities real periphery’s the allow To Architecture.and will the NewFinancial effectively push existence the mere Moreover, WB. the and IMF the against denunciation term as long developed the of be part would and institutionality new completely a into dissolution furtherits governance even Institutions’ or Woods needed theBretton reform of of couple a pressure. political in adequate the with months, done be can administratively and Bank, World the within Environmental Fund Global the with format similar a already is there precedent, As new windowwould that resources new the all have channel to need we Architecture Financial of Old behalf the on powers blackmailing the of restoration the block immediately To         

been already promised or given to the IMF through a new window. The The window. new a through IMF the to given or promised already been opnain f h lrey rmsd .% f D fr South’s for an chaos economyworld a and GDP catastrophe humanitarian a avoid to of 0.7% promised largely development, the of compensation donation impulse to ih n lentv drcoy ht ol rfet mr democratic more a reflect would that rep directory alternative an with conditionalities without adjustment neoliberal the emergency in operate terms and (cheap agile), SUCRE). regional initiative SDR (like ALBA’s swaps development systems, compensation and relatedbacked tothe by theglobalSDR, in payments connection network) global a directof part (as Fund Monetary Regional a with and mechanisms their networks, for the starting regional banking, of central alternative financing connectivity, and regional currencies, physical domestic including practices new and technology, economy, popular heterogeneous and science priorities new with the (like type new a of banking development exchangea fixed rate system, adjustable but towards transition the and convergence macroeconomic for basis the be could that stability parity regional for accords monetary Financial regional block Regional New the of strengthening of recovery life, of mode regional productive new infrastructure and coherence, a prefiguring and impact ecological the reducing trade, and food consumption o production, in paradigm circuits technological poverty, local danger, developing extreme and famine resources reserves, local mobilizing like and grain recycling projects, development regional alternative issues of financing of in building alternatives sovereignty, of construction initial resentation oftheregions.resentation

flow of 150 flowof

of the new window is a practical criticism for the former ones ones former the for criticism practical a is window new the of

f cmo mntr sae nldn te su of issue the including space monetary common a of - 200 billion dollars each year for the most urgent tasks urgent most the for year dollarseach billion 200 – regional sovereignty in food, energy, health care, care, health energy, food, in sovereignty regional

f h Nrhs ut o SR s partial a as SDR of quota North’s the of

This do not imply to renou to imply not do This

has suggested an immediate immediate an suggested has

ac dl u initiative) Sur del Banco

Architecture to support support to Architecture counter

pyet ad credit, and payments f

and

- cyclical policies, cyclical nce the nce d the d 55

- -

rsal rsal ge ge a

as the expansion of

fuels, - , already claimed by their godfathers,

evices, geothermal devices; economy and society, and economy

ransformative development of a free local public

ador, )

PAEZ economic realization: Biomass, Eolic Energy, Waterpower, er speculative mechanisms, especially in the global food -

ggle and Jubilee campaign, including the churches and part of the Bali and, shortly, in Copenhagen and measures to ensure that the global that during century, not increase 1°C by more the 21st warming introduction of ecological externalities into the calculation of the cost of example bio for production, those for restoring restoring public sovereignty over natural resources as being done now in Ecu and Venezuela an end to monocultures, the destruction of nature due to the widespread pesticides, and fertilisers use of applying the Kyoto Protocol and the “further commitments” arrived at in radical ecologisation of the mode of production and the way of life, of of of production the way ecologisation and radical the mode preservation of the general and public character of the natural commons and other basic reproductive conditions collective free as or low well priced public services (for example, expansion public subsidising the car companies), transport systems insteadfree of of energy. units, cooperative production and consumption in small decentralised no heat atmosphere, retainment the In new a „green deal“? start a structurally t transport system, change the whole energy the „social man to chain and the relation of nature“, whole change go from fossil to technical renewable energy d Photovoltaic, solarthermal sources in the order regulation of minimum prices of and guarantee of acceptance their of delivered Form a solar and solidarity and a solar Form

             

56 RESOURCES NATURAL AND ENERGY, CLIMATE which which has already had an important echo among representative personalities of the establishment. ( In In the same venue sabotage and of to democratic prevent definition of geopolitical processes, efficient and transparent retaliations capital it’s controls and and a global necessary Tobin economic Tax, to impulse a unive markets). markets). Further regulations in other speculative markets can follow, including the write down of all financial derivatives Merton Scholes. Maryon and laureates Nobel creators, Robert beneficiaries and selling selling and oth provision chain (seeds, products, inputs, etc. both in the spot and future establishment. To block the speculators blitzkrieg offensive against any regulation and to link type that fight with famine of prevention: universal ban of financial short re public and private. This could summon all the forces and organizations link the to debt stru introduction introduction of an International Debt Arbitrage good chunk of Tribunal fictitious capital that and transparent at could least part purof the abuses and corruption of the most reputed actors in the globalized financial arena, both debt debt auditing processes that could critically learn from the Ecuadorian and the The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI PUBLICBASIC AND SECTOR GOODS             

tr a asv eooi porme e b te ih onre to countries rich the by led programme undert economic massive a start hud e usdsd y hs cutis hc ei above emit which countries those by subsidised be should CO2 All immediately. effective index, below a with countries those to cost of free basic the to (wat possible access life dignified a make for needed goods that technologies the and medicine provide “the public”, in investments private or investment public of expansion massive profits and ownership, in mediated citizens technology of information partici and referendums frequent participation through including stimulating making and decision water natural like of privatization monopolies forbidding legislature through enterprise pull to public attempt remaining of privatization stop forgroups theusersor of users, specific gratis interest, general of provisions service public specific to access free right underlying aclaim, of understand development the for possibilities individuality. create hence its and generalise, goods words arrangements political other in of democratise, distribution and of access) (participation, inequality the reduce similarly and (common interest general the distribut of inequality the reducethey orientation), good to orientation their through that, way a such in decisions political or or authority public communication, health), spaces goods, enterprises, ser relations, for measures social and property shaping health projects. and educational infrastructural, public in investment rates interest low non controlled national the beyond bondsissuing European for particularly works, t public public right social transnational framework, and Europe Social a s ofcomprehensive concept with a ofprovisions, individual instead private new a with package rescue workers theunemployed. and de the to contribute to employment public increase fortunes,private accumulated from than rather income, current from financing their and public of implementation general care, of gender relations byonreproductive focussing functions, services, rearrangement emancipative the to contributes this social And al forces. market This research, etc. deemployment and reproduction, training, protection, and environmental education health, to regard with sector public the of expansion the towards reorientation ake the conversion to afossil to ake theconversion

public service and basic public social services as a social social a as services social public basic and service public

inflationary emission by central banks to long to banks central by emission inflationary

ie o gnrl neet epcal fo, osn and housing food, (especially interest general of vices

ldrt pbi sca isrne o all for insurance social public olidarity

pation of employed in decision making, decision in employed of pation systems for subsistence in basic goods, basic in subsistence for systems - commodifying these and pushing back theseandpushing back commodifying - fuel - cutting measures in those countriesthose in measures cutting

- free economy. o ones h cie in crises the counters so - average human development human average er, energy, education etc.) education energy, er, - ad evcs and services and s precarisation of the the of precarisation

ion of resources, of ion

ransport, - term and term - average 57

- d and and treated. practices all

aluation of their

capitalist capitalist strategy that - the organization of production

genuine participation by workers, unions,

STATE t regulatory authorities as well as legal remedies

good good orientation, carries out internal enterprise -

This would create a corridor for dropping CO2

selected boards of directors with collectives of the - Workers Workers would process technical change and worker

determination towards - expanding expanding collective and employment, cooperative as well interventions into public authority in the as matter of primary distribution, publicly investment, finance structural and regional policies, social legislation, accompany accompany expansion state of transformation structures, of the transparency, expand participation and public participative budgets, sector by participatory development, a participative sum, the transformed internal structure new of criteria for enterprise investment alongside would newly emerging produce social needs and priorities. property property ownership and planning. free markets versus retraining differently. Having to state live with the ecological consequences of regulation and production, they would be much more attentive to sustainability issues. Demands for gender equality would be differently evaluated Relocation of production would be handled altogether differently. In aim to transform the internal structure shareholder of each enterprise: to replace enterprise’s Thisworkers. basic change in offers labor and the left a way to articulate an anti differs profoundly from the traditional emphases on state versus private public service provisions in their shaping results (quality control), and and it the involves transparency and control ev of the technical and financial results; complete contract conditions; transparency control mechanisms of for municipal fees representatives; and of creation of independen mediation mechanisms. and and and social differences, produces a culture of transparency, publicity and the reinforcement of public opinion within a worksite and this taking into account other protagonists its by activities, and public that are influenced fields of action of the democratic participation of the workers as well as of the users of the co public consumers and other stakeholders in company decision transnational the whole (concerning chain), production making promote the democratic constitutedness of public undertakings, clearly prioritises a common arrangements sensitive to the reduction of income differentiation spread Socialization of the investment function, which duty, must become a public democratization of the economy that goes further than classical workers' quantities of CO2. emissions.

          

58 DEMOCRATISATION OF THE OF DEMOCRATISATION

ECONOMICDEMOCRATISATION The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI

For former are the actors and necessary Yugoslavia, coalitions BUILDING COALITION AND ORGANIZING Democratic such logicinstitutions, as introduced should be all into DEMOCRATISATION OF SOCIETY       In US the      

strict and radical control,bank stru de enterprise protection, of consumer concentration legislation, environmental standardisation, employed who for months did not receive salaries or are receiving too receiving low salaries, are or salaries receive not did months for who employed unemployed, Col now and Honduras Rico, build amulti Puerto in and ( Fleet bases Fourth the through military America Latin in intervention military U.S. of threat growing the fight course of and state, settler Israeli the for any oppose are who re alsoItmust Pakistan. those andin Afghanistan and Iraq in USSR, theof collapse with to solidarity attempts in U.S. be also resisting must U.S. the in movement grass with the cooperation to close worldwidein and U.S. the in thinkers progressive most out reaching of capable the of initiative the requires level is this at Organizing community. broader that color, of workers and workers most the from class working leaders the of sectors exploited and with oppressed forces, new by leadership union as replaced such oppressions, special face who people, lesbian/gay/bi/trans those all with and oppression communities Asian and Latino Black, the with and workers, anti women with solidarity workers express succeed, explicitly to workers unorganized immigrant be with must but It kinds, unemployed. all of class working workers industrial the organized of interests the only not involve culture andsociety,politics, mega mo destructivesexism, racism, supervision, terror, against movements social environmental and unions trade unite would it solidarity; counter ofcooperativesasMovement of part trade shallbe activities, union and women. men between institutionseducational and churches, trade unions, CATALINOTTO -

ehoois o goa sca rgt, s el s et ocs in forces left as well as rights, social global for technologies - oe bottom a pose

ot ognzr. An organizers. roots attack on Iran and demand that Washington end its backing its end Washington that demand and Iran on attack

racial movement. ), - democracy onlevel. all approach

- ide line f l fre cmitd to committed forces all of alliance middle

also

ooie h wrd n h wk o the of wake the in world the colonize

trs co ctures, y responsible workers’ or people’s people’s or workers’ responsible y

- ait n i sldrt with solidarity in and racist - eemnto o frs of forms of determination

and others facing national facing others and

–

includin

g women g

vements, n the and

ombia ombia 59 -

l - – by by

– down’ down’ - capitalist capitalist

- sustaining sustaining - environmenta - low’. low’. In the face of ised ised EU agricultural South alliances and -

south’ south’ alliances of the for for shifting the global - ) economic

- globalist and anti - VRATUSA south’ south’ alliances against northern - ncremental erosion of the ‘single too lacking in strategic concertation and

– rovide rovide demonstrations of real workable

political ‘spaces’ secured for innovative ) - up’ (local, national and regional) and ‘top - effect effect an i

apitalism, as well as ‘north

KEET –

and

political ‘south’ and ‘south

bal) approaches reform reform of the United Nations, with Council. Security the abolition of veto rights in the both dominated global c .international ( left simultaneous ‘bottom (glo specific diverse and viable regional alternatives… as well as convergent and common global alternatives system; to the current globalised capitalist young young made to reform, Bologna oriented along the lines corporate education of pay high paid low and specialists.unemployed ( scholarships in commercialized higher peasants brought to products, ruin by import of subsid

these have to be negotiated/agreed globally, implemented universally and       

INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

monitored monitored internationally. In sum, are levels conceptual practical and what is therefore needed at both the concern for the whole of humanity and for the very survival of the entire planet, and strategies hold out the balance most promising of possibilities alternatives, power there remain and vitally important creating spheres and living levels of anti common international balance of economic and political power. politicaland economic balanceinternational of However, even as such alternative ‘regional’ South ‘national’) solutions could be too piecemeal and compared to regional(ised) gradual, strategies too scattered and simply insufficiently powerful politically and economically to change the blocks. blocks. ‘Living alternatives’ at community/local levels are also useful for demonstration their effect, but are probably too increasingly ‘small’ threatening and global ‘s crises, such localised (or even independent literal physical and capitalists; economic and, at scope the for same alternatives time, the p that operation are of feasible within capitalism sizeable, and viable and effective regional programs, programs, within experimentations, could on the one hand constitute a gradual narrowing of the the geo integrated/liberalised integrated/liberalised global economy’ that has interests been created by of and in Regional global/transnational the terrains for corporations distinctive and and diverse international socio capital. models, models, and more diverse modes design and modalities, and regional entities through can deliberate autonomous intent, decisions or as a de facto outcome of their REGIONALALLIANCES Through their own negotiation/creation of appropriate, more self

The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI n cass l oe te ol. h mi ad eta atvt o ti media this of activity central and main mu as in globe entire the The covering broadcasting satellite TV a be to has center World. the over all popular classes and and diffusion the for peoples oppressed the of struggles the of news the as well as platforms, Center militant media a of Creation MEDIA and insufficient supply. Discrepancy between the agricultural production period production agricultural the between Discrepancy supply. insufficient and is government macro the launch to inflation, likely or development economic rapid of times During income food thefood farmerwhenimpact change. market prices commercialised of of and patterns 20% represents in food which urbanisation changes households, farmer of faster in monitoring stockpiling However, the complicated output. enhancement food rising the in an of China, foundation of the Republic Following People’s rates. inflation high extremely experienced macro large unusually after as country Chi a as for vast normal is which year, every fluctuating been has WTO. output excess food China before increment, price food of be factor always pre inflation the internal The population. increasing mac steadily rapid a and the growth with along increasing been has output food years, small by characterised is China rural Currently, food of into transited crisis debts large export. amountagricultural foreign serious heavy years’by unique caused 3 mainly also And, industrialisation 1960 since countries. shortage of western of trajectory that to China’s compared made process accumulation capital internal significant This collectiv creation. surplus in as resulted sector agricultural possible made necessary was The accumulation model. Russian capital as state reformed secondary the of leadership the under was industrialisation of process Chinese The immensely. demand rural up and 1950s f the in enough not the was small it in though capita Even per grain. wasagricultural termsduringperiod, of sufficient in subsistence this production increased of production shortage average a farmers’ developed China abandoned, as as However, was known villages”. system the sy tenure a inside landlord the and importance lost management, distribution scale of economies agricultural tenant equal of family rights of land system “families’ a up set to one with countries India as such developing million 100 Asian over of Among populations importance. immense of is security food areas, rural isolated relatively in living peasants are population the of 60% that country a China, In SECURITYFOOD be should Left the of forces the of ( practical into implementation. created it andput tostudy theidea majority the embracing entity an project the sup of Left world majority the if secured be only can success Its world. the dominate that oligopolies the by media mass of monopoly the to end an put to capable be and coverage, and extent its in global be must project a Such possible. as languages . The lack of exact data on the amount of stockpiled food can subsequently can food stockpiled of amount the on data exact of lack The .

na. The above graph indicates that fluctuations in food output arise output food in fluctuations that indicates graph above The na. ports it in one way or another. To embark on such an ambitious an such on embark To another. or way one in it ports

- control policies which often result in d in result often which policies control

has 0.1 hectare of agrarian land per capita and where and capita per land agrarian of hectare 0.1 has ace of urbanisation and industrialisation that pushed that industrialisation and urbanisation of ace - economic fluctuations, such as in 1994 when China when 1994 in as such fluctuations, economic

rae n h pplto ws ope with coupled was population the in crease

, Bangladesh, China was the only only the was China Bangladesh, , - scale farming. Over the last 10 last the Over farming. scale zd rdcin i the in productions ized zto o al the all of ization ecreasing prices ecreasing HABASHI

ro ic 1949, Since - economic stem stem ) 61

economic economic - to note that it

sustaining grain consumption. Hence, -

economic fluctuations. ) - economic economic fluctuations and inflation, not the -

WEN (

nd macro nd economic economic period. Therefore, soaring food prices are the -

Henning HeineHenning holds. This led to a constant average food output of about 350 kg driven food supply.driven food - uence of abnormal macro

62 Text compiled by to market annual food commercialisation ratio that should be taken into account, not the annual food output. Thus, the country’s food security system from is the West and very China should different promote national stockpiling as a complement still living in the rural areas when considering with China’s self food security system, it is important concerns only 40% of the population; those living in urban areas. Also, it is the respond to price policies a to price policies respond As China is still in the process of urbanisation, around 60% of the population is farmer farmer house per capita, or kg 450 per farmer, which constitutes 60% of total productionfood in China. Only 40% of this output reaches the market, which is the part that will After After the system of family tenant management was implemented, production and distribution started to take place in more than 200 agricultural million small policies and the macro conseq around. way other and and subsequent output supply is a result of the effects of macro The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI out Ways Green and The Crisis Elmar Altvater

• • The The Financial Aspect The Causes of the Crisis Greed (of Individual Managers) Greed(of Individual financial markets of Autonomization (Disembedding) • • • Capital securitized Creation of They Financial Money illusion the Finance Produced However „Accumulation by by dispossession“ „Accumulation Innovations“ due to „financial claimsGeneration financial of High 1970s the deregulation since Due to liberalizationand the financial generate productive which becomes remains of , Markets and the in in assets the the casino

already claims Claims must Business Model: Business Model: Finance Productive dependent economy and detach Fictitious think independent distribute elmar.altvater@fu elmar.altvater@fu Aristotle from that be Sectors on Labour on Labour The The „Real“ Aspect • • money Serviced the - - criticized berlin.de berlin.de them CAPITAL „ countries) „Saturation“already rich (in Accumulation of real surplusesShrinking Originate • • real on on of rates economicgrowthDecreasing industrial capital Fallof Profit rates of productive creates the

on on global the productive although out out efficiency Economy of marketable money the markets the Spurpluses economy and actors – an an and power . of 3 2

5 4 of surpluses of of are fall limits and : The limits to “) : There absolute absolute and . spheres rate rate Distribution and speculation on on and speculation Distribution place market global the “) “) Leverage of equity capital by of equity capital Leverage outside from in order capital using expand the business to Decreasing growth footprint production same absolute same absolute Bundling of credits and and of credits Bundling into transformation their papers“ „structured profit of accumulation inceases increasing berlin.de berlin.de planetary the - - Business Model Model Business the value everything limits of the ever of of level “ ecological relative relative of the an an Economy: Economy: capitalist , „ surplus of peak limits for or elmar.altvater@fu elmar.altvater@fu lower tendency “; “; „ ecological effect the capacity in in increasing are and : The an an Often located in OFC‘s in OFC‘s located Often character distribute Peakoil of hindrances („ productive results there carrying , limits Greenhouse and ( the and Innovations of Because exploitation discourses The double double The economic increment ressources material material Moreover The real real The Three originate „ Financial Financial special institutions institutions special (Conduits) Creation of derivatives of derivatives Creation and by distribution their Rating of created papers of created Rating using by insurance And swaps default Credit Securitization of Securitization claims“ „financial

The The financial crisis beaks out… system … counteracting forces The Tendency Profit of the rate to fall the and and is to    480  rates  capital organic Externalisation Higher means Counteracting jeopardized Limits Transfer Re State Monetary however reduce and measures bn - intensity capitalisation near composition costs of mineral productivity € an guarantees , to dampens of = „accumulationby dispossession“ increase movements ) the 0 of of the and the bonus commodities policy the „ provision increase hence to of financial toxic costs the of capital save labour which elmar.altvater@fu elmar.altvater@fu demand and of of of of of for papers of the on by environmental resources „ enforces and banks the premium monetary banks claims and + + world - - berlin.de berlin.de stabilize “ hence their ; increases to ( increases market equity USA: 700 The ( degradation bad the because internalisation payments slowing easing prices ; The in of banks the ) times prices economic their of down However bn financial raw “: of of legitimation globalization discount materials $; D: $; of agricultural in order crisis wage , social , 7 6

9 8 cycle - countries? - boost the productionofboost real crisis - berlin.de berlin.de - - system because of the untolerable because of the untolerable system - and and surplus care, care, qualifiction andetc.) the limits of - - Alternatives - and food - banking in order to disincentive speculation banking disincentive to order in elmar.altvater@fu elmar.altvater@fu - and cooperative finance and cooperative , , climate - - income - Personal services Personal (health The IEA proposals of investing into new energies: fossil energ, energies: new fossil into proposals investing of The IEA Biotechnologies and the limits markets theof of rationality nuclear energy, renewable energies renewable nuclear energy,   profitability  Support of micro Support investment of Regulation Financial transaction tax transaction Financial businesses of „toxic“ Prohibition etc. havens of tax Closing Decent labour instead of precarious labour; regulation work of informal labour; regulation of precarious labour instead Decent ofhours working Reduction Citizen deal“? new „green A The new role of the the of role SDR new The of minimum wages regulation Legal The establishment a of currency new establishment The deficit for adjustment Structural • • • • • • • • • • • • and the of the of USA an indebtedness danger uncrontrollable of the USD devaluation • 1st Regulation of the financial system financial of the Regulation 1st 3rd Alternative economic policy economic Alternative 3rd 2nd Reduction of global imbalances global of Reduction 2nd Summary: Economic Policy Economic Summary: The problem of an economic upswing at the limits ofofproblem anthelimits The economicupswing at thecarrying capacity The theeconomic danger of by overcoming crisis and society. nature of theenergy aggravating surpluses, i.e. ecnomic growth, to overcome the saturation and to increase increase and to thesaturation surpluses, overcome i.e. ecnomic to growth, competitiveness a Kondratieff new disappointinginto The expectations …the crisis seizes the productive „real“ economy „real“ the productive seizes crisis …the measures and fight thecrisis, to to triggers …

• • • • A A green new deal economy on basis of the renewable energies possible in the social framework of cooperative,a solidarity A “de the biosphere, the provision of food etc. limits of nature: peakoil, climatethe A new investment the economy, of energy, climatethe and food There is no simple exit from multiple the crisis of finance, of social social change Aspects Aspects „Greenof a New Deal“ pattern . have necessarily . of . trade of . Group) . dubious . Is The In The The The CSR market - it contrast growth” possible a negative conttradicting historical or idea illusion makes of nature REDD) - based consumtion of consume to a „global „global a - of to reference the and and “de reference effect sustainable change instruments - - strategy is a comprehensive project of cycle, even when massively green, hits ideas interests natural on on and and elmar.altvater@fu elmar.altvater@fu Conclusion - the to of to globalisation” nature green production a early the growth energy resources social of in in powerful New Deal climate bourgeois social - - berlin.de berlin.de contract . regime Economic ? and - contract policy system, evolution the of lobbies - of strategy is only without virtues sinks are the etc. ( surpluses the “ (e.g. (e.g. “ 1930s and and emissions changing expectations therefare the Lisbon is of illusions a the - 11 10

‘oligopoles’. In the centres, ation that defines capitalism is

whose whose beneficiaries are the oligopolistic

–

are synonymous with the dispossession of the expresses expresses itself mainly by the growing contrast

nd nd financialized

–

the central axis of the alternative between “socialism s in question. Both these practices constitute the essential

‘oligopoles’. In this spirit, I situate the ‘new agrarian question’ at the heart of the peasantry and the plundering of natural region resources of the pillars of the strategies of expansion of the late capitalism of the monopoly monopoly rents plutocracies entire productive basis of pauperising dispossession manifests itself in society. the expropriation of In the peripheries, this and barbarism”.and Accumulation by dispossession continues in the late capitalism of generalized a system] system] who benefit from the imperialist rent and the misery of the societies at the dominated peripheries. This conflict becomes therefore Accumulation, Accumulation, which is synonymous with pauperisation, provides the objective framework of the struggles against capitalism. But pauperisation between the affluence of the societies in the centre [of the world The The principle of endless accumul synonymous with exponential growth and the latter, like cancer, to death.leads 1. Capitalism, a dispossession Parenthesis in History, Accumulation by Exiting the Exitingthe CrisisCapitalism of orCapitalism in Crisis? SamirAmin

Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives for Forum World with cooperation in Foundation Luxemburg Rosa and TNI and

Conference on Alternatives and and Alternatives on Conference Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Regime the Overcome to Paths Transformation - Crisis Capitalism

The World Crisis Crisis World The and Beyond Beyond and – Brussels, October 28 28 October Brussels, November 1, 2009 1, November -

68 The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI ot’ ntrl eore, hc i dmne b te usi o te mod the of pursuit the by demanded is the which resources, form natural South’s contemporary major the is pauperisation America) towards tendency Latin and Africa Asia, (in twenty the for challenge the the anti anti of wave triumphant first the of and thatcapitalism’)of ‘supremeand phase the constitutesmonopolies of capitalism systemic first the of th that thought Lenin where point deployment the (to capitalism ageing of crisis the profound of century the both therefore is century’ twentieth ‘long The onwards. 1873 fromcrisis a entered in triumphant was which capitalism, industrial The 2. From Crisis OneLong toAnother become therefore and other each with clash leavingtothecapitalof theinitiative ineffective, the‘oligopoles’? even they will or another, struggl these will Or socialism? world to transition to manage struggles these way the will pave to order follows: in converge as therefore is challenge real The the South. democracy, of decline the ‘oligopoles’, resources plundering theplanet’s of of service the in of globalisation militarisation the leadership, US financialisation, globalisation, barbarous the another: one to linked inextricably are phenomena following the together, Taken hegemony. financialized and generalized of capitalism late imperialist of crisis the but crises systemic multiple of sum the nor crisis financial a neither therefore is crisis current The question. in peoples the for name this of worthy development of prospect any destroys societies, affluent North’s the of benefit exclusive the to consumption wasteful

- imperialist movements ofAsia and Africa.

oiooe’ Ti cii i as a te ae ie cii o US of crisis a time same the at also is crisis This ‘oligopoles’. aiaim f oiooe’ te oiia pwr f oligarchies, of power political the ‘oligopoles’, of capitalism - is centur first

linked to accumulation. The plundering of the of plundering The accumulation. to linked

, and the abandoning of development for the development of theabandoning and , – -

aiait eouin (usa Cia and China) (Russia, revolutions capitalist or ways or . h dsossin fte peasantry the of dispossession The y. –

for the long route towards the towards route long the for

es remain separate from one from separate remain es

h nntet century, nineteenth the

–

1873 - 1990 l of el 69 is –

tal tal crucial crucial 75). Capi the status of -

– 2008) 2008) of financialised -

the sense that they alone have

eralism. However, this new ‘belle began began in 1971 with the abandoning of

nd nd foremost a capitalism of ‘oligopoles’ in the

igopolistic groups to levy their monopoly rent. The

Capitalism or Capitalism in Crisis? Capitalism Capitalism or in

ween ween the unfolding of these long, systemic crises of ageing

their market, on which they compete with each other

–

dominant dominant market, which in turn exchange markets. commodity fashions and commands the labour and access to capital markets. This financialisation grants monetary and financial market this is that the ‘oligopoles’ alone command the system in production its entirety. They are of ‘financialised’ in the economic full full sense of the term (which so far capitalism was only in part). What I mean by 3. Exiting o the Crisis Contemporary capitalism is first a significance is important. The The analogy bet capitalism is striking. There are nonetheless differences whose political meltdown. revolutions’. revolutions’. This is even more so since the anything other than ruling the restoration of powers the system as it do was before the not financial envisage moment which announces the probability of a new wave of ‘wars and the South, started in 1990. Just as the first financialised globalisation had led to 1929, so the second produced 2008. Today we have reached this time by the European socialists to the new lib époque’ was from the onset accompanied by war, the war of the North versus same discourse accompanied this process: the ‘market’ guarantees prosperity, democracy and peace; it’s the ‘end of history’. The same rallying occurred, this structures structures that defined the second ‘belle époque’ (1990 globalisation, allowing ol responded responded to the challenge not unlike movement in of the concentration previous and crisis globalisation. by As a such, double capital established (and (and never again reverted to the levels in the period 1945 the gold convertibility of the commencement of the Dollar, first. Investment almost levels and exactly growth rates all a collapsed century after the The The second systemic crisis of capitalism The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI access to the planet’s planet’s the to markets, access financial technologies, of case control the (the means been other had by but (as hitherto) production industrial of monopoly the by exercised longer no is centres the of domination the globalisation, imperialist new this In n h 1920s the in an foresee conservatives the of not that as success, did possible Their system. same who the restoring those be, that powers the Today possible? ‘oligopoles’ globalised and financialised of capitalism the of reinstatement the Is South. countries the ofthosein theNorth and alli their oligarchies, to road the on itself commit only socialism will humanity For sadness. for cause be would that but so, Probably century? previous the in case the was as South, the revol the by is questioned be it that Will vulnerable. therefore globalisation is place in of currently model The visible. clearly is South the of autocracies the by held power the of fragility the contrast, By threatened. feel not do They the once power in remain to seek North the of oligarchies The crisis.system isin the of management whose oligarchies by governed is world contemporary The Century or Better? Twentieth the of ‘Remake’ a People: the by Emancipation of Wave Second The 4. the of countries by conducted their policies periphery. unilateral and by USA annihilated the be can by now triad imperialist world the of “advantages” the these All allies. over NATO subordinated control military of deployment begun war a peripheries, recalcitrant the of people as described also have the and states the against war permanent a implies scale” global a on I “apartheid which system This destruction). mass of weapons

–

h ol hmn atraie o chaos to alternative humane only the –

hc Kye hd eone wtot uh f n co t the at echo an of much without denounced had Keynes which

es and their servants, will have been defeated both in the in both defeated been have will servants, their and es natural resources, information and communications, communications, and information resources, natural

already in the 1990s by the by 1990s the in already –

ne h pwr o the of powers the once tig ae busy are ything,

rss s over. is crisis t in t 71

ng” and

mpire mpire of chaos”. The es of the imperialist triad are

improbably hypothesis, even if the obstacles remain

not not realistic and therefore perpetuate “wishful thinki

in crisis

rary rary imperialism, and by the reinforcement of NATO’s military f the 2008 financial collapse. the 2008 f will will only exacerbate the scope of the contradictions which are the root

– deepening of the crisis will not be avoided, even if reinstating the system of

consensus” is illusions. The real battles grounds. dangerous other on are developing One : Pursuing attempts to identify the components of a “progressive global : Agenda discussed to for major be questions formidable. which which is not impossible. In this situation, struggles the possible is radicalisation of not the an The The the domination by the capital of the ‘oligopoles’ were potentially successful, 5. Towards a Second Wave of Victorious Struggles Peoples and Workers for the Emancipation of

involvement involvement in Afghanistan. The permanent war of the North against the South continue.must contempo ‘reconstruction ‘reconstruction of the world’. And it is perhaps no coincidence amidst the flurry that it was followed by a summit meeting of NATO, the right hand of of of globalisation which I have elsewhere described as the “e recent G20 Summit in London in April 2009 in no way marks the beginning of a henceforth henceforth obliged to limit the access to the planet’s natural resources to their own exclusive benefit. This new is requirement at the origin of the militarisation ‘oligopoles’ ‘oligopoles’ is necessarily marked by extreme violence. For in order to maintain their status of affluent societies, the countri The political management of the worldwide domination by the capital of US leadershipUS cause o time The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI prah. rdcl et ut ae niin ainlsto a te first the as nationalisation envision dare must left radical A approach). private sectional to c (the left alone be interests cannot management whose good’ ‘common the of forms clearly already are ‘oligopoles’ the North, the of countries the In : Two ep h aaeig f scait osiuns. u o te te hn, the hand, other the on But consciousness. socialist a of awakening the help t could of South the of advantage the to decline equilibria international the of organisation the Moreover, neutralisation. re the by caused itself question, in societies the of benefits which rent imperialist strategy this of success the of the to contribution positive movement a make could democratic system the of the centre the at countries then case, the were this if And militarily. pr criminal and demented its renounce to retreat, possible to imperialism best force could conditions the these in produced In advances the scenario, agenda. the on now is awakening” South’s “the of stage miserable the e ‘aid’, like giving of practices just name, its in conducted interventions ‘humanitarian’ the and proposed is that discourse ‘democratic’ The initiatives. these support Ba Shanghai, of the Group ( initiated that already are policies enforce to tries the coalition imperialist of independent are which Initiatives triad. imperialist the of ‘oligopoles’ the of powers the limit and circumscribe can classes popular de hegemonies without globalisation negotiated a for nationsthe and States the of battle the periphery, the of countries the In : Three by some ofitsperipheries. exclusive system the of questioning a say, to is that century, twentieth the in happened as emancipation of struggles of wave the of ‘remake’ a of risk serious a therefore is There crisis. the by caused turmoil the despite questioned be not of societies the of stability the excluded is target strategic this as bringing long As forcesoligarchies. ruling the of power political exclusive the of victims and the all together social the deepening of front by common a ‘oligopoles’ of crystallisation the the enables of crisis current The socialisation practice. democratic the of stage inescapable - c Sr t) . h dmcai fre i te onre o te ot must North the of countries the in forces democratic The . etc). Sur nco linking –

vnuly upre b te raiain f h de the of organisation the by supported eventually ii hs ihihe te aatohc eut o sc an such of results catastrophic the highlighted has risis schew real engagement with this challenge. A second A challenge. this with engagement real schew

oject of controlling the world the controlling of oject –

the contemporary form of form contemporary the ocpin f possible a of conception

ad o the of mands the triad will triad the 73 he ly ly -

the South could still confront the same challenges as in the past, a

74 A new internationalism of the workers and the peoples is necessary and possible necessary is and peoples of theand theA new workers internationalism situation that would produce the same limits on their progress. produce situation that would societies of The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of CrisisCrisis--CapitalismCapitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Beyond North crisis: the Pierre Beaudet techno on resources concentrate and debt in highly already governments municipal and state to deficit federal the download benefits, and wages down push to hopes capital growth’, ‘jobless this 18 reaching unemployment real (with jobs of millions of destruction the only not is ‘non rendered and years, result The China. like powerhouses industrial new of 60 rise the and delocalization last the for classes ‘middle’ Keynesi the of home sector, manufacturing an the or of destruction ‘occasion’ an time rapid the by same translated is the This ‘reforms’. at neoliberal accelerate is to ‘opportunity’ capitalism of stability the for is it ‘speculative’ bubble busting seriesof a in last the only was the so The and did. it indeed economy and crash to ‘real’ going was economy the between ‘deconnection’ the that conflicting out push temporarily to 1990s the in out «bubbled» and the onslaught) in (neoliberal ahead 1980s moved 1970s, the in initiated was represented) it compromise long the America, North In Deconstruction/reconstruction bourgeois pe (the class strugglesface inter and to offset to exploitation of patterns reconstruct and deconstruct to needs Capital are crises capitalism, Under change. for will the and necessity the express to meet factors ‘subjective’ and ‘objective’ where societies for bifurcation of points always are crisis of Moments andCrisis destruction as opportunity - 20 ) bt msie oil ipaeet f n nrcdne sae With scale. unprecedented an of displacement social massive a but %), - industrial complex.

trends. Mainstream economists explained for over a decade decade a over for explained economists Mainstream trends.

- em etuto o Kyeins (n te class the (and Keynesianism of destruction term

at ad acl o te cuuain process. accumulation the of parcels and parts ‘competing’ sectors like finance and the military the and finance like sectors ‘competing’ - capitalist andinter American Perspectives.American

s. This destruction as dangerousas as destructions. This rspective) - imperialist competition. imperialist - ald sub called

- opttv’ by competitive’ n oua and popular an - rm crisis prime

75 -

- up US - citizens citizens Americans, Americans, - ith more ‘realistic’

engineering’ of the Middle East and Central -

eclining empire, unable to compete against by by the mass immigrant strike on May 1 2006). It led oviet oviet Union a decade ago. On the short term, that might

n/reconstruction (the popular perspective) (the popular n/reconstruction ateau because ideological oversights and mismanagement led to actical retreat, which implies some sort of a compromise with Russia,

76 to the creation of an unusual alliance American to to win the presidency. This support multitudinous movement took form Obama, with the first African ‘old’ ‘old’ and ‘new’ social sectors immigrants like (as illustrated trade unions, youth, African defeated defeated the neoconservatives as they represented a danger. This was done by a combination of mass ‘clear struggles that brought forward and immediate’ In the recent past, popular movements and initiatives in North America Deconstructio militaristic ambitions in the region. militaristicin ambitions mean a renewed offensive against Iran, with whom which Russia is allied, not because of any reason that an onslaught against Iran would build establishment establishment are opposed and would lie to push back Russia to the ‘brink’, like what happened to the S for for a t otherwise, US forces are at risk in Central Asia particularly. But many within the on these issues within the political and economic several tactical elite disagreements. For those identified with in Obama, there is a need the US, there are as a rampart against the ‘barbarians’. Even though there is a strategic consensus ‘regional ‘regional allies’ if not ‘surrogates’. All in all, the endless war remains a key factor in the development of a new ‘security’ and militaristic state, forced on Iraqi Iraqi debacle, the forms of engagement are likely to change, w assessments and the necessity to concentrate forces while relying more on European and Chinese economic competitors. Controlling energy flows in the middle of Eurasia remains therefore an undeniable asset. However, after the is likely to be transformed. The ‘re Asia remains a necessity for a d dangerous dangerous pl impasses like Iraq. However, the ‘endless war’, rather than finishing with Bush, by by the 1980s (including under Democrat administrations). It reached a The Bush administration continued and accelerated what was already in motion The ‘endless war’ ‘endless The The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI iie b rc ad nie/usdr tts ihn h ‘ao mre’ and market’ ‘labor the political national of weaknesses the considering perspective within common a without status insider/outsider and long race classes, by working the divided of segments various together bring to big is the coalition of One 2007. in Atlanta in Forum Social US the oltos cig t h cmuiy evrnetl lbr ees r all are levels labor environmental, Can and US community, whereas internationalization this of expressions the at acting coalitions various Forum, Social Quebec the Forum, Social US The resistance. and support trade American free fight North to anti agreements, alliances the various in of translated been has internationalization This movement. the is development second The projects. capitalistic huge of target central a are territories whose nations first and youth, communities, class middle and poor involving new coalitions together social bring movements These level. superficial a at except ‘greened’ be to unlikely Canada, and US the in accumulation capitalist existing’ ‘really to or are which issues, environmental of around are struggles Many there level. micro the at struggling movements, ‘local’ of and complexification multiplication rise, the is development first The however. developments right and racism demagogy, populism, by manipulated was it again and Time platform. African by political a build to able movement this was1920 the in Debs Eugene since never rights civic for struggle communit the importantly more and anti The 1970s. the to 1930s the from insurgencies labor triggered has American North in movement emancipatory the Historically, ‘Glocal’ struggles more with all tainted come neoconservative a of sort some to lead could that dislocation real a of danger a is there by, goes time As sustainable. be could that o continuation a (in failed unions have Trade sector. the industrial the on of impose parts significant and rescue capital to government financial to transfers massive oppose to unable and social leaderships. Faced with the crisis, the movement so far has been been has far so movement the crisis, the with Faced leaderships. social - e wr as dmcai ad anti and democratic also were ies ig doois To dime Two ideologies. wing

- environment - out racism and fascism. out and anti and f historical defeats) to build a people’s alliance people’s a build to defeats) historical f sos f urn srgls niae new indicate struggles current of nsions - labor legislations and promote mutual promote and legislations labor

- aiait xrsin. However, expressions. capitalist - war movement of the 1960s the of movement war - et hleg o this of challenge gest ak ti tm much time this back, adian activists play activists adian ganically related ganically - American 77

d. d. The as to oppose any style style ‘really existing -

liberal liberal parties and mainstream - ti US imperialism with some sort of

pensable pensable to avoid what could be another onslaught against the

these local and international struggles merge, thus creating a new m. So far, US imperialism is not opposed strongly outside the ‘arc of

alliances is indis in century. peoples the past have seen like we hegemony hegemony because they want to build their own. In the meantime, building in North America and throughout the world the widest social and political and and parcel of a progressive and transformative project. It h manipulative attempt from other ‘aspiring’ empires that are opposed to US devious devious ‘anti Americanism’ in their socialism’. For sure, opposing the is tiger’ ‘wounded not It enough. to has be part repulsion of old world, world, many social intellectuals movements, have come social to identify an crisis’ crisis’ (covering important regions of Asia and Africa). In others parts of the likely likely to be changed in form, but not in substance, by a ‘strategic’ deployment of imperialis image of the ‘wounded tiger’ comes into mind as in its (relative) weakening, the monster becomes erratic and somehow more dangerous. This aggressiveness is The The US and Canada are dominated by a powerful class alliance on the decline, but still able to impose its domination on a significant part of the worl ‘Wounded tiger’ paradigm, ‘glocal’. paradigm, instances, America, America, the Caribbean and South America, as it was demonstrated in Seattle, Quebec City, Windsor/Detroit and many other places. In more and more a role in the hemispheric battles along with counterparts from Mexico, Central The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of CrisisCrisis--CapitalismCapitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Five Conferencefor the Theses on Alternativesand Michael Brie actors, while at the same time marginalising many social groups and regions. Anregions. and groups social manymarginalising time same the at while actors, own its in society global shape the so priority, top a as Neo message. it, from “saved” be to had then which catastrophe, c the In current installed. it which constraints practical the to due irresistible, became neo ultimately, And groups. social and countries many for opportunities new promised projects These education. mobili social obtain unions, trade the weaken deregulate, privatise, subsistence own her or pro realisable his of provision the of and power entrep bureaucratic the is individual each and which in society sexist racist, market the of freedom the against of promise the into them integrated and oppression, movements emancipative the of opportuniti some upper an on based was It capitalism. Fordistic ininherent development to constraints the downbroke which labour of division high w new a with force violent combine to position a in was it because goal hopes smashed of cemetery a be its marked Chile in coup bloody Pinochet’s in founded was It alternative. ecological e comprehensive a for perspectives against Neo bother talk capitalism, don’t alternatives.to about 1 Capitalism TransformationPaths toOvercome theRegimeCrisis of . If you aren’t willing aren’t . Ifyou thetoabout of power talk neo - - iea financial liberal eh re tech ii, t a piaiy rcsl te ntttos hc cue the caused which institutions the precisely primarily was it risis, - shaping of the world’s economy, and a new, integrated global global integrated new, a and economy, world’s the of shaping - jects: break down the barriers to the global circulation of capital, of circulation global the to barriers the down break jects: liberalism was a hegemonistic project. It was able to expansively to able was It project. hegemonistic a was liberalism

es for sections of the lower classes. It took up some demands some up took It classes. lower the of sections for es

- akt aiaim a etbihd tef ic te 1970s, the since itself established has capitalism market image, and to provide new life prospects for key for prospects life new provide to and image, - iea financial liberal - ginning. It was able to achieve its achieve to able was It ginning. eero i rhron labour own her or his of reneur conomic - plus

- liberal financialliberal - - middle akt aiaim n fact in capitalism market - eortc sca and social democratic, - class alliance, with alliance, class I pt forward put It . - market y through ty ave of ave 79 –

- - uction, uction, market market - them, all the

nesses nesses of neo - extreme form of term term development of - liberal financial - ove ove superior to it, to overcome sented sented to the waged strata of the

term term investments. The competition be - They They usually own only small shares in

market market capitalism is inevitably one of the -

market market capital. The principal owners of this capital - market capitalism has dragged the world into a crisis crisis the into a dragged world market has capitalism - itarian power, which can be containedonly at ever greater market market capitalism is characterised by an - market market capitalism, but in fact pr - market market capitalism is the possibility of the unhampered tion of, on the one hand, the expansion of production, transport - - n of financial nt of this financial

style, with, on the other, the destruction of its own foundations. Central - liberal financial - liberal financial hegemonistic hegemonistic alternative must overcome not only the weak - -

80 barbarism and author barbarism and expense. divides, divides, a new racism and fundamentalism, etc. are unavoidable. It leads therefore to a crisis of civilisation, and produces ever stronger elements of integration, democratic identification resource and wars, terror, the security. transformation of democracy Climate into oligarchy, class destr population, and to the public sector. As a result, neo capitalism therefore suffers from a crisis of social reproduction, societal When these bubbles burst, the bill is pre continual creation of speculative bubbles, redistributed within from which the bottom societal up and wealth from the is public to the private sector. competition over who can provide the best locations for business. The form of developme greater. greater. Their interest in social cohesion, or societies the is long even less. Rather, they force these societies into a destructive months. Their interest in the development of the productive potential of these companies is therefore slight; the pressure on them to pillage productive productive foundations of societies. companies, and withdraw their investments again within an average of twenty tween them for maximum returns drives them to strategies which destroy the accumulatio are financial funds interested in short and and life to financial Neo the combina which threatens human civilisation aswhich threatens such. human 2. Neo

liberal financial it of an Aufhebung. in sense the anti The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI moveof capitalism society and towards a transforma crisis The into3. present must opportunity to beconverted initiate an a crisis onto the population, the waged strata, pensioners and the global South is South global the and pensioners strata, waged the population, the onto crisis the Today, their fight implementation for and transformation, forces must Thesolidarity develop intofundamental4. societal of ofentry projects system. capitalist parasitic ha “invisible the and privatisation what to alternatives problem that demonstrated no themselves all are etc., cooperation global nationali banks, of expropriation re fundamental a that shown financial rescue to used funds The toeverbut more etc. wars, new life and producti of revolution ecological an stakeholders); of democracy of conditions own their and long subsistence; labour own their of entrepreneurs primarily neo of myths Ben (Walter catastrophe a is manner this in continue will things that fact The store. in crises greater even priva expenditures, public so will burden, the additional intensify an as which, created been have costs time, same the r has financial of property and power The funds. public of expenditure enormous an of means by re temporary a achieved have elites ruling the crisis, present the In nd” of the markets are possible. And we should stop using them to rescue thisrescue to them using stop should we And possible. are markets the of nd” evitalised the underlying dynamics of financial of dynamics underlying the evitalised - style is unavoidable; imperial projects lead not to any “pax americana”, “pax any to not lead projects imperial unavoidable; is style

- - prevalent form of action against the dumping of the effects of the the of effects the of dumping the against action of form prevalent tional changetional overcome which can neo akt capital market - liberalism as lies: A m A lies: as liberalism - - ald rcia cntans f neo of constraints practical called term development requires long requires development term - jamin). However, the crisis has also exposed the core the exposed also has crisis the However, jamin).

iain t. sil ute. hs rss ouin holds solution crisis This further. still etc.) tisation - s hv be scrd y tt itreto. That intervention. state by secured been have ism

- ieto i psil. I possible. is direction - ain epniue f ag sm o money, of sums large of expenditure sation, - ar akt aiaim ae t h sm time same the at have capitalism market - ket society cannot exist; people are not are people exist; cannot society ket solidarity.

- liberal financialliberal

- term owners (the eco (the owners term - market capitalism, while at while capitalism, market - - ovr Te ues have rulers The soever. ieaim rdcin of (reduction liberalism te il s hr, the there, is will the f - market n transport on, - stabilisation stabilisation - nomic 81

- form form - tral to middle middle market market - - - cars, etc. - hegemonist - development development of a cological cological form of market capitalism -

nomic cost, lower CO2 global global fortunes would yield

tures of financial -

ly ly one per cent were to be paid on these ity ity at half the eco technologies technologies for global social rights, as well as - ion the struc equal mobil accumulation accumulation of private fortunes would at the same time

- middle middle alliance, we should counterpose a bottom - lic transport system to the structurally conservative hegemony would be a new social and e - an an essential source for the freeing up of the funds needed for a

oliberal the top 82 That That would ensure emissions to one tenth, reduce the area consumed to one third, trans free free local pub modernisation model of today’s private automotive mobility through e Firstly: We should counterpose a structurally transformative Let us look at three examples of such entry projects, from the view of a German leftist:

$2 $2 trillion. The Left Party in Germany demands that per be at one five cent. taxed a ratemillion euros exceed of private fortunes which would would be paid exclusively and parasitically to this class of the global idle rich. This cannot continue. An annual global tax on these pressure. If a real interest rate of on fortunes, fully four per cent of the global gross product would be required, and transformation transformation in solidarity. The accumulation private of approx. cash $200 fortunes trillion is in generating gigantic utilisation and redistribution capitalism, the over constitute The The elimination of the most important motive forces of financial left forces in politics, culture and society. in politics,left forces culture environmental movements, social movements racism, sexism, destructive mega against terror, supervision, ne alliance of all forces committed to solidarity; it would unite trade unions and socially socially secure development, a solar revolution and the transition to a nature reproduction, type global of and To basedpreserving on solidarity. development such such a counter productivity, a new way of life in solidarity, with a new wealth of free and strategy strategy which places fundamental transformation on the agenda. Cen succeed succeed in calling into quest itself. For this purpose, they must be incorporated into a counter still defensive. And these forces will remain on the defensive if they do not The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI 0 mlin olwd t 12 ilo oe te et w dcds a re local free a decades, two next the over billion 1.2 to worldwide million 600 approx from cars of number the doubling of Instead participation. re democratic thus and agora), the (in demos the of encounter civil the of one into drivers atomised of traffic threatening the of one from space urban rvdd re f ot o hs cutis ih below a with countries CO2 All those immediately. effective to index, development cost of free education provided energy, (water, possible life dignified goods a basic for the needed to access make that technologies the and Medicine Thirdly: possible. finan of up drying pr the is fortunes, private accumulated from than rather income, current from financing their and goods, basic in subsistence for systems public of implementation general The rights. basic of terms in classes for institutions to systems these of degradation the for reason one is systems pension and care education, health, existence“up forThe systems. solidarity. based that lose time same publicly through term long the the in safeguarded be only can rights Social dignity. at thus and themselves, subordinate must dignity in live to wish who all which to competition pitiless of constraints” “practical produces and security, global and environment the jobs, their endangers Wage draws. capitalism market old care, social the of privatisation The Secondly: woulddisappear. e produce to required be would which resources the for Battles mobility. their with compatible become then would footprint ecological People’s rights. const would it thus, society; of strata lower the for especially possible, life free a makes that assets important most gen development a constitute which, time model same the at would system transport public eralised globally, and would thus provide unhampered access to one of the of one to access unhampered provide thus would and globally, eralised

- g support age nie h piae motor private the unlike

That is also a condition for the democratisation of these these of democratisation the for condition a also is That - cial – -

akt aiaim ad o mkn a e wy f life of way new a making for and capitalism, market s n o te seta sucs rm hc financial which from sources essential the of one is - scale” individuals of private exit optionsfromthe exit private ofindividuals scale”

- apr’ efr. t s pitn scey into society splitting is It welfare. paupers’ workers pay funds into a system which which system a into funds pay workers tt a ipeetto o goa social global of implementation an itute

euiy systems security - car - bas econdition, in Europe, for the for Europe, in econdition, ed traffic system, could be be could system, traffic ed - utn maue i those in measures cutting –

elh education, health, - - pn h ct to city the open vrg human average t., ut be must etc.), - cars the 83 - -

average average -

barbarised barbarised - of of solidarity. This g g elements which can global transformationprocess. global liberalism is generatin - s would create a corridor for dropping CO2 emissions. create dropping CO2 a corridor for s would

rated rated into scenarios which could lead to an authoritarian market capitalism and initiate a market capitalism - first century. first -

84 twenty kind kind of capitalism, or, in a different direction, a towards world struggle will determine what kind of human civilisation we will have in the The The crisis of the hegemony of neo be incorpo financial 5. The crisis is an opportunity for converting dangers into potentials into an is for dangers opportunityconverting 5. crisis The for the We seize end hegemony of this should opportunity, indevelopment solidarity.

quantities Thi CO2. of countries countries should be subsidised by those countries which emit above The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Short Thesis Short Bernard Cassen got” n “eeomn” Ihbtns f h Nrh n o te South had awe have sharedbeforethem?Never between be of to adjustment price the the is how but of Earth, one the on and boat, same the in North are classes, social of the regardless of Inhabitants call “development”? we and do what “growth” particular: in begin, difficulties cleared, is ground the Once to likely are People nations. between and within understand well. thispretty wars, of types all for a we level, world at goods these of management the of control citizen and Withoutwater.public others, many among goods commonas, suchto access fair guarantee to unable totally are forces” “market generally, more and, capital of f that demonstrate to difficult too not is it on, then From limitless the hand, other the on Thisismereaccumulation processof capitalism. formal logic. and, the resources renewable is non minds and people’s space in clear make and contr explain fundamental to need first we What not has left radical the but crisis, provided toit. own its answers ecological the of urgency and depth the so a of capitalism “green called surge the by and parties Green most by proposed alternatives sham the by filled been has vacuum This bourgeois. petit as them dismissing times at concerns, these on eye blind a turned has left marxist the long, too much For theecosystems. lethalthreatsto natural resources and the promoting and of availability the on limitations coming the change, assumptions climate policies: alternative capitalist demolishing for opportunity unique is term long and most medium the both important be to believe I what address must conference our view, my In

adiction between, on the one hand, the finiteness of earth’s of finiteness the hand, one the on between, adiction

”. In short, there is a widespread public consciousnessofwidespread public a there is short, In ”.

u fr akn ad smlaeul, a simultaneously, and, mankind for sue ree trade, the free flow free the trade, ree

re in re 85 - ,

century century socialism

and and to promote equality, cooperation and a 21

of of capitalism safe option.as theonly tour tour disposal such an amount of arguments to expose the intrinsic suicidal logic The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Socialising a Socialist Vision: Socialist a Socialising Chachra Sandeep engines for a reconsolidation of social blocks and eventual transformation in the in transformation andeventual blocks social of reconsolidation a for engines be therefore could globalisation the by produced impacts fragmentative socially the of face from removed forcefully been has benevolence of mask The them. to out meted conspiracy of tyranny the of labour and peasants to reminders grim agrar are of projects Incomplete transformation democratic interests. class their to subsumed completely been has and the bourgeois by national aligned hijacked internationally been has socialisation and autonomy national of project the withdecades hasdemonstrated, objectively three last the in states by taken direction the south, the Instage. this at different are resources natural finance, technology, knowledge, over their dom the challenge to Opportunities spheres. political and economic social, in bases autonomous boundaries, peripheral certain in least at advancing, in contributions historical their and south, the in revolutions democratic national after comes crisis This in revolutions democratic incomplete and Asia and Africa across decolonisation to Chinese and Russian to turn in ledwhich1920s in scale globalon thecrisis secondmajor the of and revolutions led and capitalism) industrial of question 1873 in crisis major first the of onset the at ones the are from in set crisis 2008 which in conditions the sense, historical a In socialism, ground to anew ison transition eventual now. an forging of prospect The dem north. progressive of alliance in capital socialising of possibilities the affording while south, the in towards trajectories steps development autonomous forward renewing of possibility the raises crisis economic current The

several the countries in which south, course in were oftime. hijacked

oligopolies which drive the current stage of capitalism. The uneven and uneven The capitalism. of stage current the drive which oligopolies ination exercised by countries at the centre through control through centre the at countries by exercised ination

ocratic forces in south with those in the north for an for north the in those with south in forces ocratic –

and the resulting dispossession and pauperisation and dispossession resulting the and force, to the popular classes the extent to which towhich extent force, popularclassesthe tothe

a, nutil and industrial ian,

wee tws the was it (where

different 87

- these these

progressive progressive

d d to refuel the drying

le that this revisionist project will north. sing sing chauvinistic nationalism, protectionism it must overcome long a held distrust among the two

–

lities therefore encourage progressive struggles in south to century. crisis of ecology crisis clearly ecology brings of home among the classes working

and and a further restriction in any democratic progress. Such a

tion in public spending, fall in real wages, disappearance of

st – y y recognition that better conditions in north were on account of history

88 participation of democratic forces in the participation of democratic forces of of exploitation of south by the strategies north; and in for the south challenging to recognize that imperialism would gain strength through and and deviations from it, assuming change necessar as monopoly of north, without a forces forces in south is critical among progressives in the north which saw in the south distortions of socialism For For this reason, a historic alliance of democratic forces in north and a push for newer forms further militarism. forms and newer fragmentation of a push for project must be contested, for it is possib succeed in the short term and rebalance the system till the next crisis, enabling pension funds and health insurance, and a further erosion social of rights economic and will will bear the eventual cost for stimulus are known in the south. There will be inflation, reduc stimulus stimulus and bailout packages further pauperise the developing south and possibility of a democratisation and socialisation in the north. The victims who their their historic accumulation and ability to resources, the invite issue is how engines of oligopolies are attempting to promote. While there is no doubt that counter cyclical measures would have originated in capitalist centres, given capitalists and reformists. This is precisely what the stimulus packages (80% of the overall volume of stimulus is in the north), designe be subjugated by the elements ri and perhaps even a greater possibility of a social compromise between the a spectre of generational pauperisation, and a critical understanding, of how a few groups have held the “common” to ransom, such a consciousness is likely to In In the north, the question is more increasingly the complex. While the financial crisis, and

converge converge in a broad platform and programme of action to promote a base for 21 socialism of south. Such lived rea The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI base forbase socia the promote to action of programme and platform broad a in together converge purposescould cross worked at even have silosor operatedin north have which and south the in struggles which around fulcrum a provides crisis current The ae te oiia isrmn hd oe o e otold y h national the by controlled be be had classes to Popular bourgeois. come had instrument political the made, was choice a such before long that remains fact the But, accumulation. of phase debate also can We century. 20th the ofdecades last the in made when choice”, “no a or whetherargueneo romancing can We suchbut opportunities expression.would ofpolitical synthesis needanew i presents it opportunities the of terms in different radicalisation, for opportunity an presents it that doubt No capital. monopoly with relations through moderated and labour of advantage comparative called so the on built nego version a is national it maintained, where was instances, autonomy of handful a in Even ones. their external and with forces collusion internal of constellation of through infancy; the in defeated demo authentic at Efforts liberation. their of decades three first the in regard, this in substantially progressed India, matter that for or China, like nations these among from Some political first The Afro projects”. building “nation on embarked Africa, and Asia in Several commitment ona built action andforce of popularclasses. by defeated be only could imperialism that them taught painfully had history ends; ideology building national nationalist popular towards a oriented into forces diverse together brought had imperialism national their region assert to sovereignty, able be to progress autonomous an for foundations build to sought had south the in States colonialism, from liberation their Post Progress south: from? the in we Where ofstates do come - Asian meeting of liberated states in Bandung in 1955 and consolidation of consolidation and 1955 in Bandung in states liberated of meeting Asian

hte scait n mxd tts edd o ne a oe aggressive more a enter to needed states mixed and socialist whether block was promiseof of a thegains socialising liberation. advancing and lism of the 21 rtsto ad oil rges n eea ohr were others several in progress social and cratisation ly n itrainly Dmcai srgls against struggles Democratic internationally. and ally st

century en hegemonised by a bourgeois propagated propagated bourgeois a by hegemonised en

- liberalism, and opening up was a “choice”wasup a opening and liberalism, itd n ra t capitalism, to road a on tiated

lbrtn porme of programme a elaborating

n other states, states, other n

possession and ot be the servile - g g organisation for ogy ogy of national culture g g and consolidating new forces. ath, which would mean catapulting

who who have since dissipated their energies in

– istance need both reinvigorating and convergence ncomplete ncomplete projects of agrarian, industrial and democratic

nation was captured by the elites and subsumed to their class interests;

crafting crafting of formation will give it a much greater intervention in the issues of

expression for channelling popular control and promoting transformation of power. future) future) and solidarity with the democratic forces in south (south south ) and with the north. Reconstructing means development of a new form of political local local and national determination ( in the sphere of daily making and unmaking of policy, in the sphere of peoples local action and in buildin Re different different parallel formations, as well as bringing to the platform new blocks and numbers. Today, the left is in need of gatherin Local, national and global res of forces within socialist fold What can we do: Projects of Emancipatory Development Transformation and Alternative historic ability this transformation.historic to lead pauperisation of the popular classes of the south; surely it will n and internationally aligned bourgeois that have either the intention or the in this direction can only be through another cycle of dis problem problem lies in further advance on this p whatever little gains the democratic revolutions had consolidated. Further steps transformation transformation necessitated “catching up” and solidarities, at the nurturing cost of reversing many of the social political and economic gains. The external forces forces in north continued to work at cross purposes with socialist resistance in the south, and where i determi in states where left presented a fragmented oppositional force, and progressive therefore therefore in itself it does not constitute a route southern for popular development states. in It was made in states where nationalist ideology and and and development for future. It was not a choice determined by the masses and fully fully succeeded, in the intervening years, in not only consolidating its own hold on power, but also elaborating and propagating an ideol ideology ideology of national culture and future. A dynamic and educated bourgeois had The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI have become pale shadows of a hopeful promise hopeful a of shadows pale become have revolutions democratic national of time the from South, the In weakened. hascommunistof parties shape in world, theleft organisedof countries many In withProgressive Masses and Relationship Parties pamphleteering, to reduced be slogans and speeches. cannot It locally. action political promoting communication of forms new using circles) workers and schools peasant the circles, and study renew social the (eg eroded bases to educational the strengthening is through emancipation masses, the promoting with in relationship aspect critical a Therefore, forbases socialgatherings. other and temples schools, curriculum, school using masses the to out reach to attempt an in media and instrument conceivable every used have who parties, pathwa chauvinistic to led and nurtured fragmented, is base a such when especially bases, popular building for progression their in face forces progressive other and party left the trouble the of indicative are they masses, and extent the define fully not may membership numbers While decade. a half past the over others the in marginally only grew states others the in presence its and Tripura and Bengal West Kerala, of fourth three nearly (CPI India in party left party’s Political last the instance, For amplification. the of reflection a whether th been has part masses major the with relationship a in left of Weakening countries. Asian the of several in parties left of numbers digit double now with ranks, their amon Nepal, fragmentation face like they case some each in in but India, force partly and considerable Philippines a been have and countries several in survived have parties communist Asia In eroded. considerably has people to

ey devote to building social bases, andbuilding ofvoices socialbases, theissues whosefind to ey devote

of parties membership comes from just three Indian states Indian three just from comes membership parties of

- ) dpe a te 19 the at adopted M)

both the question of who are the party cadres, cadres, party the are who of question the both a te ea eape hw u) and us) shows example Nepal the (as -

Organisational report of the largestthe of report Organisational th

aue f eainhp ih the with relationship of nature , whose numbers, and outreach and numbers, whose , oges n 07 rvas that reveals 2007, in Congress

ys by right wing right by ys –

they 91 g

aid aid parties parties and

nd nd achievements on e last decade provide one type of social other sectoral silos in contrast to “older”

and new (albeit progressive) social movements in South (albeit new inand South progressive) movements social

f f democratic progression). The resurgence of a number of

s… this can be attempted by radical social movements who have

92 In In this regard, the experience of between the left parties fragmentation of the left and of distrust movement” identity politic the vision of linking up the issue, the local to a wider democratic and political vehicles vehicles to take up the social and cultural struggles in a sustained manner. The left or the Marxist parties would be weakening themselves by embracing their their primacy of political goals are not equipped nor necessarily the best effects effects and it is socially fragmentative. It promotes identities rather than fostering collective identities. which In such a situation the left atomise “A phenomenon of imperialist globalisation is that its impact produces uneven parties and social movements, the leader of communist party in India, had l out the issue thus: social progress front leave a lot to be desired or whether these promote further fragmentation through politics of identity. Speaking at the seminar on political transformation transformation of state is whether consolidation of social forces at a time when state retreats a these solidarities constitute sufficient class movements of working classes, peasants. The critical issue for the nature nature of development of movements new are based on identity and solidarities of struggle. Several of these The emergence of the above movements in south, raise several issues on the labour labour rights, rights of women etc, in th advance. fundamental basis for peoples movements and social struggles in south through campaigns on forest, water and land rights, indigenous and dalit rights, agricultural workers rights, agenda agenda of social development (some would say on account of spaces created in the creative chaos o the agency of social movements and civil society and their radicalisation of the of politicalof expression The opportunity of social progress and authentic democratisation lies also in Parties and Instrument of Social Movements and progressive NGOs: New forms The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI political instrument and of building solidarities of fragmented social forces forces social fragmented of solidarities building of and the instrument political of One movements. th is social state of radicalisation with for challenges interface their at and parties political the ie expression prime political the renewal needfor of onthe uplessons opens the national level, to India or Philippines at the provincial and local levels there levels local and provincial the at Philippines or India to level, national the attoChina and Vietnam Nepal theirpower. Fromcontinue to been able not have progressi of number a place in put to managed have they spaces, national and provincial local, over control struggle. furthering of arena important an not is situation ans revolutionary for waiting and power state But of masses. out with staying relationship of cost the where at also been has experiences politics enough parliamentary are there and instrument, this using about and progress social further deep been have left to the of parts Many democratisation. forward them carry to struggles peoples of energy new a fuelling in base small a but critical a provide can politics electoral progra full the be to needs what of fraction small a only offers politics parliamentary that clear is it While Progressive power and state Parties democracy longauthentic the road on tosocialism. o formation the and alliances new of building the allow would platform broad of kind This progress. in allies are capitalism, of face the from benevolence of mask the removed has Even now. further marginalised those and historically affected those all unite to be to needs role Its action. for platform full a elaborate to opportunity big a north the in and south in forces progressive the to offers crisis economic current The formulate way andhegemonist proposals worka non tocraft stru solidarities in in to able therefore is which platform one into will, unified their and forces emancipatory various together bringing for mechanism key a as project, co and fundamentalism siloised of fragmentedleft, a e gvn h uee dvlpet hn n h fc ta eetos r an are elections that fact the in when development uneven the given wer

sections of the middle class radicalized by this crisis, for whom the crisis the whom for crisis, this by radicalized class middle the of sections a ag opstoa sca bo, omte t building to committed bloc, social oppositional large a f - option of various parts of civil of parts various of option ve policies and processes to their credit, even if they if even credit, their to processes and policies ve

social movements, economised trade unions, and ofand unions, trade economised movements, social m fr eeomn o atetc democracy, authentic of development for mme

hrvr h lf fre hv gained have forces left the Wherever erefore a challenge of renewal of the of renewal of challenge a erefore

society to the neoliberal the to society ly suspicious in the past the in suspicious ly ggles. –

93 of

or the er left

–

s of workers o be understood as a on the making of change

- sive local governments and and and must arise from the existing

agrarian agrarian reforms, socialisation of economic he framework of the liberal of paradigm. he framework

de de novo

ions for building the bases for real democratisation led led revolutionary practice

cipatory cipatory democracy exists in nurturing the cradles of democracy

94 There There is considerable debate about whether these first steps of controlling the local governments should be in the rural and urban spheres. Emerging lessons together with social progress. social with together base for reinventing and expanding the social base, through continuous struggle but for laying the foundat parti local governments in urban and rural spheres. These provide not only a local for for an alternative society. In this regard the key opportunity for building a unions and peasants formations. The democratic practice, built from below and rooted in solidarity is the best way to attract new social actors in the struggle budgeting practices, budgeting illustrates the possibility as as well the necessity to fight for an authentic local through democracy, governments and other front promoting promoting a socialist vision. The work of progres their efforts at consolidation of advance through participatory planning and But at the local level, there is need to go beyond relief to develop the role local to develop relief of at beyond But the level,need local there is to go governments in the context of a socialist vision, and in creating and therefore progressive, but still located within t but within stillprogressive, located the local level in these years has been largely limited to providing relief, though happens, what Marx cal through activities in various spheres of life. Experience of left governments at by by step. The sphere of peoples local action, of community workplaces, life, of of schools, of local governments is where the unmaking and remaking capitalist forms. In this regard, the local and provincial governments as constitute the frontiers of well the struggle which make as it happen step oth Local Action, Building local democratisation and Local and Governments democratisation local Local Action, Building A socialist economy cannot arise strategic advance. strategic their their role in building a larger left movement needs t gains gains as well as other development programmes which the left has undertaken in complete difference with other political parties. Aside from staying in power, are several examples in the arena of The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI need to take the cities thecities need totake poor urban and workers and north the in cities of grid key the into feeding been have cities Southern located. is capital where grid cities the in is it for trapped; poin Asia from substantive participation and empowerment of people people of empowerment and participation substantive for spaces creating by so does It socialisation. and democratisation authentic for base social the expanding of prospects further offers which progress democratic for struggle of the facet another is Information to Right a demonstrates therefore and information of freedom south in countries several from Experience hegemoniccementing control. eli and corporations transnational large of hands the In people. to accessible freely apparatus, information sufficient and governance truthful make the of attempts over any scuttles bureaucracy power its retain to order In relationships. challenge question, to classes working for difficult more it making information, of dissemination and content the control power in information. Groups of control on lives control Hegemonic power. of transformation enabling informati society; Truthful beings. in human people of participation consciousandempowered into of socialactors development andtransformation full for allows Information information. in effectively participate can people proce that democratic belief a in rooted is struggle The Information and Media ofthe promise made socialism withthepeople. which in shift tectonic a advance to opportunity one but is challenge current the e never was history Making production. and organisation of forms to new vision alternate an develop rather but propagate to only not locally action peoples of spheres the and governments, local needs socialism for struggle The e neet, h ms mda fr ntne poes mis propels instance, for media, mass the interests, te

t te ed o ae h frt tp i cte, hr cptl is capital where cities, in steps first the take to need the to t ss ny hn hy ae ces o ufcet n truthful and sufficient to access have they when only sses and first. city governments

n s hrfr a eesr fudto for foundation necessary a therefore is on

t hi wr places work their at

n cag power change and - nomto and information asy, and asy, 95

ion ion through through

enters enters the –

South Solidarity - al illustrates the

he task of peripheries centric paths, it is not only - In In fact, modern history of states in

es Solidarity, unlike the processes of

solidarities solidarities assume criticality in the overall

heries heries and obtaining alliances of other states in this fold. fold. To develop the popular bases for promoting - hical spaces where people live, by creating a necessary by by a chief minister from the communist led Indian State of

96 progressive progressive states, social movements and organizations. South must be forged in order to advance the struggles, even as humanity jettisoned. Therefore the South South Peopl state driven Bandung, must grow out of people’s resistance as driven by collective collective task. The lessons for Bandung resonate the need for locating the task of forming alliances and collectives on the axis of people, for it not to be autonomy autonomy internally, while defending such supporting progress other perip externally society society becomes two With enclave socialism an impossibility to moving sustain, forward t to undertake fundamental transformation of economy and environment (we are surrounded on all sides by capitalism)”. on all sides surrounded are (we environment recent comment West Bengal that “you cannot practice socialism by insulating yourself from this cannot exist in a sea of capitalism” , Trotsky’s later assertion on Stalin’s Soviet Russia, that socialism in one country can lead to hideous distortions and a Asia, Africa and Latin America, which embarked along on autonomous routes, resonate national Marx’s comments that reconstruct “islands of socialism and and internal politicisation and consolidation. with with ZanuPF , and the current struggle difficulties of of redirecting the Maoists state to in radical ends, Nep without external solidarity progress progress of national autonomy in its popular elaboration. The Chile under Allende, India experience and Indonesia under Nehru and Soekarno, Zimbabwe of Alongside Alongside of internal “projects” nationalisation, to democratisation secure external and socialisation, For For the peripheries proposing to embark on auto enough that the popular classes are wedded to goals of socialist progress. alliances supportingSouth South Solidarity, in new political south Technology and Knowledge and Technology foundation for transformation for foundation power. of and and in the geograp The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI alternatives, than t than alternatives, build and challenges, the face to position of better much a in are today South the in societies and peoples Many South. the of peoples and countries for emerged 21 states of policies the reorient to andtowards progression are socialprogress real. opportunity the crisis, economic of time st

century facing bigger challenges, where new dimensions of violations have violations of dimensions new where challenges, bigger facing century hey were a few decades ago. With popular mobilization at theat mobilization popular With ago. decadesfew a hey were

– s of the le in the

African African Americans, Indigenous,

–

o o take action together, they will do so with a with with millions of working class families who

– population of the US r r health care and their ability to provide for their children

Rev. Dr. Martin King Luther

- ” from from Katrina victims, to farmworkers, to indigenous communities, to

make another U.S. and another World Possible and another World another U.S. make –

There are millions of poor people in this country who have very little, or even

their their houses, thei are the United States. across developing struggles white) white) families who have been impoverished overnight as they lose their jobs, US farmers who are losing their lands, to previously middle class (predominantly As conditions worsen rapidly for growing millions of people of all race immigrants, poor whites the class. formed base middle the American previously of economic system. This class brings together historically segments poor and of excluded the United States, a class of millions of people of all races, rural and urban, who are permanently excluded from the US economy and who have no future in this The The economic crisis has accelerated the growth of a New Class of peop Introduction

freedom and a power that will be a new and unsettling force in our complacent national life. “ nothing to lose. If they can be helped t

Opportunities inthefor U.S. Organizing The Economic Crisis, the ClassandNew History To To Jennifer Cox and Cheri Honkala Jennifer Cox Building the “Unsettling Force”: The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI oe hn e yas the years, ten than more For model. socioeconomic another building on depends survival whose those by led US”, “Another for movement independent massive a of base the form can survival for struggles growing these and class new this united, and organized If leaves millions of poor and working families of all races in the US without basic without US the in races all of families working and poor of day millions leaves every which States, United the within occurring war deadly yet invisible so the of part as world the around wages States As theUnited andAfghanistan, threatens war Iraq in and more war Rights Human Economic Preventable of MillionsViolations Katrina: Daily A to many opportunities bu political, financial, and (human the of advantage take resources and level next the to develop to the organizational) technical, have not does poor of new class this organize and unite to movement growing this if dangerous, Equally to way no has increasingly that survive for toorganize but anotherkind society. of population a down face to party) political go US the by preparation the of harbinger a just was Convention National Republican the during protest peaceful of repression and violence The greater. been never have needs and dangers the time, same the At for anothereconomicmodel. the and into movement across thecountry national people a into of millions organizing for opportunities unprecedented provides US) the across response in struggles of outbursts resulting (and economy this in future no have grow rapid concurrent the and crisis global The this of beginnings the organizing movement. to dedicated been have social US, other the (and in movement forces) labor the in allies strategic our and (PPEHRC)

ild that this time in history in ild thistime that will die. offers, thisprocess

or epes cnmc ua Rgt Campaign Rights Human Economic People’s Poor

- ald Wr n err, hr i as an also is there Terror”, on “War called th of this class of new poor who poor new of class this of th

vernment (no matter their matter (no vernment

global struggle, 99

nd the world. the world. nd ation, water, heat, ia, Maine, Chicago,

families infamilies the of city Detroit. . In a “National Truth Commission” in

offs suffered by more than 40,000 than 40,000 more by offs suffered away away by government officials for economic reasons, of having -

by by the US government and the corporate and financial sectors,

nger, of not having heat in the coldest parts of the country in the winter, of

100 shut water The The The elimination of minimum health services for illnesses in chronic states the country. people across and with terminal hundreds of thousands of Philadelphia and all over the country. the country. Philadelphia and all over The The mass evictions of thousands of families from government housing in New Orleans, Ohio, California, Florida, rural Pennsylvan

these: Among committed committed to neoliberalKatrinas capitalism. that are endemic Every day across the United States, we suffer preventable “Katrinas”, Katrinas children children die or maimed in a war they went to only because of their desperation families. their to feed terror terror of watching loved ones die outside of the world’s best hospitals, of having children taken watching watching families die in house fires from using unsafe means to heat homes, the mass eviction, of government abandonment in the face of natural disaster, of hu Millions of families of all races, ethnic backgrounds and ages, from both rural and urban areas, in the United States live daily the terror of homelessness, of by UN officials, and by other notable people from around the US a around other notable from by UN officials, people and by July July 2006, organized by the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, stories of these violations were heard and documented by human rights leaders, money money for banks, tens of thousands die every year in the United States because these basic rights and needs go unfulfilled As As the US government spends billions of dollars on wars abroad and stimulus communication and living wage jobs. wage and living communication Economic Human Rights to food, housing, healthcare, educ The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI causing some desperate heads of families to commit suicide, as headssuicide, causing some of desperate commit families to is situation (This generations. for land same the on lived have who families their and farmers of thousands of hundreds by faced debts the and land of loss The r hi ln, hi acs t hat cr adeuain ad hi fo, water food, their and education, and care health to access their land, their and or urban rural, jobs from their everything: lost have States, who people of Millions United communities. suburban lan the cultures, of races, corner all every of in families backgrounds, of millions of up made class new a created have automation and agreements trade” “free policies, Neoliberal Poor Grows of inA NewClass States United the are world pa the in country richest the in (UDHR) Rights Human Universal of the Declaration of 26 and 25 23, Articles of violations daily widespread, These healthcare.access to well more beca in or institutions in the by placed parents and their fromgovernment taken are children which in cases of millions The they because die who year affordcannot medical care. every people 100,000 than more of deaths The both in across ruralthe winter areas. theUS, and urban die families whole which during day every occurs This heating. in safe for pay to affordcannot they because heating proper of lack a by caused fires House the of some cold in bridges under and tracks railway or rivers beside shacks and tents in living are families where US, the across shantytowns growing rapidly in resulting is which homelessness, and evictions foreclosures, of rate soaring The rticularly theyare criminal absolutely because preventable. est parts of parts thecountry. est use their families are homeless or cannot their afford water, heat, food and and food heat, water, afford their cannot or homeless are families their use

- f fmle, simply families, off

in India.) in ugs and guages

101

to to

death death

- and - risons risons or in the r r robbed of their land, without nited nited States: from unemployed coal

o education, health care and living wage all races; to the thousands of families who live

r r segment of the US population and reflects more off, off, who are going bankrupt and losing everything; to - the best universities who have incurred heavy debts in order to his new class, which is growing every day, is permanently

class families who have recently lost their homes, jobs or access -

102 closely closely the wide range of sectors, races, population of cultures the United and States. Every day ethnic we have groups more in common in with the the Every Every day this new class of poor people, excluded people and families without a future, represents a large simply for economic reasons. for simply Afghanistan, as the denial of the rights t jobs in the US lure masses of poor youths and poor parents into the military, urban urban areas, who are fighting and dying in the largest numbers in Iraq and And it is the poor, the victims of downsizing and massive layoffs in rural and participating the sex industry, joining the army, working in the p engaging or in economy, crime. informal work work or opportunities for education, the only way to survive families in thousands for of communities, both millions rural and urban, is of by selling drugs, Abandoned by industry and by the government, o every every day with the fear of not being able to access health care in life crisis bankrupts a health them. when care theirsituations, homes lose who or country; country; to homeless families of pay for their education only to find themselves without work or health care; to landless farmers; to impoverished families in the poorest reservations of the as well as the newly laid graduates from health care and education; to members of the military who cannot feed families their or are losing their homes; to both blue collar and white collar workers, domestic domestic workers; to unemployed African Americans in the poor urban areas; to middle of of all races and backgrounds across the U miners and factory workers (mostly white) to immigrant farmworkers and For For the first time in generations, this new class of poor unites millions of people excluded from the economy has no future and from this excluded within model. economic and and heating. T The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI theworldand in whole. asa Af in Afghanistan, and Iraq in Americas, the across poor years), we have watched as our children have been taken away by the the by away have we charges, fabricated on years 22 to up for imprisonment of threats faced taken been have children our well more to given or institutions into put and government as watched se have is leaders we our years), of (one charges criminal ones false loved under our imprisoned had have Campaign, Rights Human Economic People’s Poor the of members we, country, our in organizing For country. our in movement gove US the the in as poor States, the United organize to dangerous more and more gets it day, every But that isthen “Anotherit World” trulywill“Possible”. be that world, the of peoples the against Administration particular any of interests n world, the of peoples the with unity in interests own their for struggle to organized are people American the when that convinced are we For States. United theof people the is that giant” “sleeping this up waking to committed are rep and dangers increasing the of spite in and growing, is USA the in rights human economic for poor the of movement fledgling Our the across communities of dozens country. in rights human economic of violations local, holding and States; Unites the over all races and sectors all of people poor of caravans organize to empire, helping US the of heart the in poor the of marches hemispheric and summits National the Republica of headquarters the towards marches people’s poor largest the government abandoned over take organizing to families country; homeless the over all families homeless of encampments building since active been have We class. growing this organizing to dedicated is (PPEHRC) Campaign Rights Human Economic People’s Poor The Class New PPEHRC: the Force:A of Unsettling Movement the Building

Cnetos uig h ls tre lcin; raiig global organizing elections; three last the during Conventions n

net ek t so te rwn hmn rights human growing the stop to seeks rnment einl n ntoa Tuh omsin on Commissions Truth national and regional

ression we confront, we confront, we ression - rica and Asia, in Europe in Asia, and rica owned houses; leading houses; owned the beginning of 1998: of beginning the - off families, we have we families, off vn six rving ot in the in ot

103

n rights

aq, South Africa, France

US is Necessary: Linking the New Class of ognize ognize that our interests are one and the same d India than with any bank president, corporate than with India d corporate any bank president,

urrounded urrounded by tanks, riot cops, and helicopters with men with uture uture in this economy, uniteand to movementour growing with racial racial movement based in those who have less and less stake in the the millions of people within the belly of the beast who have more -

– multi

104 urgent. people no with f the global movement for “Another World”, that we believe is both possible and The The strategy of the Poor Peoples’ Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) is to organize the American people, and especially the growing new class of CEO or politician in the CEO world. or anywhere Honduras, Haiti, Iran, Senegal an Haiti,Honduras, Senegal Iran, this system in common with the poor in Iraq, Quebec, Palestine, Afghanistan, France, To To truly confront this empire and bring about a different kind of world, we must build a hunger, homelessness, war and death by preventable death homelessness, and hunger, war disease. abandoned abandoned factory towns in the United States, Brazil, Ir or India, our common enemy is this system which has sentenced billions of us to with the poor and the poor with in with every the cornerworkers of in Whether live world. we shantytowns, homeless shelters, impoverished farms, on the streets or in attempts to keep us apart, we rec The The struggle of the poor of internationally the against United neoliberalism States and is militarization. the As struggle our of government the poor the US to the Global Struggle If Another World is Possible, Another that the only answer is to organize a massive social movement in our country worldwide. to unite movements and and it peoples with Yet while the situation of poverty, war, repression and rampant huma violations worsens both in the United States and around the world, we know

machine machine guns, and we have been victims of constant surveillance, infiltration, sabotage by the US and harassment government. had had our marches s The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI practical. and strategic both is This world. the around sisters and brothers our with up an country our in us before die literally will US the in poor the of movement Our poor around theworld. military war total of state This home. at millions are neither but survive, to unable world the of peoples of majorities the are only not which in system a by created situation volatile increasingly this domestic the (on war permanent of idea the of application the and world) the (and society our of militarization The twinheadsand its empire the for base material and political social, unconscious an as and fodder World” “Another and for movement global the from isolated and unorganized remains US the in races consciousness all of excluded and poor ofof class growing this as long As lack beast. the of belly the the on depends of victims the organizationamong political independent world the military its around and model economic control its impose to empire US the of power The is killingallof us. really to able empi confront be not theUS will movement global a as we unorganized, and invisible are States United the people the as long as And worldwide.model onpeople k can they perpetuated, is Dream” “American myth the the about as long as For worldwide. movements to and us both to dangerous is This world. different a about bring to efforts global from isolated kept US the US the WITHIN organizingefforts our and poor the of repression and poverty widespread of reality the long, Too

–

is about keeping us disorganized, unconscious and disunited from the from disunited and unconscious disorganized, us keeping about is

– –

the poor of our country will continue being used as ca as used being continue will country our of poor the

neoliberalism and militarization. neoliberalism

–

d around the world world the around d and especially the poor and workers of all races all of workers and poor the especially and

–

cnmc pol economic, have been hidden, and the multi the hidden,andbeen have

and international level) is meant to control to meant is level) international and re andthesocioeconomic model which – tcl sca, scooia and psychological social, itical,

if we do not succeed in linking in succeed not do we if

–

like so many movements many so like

the same system within system same the eep forcing this deadly this forcing eep - racial poor ofracialpoor nnon 105 -

is possible from from resourcelessness to

–

own own interests (not in the of interests the rriers rriers we face are to keep the poor of the USA isolated from our

vement is growing and, in spite of increasing dangers and based movement that unites with other processes and -

106 ANOTHER WORLD TRULY WORLD BEANOTHER WILL POSSIBLE! States States are into struggle organized their empire or the elites), in unity with the peoples of the world, that is then that: repression, we are committed to waking up the people of the United States. We are convinced “sleepingthat once the people of the United giant” that is the Our Our fledgling mo prioritizes human rights and our environment environment “rights”. property private rights human our and over prioritizes and and necessary. We are fighting for a world in which we control all benefit the from and wealth of this planet, in harmony with nature, a world which strong, strong, broad movements around the world in order to create another world that In In spite of all the efforts made brothers and sistersthe the around world, is PPEHRC committed a to organizing the American people.the American movement movement (and the global movement) of major organizing opportunities among reality reality is, and just how great the ba repression, to name a couple. And these myths are killing us, and robbing our And And because we are in the United States, no one understands just how awful our The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Requiem for the FreeRequiem the for Market:Towards Post a Wim Dierckxsens treated and how the tremendous debt of international financial elites is treated. treated. is elites financial international of debt tremendous the how and treated contra great very a is There to potential the vindicate anothercivilization. has that dynamite political as function also can brink the on teetering is that world a in wealth of concentration extreme the Nevertheless, eve increasing way this in banks, larger the by absorbed be to order in collapse to permitted are banks medium and Small loses. astronomic its of costs the assume to has society while privatized, remain international essen the In of system. financial collapse the avoid to order in fails bank large no that so costsall at intervene to trying are They collapse. not itselfdoes system capitalist ha governments the and banks central crisis, financial international this of beginning the From insecurity. much and hope much of era an in simultaneously and contradictorily post a of resurgence the permitting is This the be markets unregulated of worldnecessary catalyst foranothercivilization. tovindicate the crisis last this will Or again? win capitalism Will following: the is question The sustainability. social ecological add, can we other today of s context democracy, solidarity, the of principles within on based economy relationships the place to opportunity the be could crisis great This it. of advantage take will someone and opportunity, civ another a allow system, might capitalist which the crisis of crisis terminal a to world the brought has market free the of reign the whether ask to beginning are we 1930s, the of Depression with Faced Utopia

h goa eooi cii, hc cn e oprd o h Great the to compared be can which crisis, economic global the e nevnd ih ilos n blin o dlas o ht the that so dollars of billions and billions with intervened ve

ce, this means that the profits of the banking system banking the of profits the that means this ce, t n o te xenl et f or onre is countries poor of Debt External the how in st

lzto t b gipe. ah rss s an is crisis Each glimpsed. be to ilization - n more the concentration of wealth. of concentration the more n capitalist utopia. We find ourselves, find We utopia. capitalist ocial justice and, and, justice ocial -

capitalist capitalist 107

th,

fuels, - lemma lemma for the economy. all types of adjustment

er. exploitation of natural resources - rding rding the necessity of economic regulation. es of minerals have led to a deformation in the ndangered ndangered the international financial system and it is le has caused the over scale global recession. This threat of another global depression - n. n. Nevertheless, when the financialinternational elites the run risk of Faced Faced with the debt of the poor, the neoliberal creed is non

108 ferociously ferociously fought over by the dominant countries. This wars that are spreading to has other regions of the planet. War has historically been already caused Since the majority of natural resources are found in the South, they are growth in growth the production of products,agricultural due to increases in agro these in countries of dang is putting the majority peripheral zones. The rising pric economic structures of countries that possess these resources. The rate of all the regions of the world, but the effect has been felt more intensely in the unsustainable lifesty fuels (fossil in which particular), are concentrated in the South. has This affected market market and a consumer class responsible for global warming, ecological the cost of living has disequilibrium become higher for the vast and majority. This in the West. Today, 20% of the world population, concentrated in consumes the more Nor than 80% of all natural resources. With the free reign of the Our natural resources are insufficient to meet the needs of the current lifestyle materials. This reality is causing a new and grave di regulation. ecological economic regulation also demands concurrent Therefore, resources. resources. The 21st century is a period of exhaustion of the reserves of primary is reanimating the discussion rega The current economic crisis is accompanied by a crisis of ecology and natural now causing a crisisnow inactual the on an economy, international is, level. That it is causing a large The financial crisis has e ruining themselves because gigantic, their themselves of ruining irresponsible of speculation, games immediate massive and the State.by these intervention same elites demand changed. interventio within within countries and between countries. The words to Our Father were even unpayable, there was no forgiveness policies whatsoever: were imposed, causing even greater concentration of resources both When the external debt of the peripheral countries reached the point of being The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI international level. It causes a cri causesa It level. international the at crisis political a generates War discounted. be not should arms nuclear ofuse potential Its resources,resources. energyparticularly natural appropriate t that instrument the aua rsucs o that so liberating means resources It nature. natural to life giving means produce we all to life Giving capital. not and life reaffirms that economy an to us guide might crisis Global world a on s limit without Growth environment. the and resources natural of crisis a political is there all of whether First economy. the in of intervening of capable still question is action the with left are we Nevertheless, w of regulation. voice the for market free the the of voice perpetrate the substitute to plan a place into just would This citizens. for role structural any put without capital, of accumulation and create to order in apparatus tr be could regulation economic Such labor. and capital of use effective most the but uses, natural just not managing planning, industrial diversified andresources natural finite of assignment global wa this in and growth investments reorients which economy economic sustained guaranteeing of goal the with realm productive the towards planned a with level international post do nevertheless, itself, by market, the of planning Increased growing its abstract the in contradictions and aremakingthismore possible more necessary. possibility this create just not did Globalization of necessity and which model economic another possibility the to rise giving is neoliberalism to alternative an for search The level. planetary the on regulation and intervention demands ensu to how about debate the in growth a been has there crises, earlier with Beginning their why question Citizens crisis. economic governments solving areinept at problems. these the to response adequate

cale is not possible. In possible. not isreaching cale is this way,capitalism limits. its - aiaim I i psil t iae nw cnmc re a the at order economic new a image to possible is It capitalism. e ht h gnrl neet rvis vr atclr neet. This interests. particular over prevails interest general the that re e aiait ytm os o hstt t ue n re to order in use to hesitate not does system capitalist he y, the expansion of the current economy. This implies a implies This economy. current the of expansion the y,

hs wo r ecue tdy a lae their leave can today excluded are who those

will bring new forms of socialism to the debate. the to socialism of forms new bring will sis of governance since it cannot give capital an capital givecannot it since governance of sis ansformed into a centralized bureaucratic bureaucratic centralized a into ansformed

rdie top orldwide s o guarantee not es

- down 109

in the

up definition up definition - crete crete life of people n our planet or thisn our not the market. and whether is “useful” for

110

approach, we can guarantee the right to life for beingsapproach, to life for canall living guarantee (whether human the right we not) o or complexity complexity of other social regulations based on the democracy, social principles justice, and of we may solidarity, add, ecological sustainability. With this local and specific and social meanslocal a This bottomdemands. democratic of priorities. the In regulation words demands to integrate economics with with with concrete necessities, and not of an abstract consumer. It has to start from companies designing for the abstract regulation is necessary, consumer. which starts precisely from An the con alternative economic privations behind. Determining what these needs are cannot what privations be behind. by done Determining gigantic The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Prerequisites Effectivean for Struggle Against BernardFounou exploitation of nature and the African workforce that is part of the unorganised the of part is that workforce African the and nature of exploitation excessive uneven, the question into call would it World, Third the in achieved succ only self to opposed often violence, to resorting its to due anis, it that and modernisation; incoherent imposes and incomplete, extroverted, sometimes and proposes imperialism that fact the of realisation Bandung the of characteristic one others, amongst that, me to seems It period, this from inpolitical cultethnicity and religion learn with dealing and can development managing of terms States in particularly African progressive and movements so the to especially goi am I paper, my In andAfrica? in do, they could else “centre” what and doing, between polarisation the disappear “periphery” for responsible mechanisms the b the system, a such theIn freedoms. individual of to guarantee the committed and democracy is equality, component social towards each progress where multipolar, genuinely is that even and a that struggl assert throwbacks can we Nevertheless, advances, story. the of as part all are failures especially at definitive aimed system, struggles social of effectiveness a the changing define to difficult it makes events interactio fortuitous often and societies of complexity The Bandung eraA detour the via sub in Imperialism frscaimi fetv fi s ie tetbihn goa system global a establishing at aimed is it if effective is socialism for e e i i i gnrl n chrn. o isac, f oens were modernism if instance, For coherent. and general is it if eed - ald adn ea o xmn wih esn social lessons which examine to era Bandung called .

ure. ht r sca mvmns n porsie States progressive and movements social are What - Saharan Africa

alance of power is conducive to socialism, for socialism, to conducive is power of alance

- centred modernisation, which can can which modernisation, centred

ns between important between ns ng to refer to ng

era is the is era 111

- - 25 ; (ii)

coincides

networks - Cape Verde. - eria, Namibia, the secularism of

European peoples to self - , by inventing categories such economic and financial power to the

of the South

e. The first consequence thereof is worldwide trade in human beings ; ; and yet, it was the solidarity among 26 in 1955 only Ethiopia, a highly conservative ewal must be reflected at the level of individual interests of the collective imperialism of the triad (v) the workers workers generating added value. The strategies modernisation modernisation are worked out by mega -

ons; ons; coherence is guaranteed rather by the global .

erences between the countries and the development of

imperialist imperialist Asian States that eventually encouraged the - Enlightenment and the establishment of human rights in Western Europe

; (iii) the transfer of political attributes to transnational oligopolies through the , by its use of violence, is the negation of the right of non religious religious foundati establishment - ion c, political and geostrategic with with the

(i) The Liberia was only sovereign only on Liberia paper was

112 economi overstatement regarding diff as HIPCs, emerging countries, countries,income middle LDCs. 26 modernisation privatisation of international economic law, so that they use their massive corruption of States; (iv) the creation of common institutions for the management of 25 exactly colonisat the Bandung project and the African countries in their majority had adhered to declare declare themselves to be atheists. The cultural renewal thus defined was part of community, community, or even national level. The second consequence is the State, whose duty is to protect the freedom of thought, also of those who to assert a right for all to live their lives the way they want to, respect provided they the laws, without any obligation to comply with traditions at family, essential, that Man is the master of the universe; it is forces such as God, who makes societies evolv Man, and not external A A modern policy of cultural ren conscience and have a social dimension. It is based on the principle, and this is imperialist forces in cultural and economic politics. economic and inimperialist cultural forces This This solidarity also played a decisive role in the neutralisation of private pro radicalisation of liberation movements in Algeria, South Ghana, Africa, Cameroon, Nig Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau feudal feudal society, was a sovereign State peoples and anti At At the Bandung Conference, Africa was national liberation first movements, as and foremost represented by within thesewithin networks. and and non objective than by a method that would allow and even encourage competition agencies, research departments of transnational companies, private religious implemented to impede self of think tanks uniting social sciences research institute networks, government segment segment of global collective The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI agae wr taugh were languages was ethnicity State; the African were of countries those in community language the via only acknowledged secularism the asserted Muslim, majority their in were that those of even States, independent all almost of constitutions The it. formally is, its quality is deteriorating is quality its is, formally the on longer no is education Compulsory Reason. of universality the teach to longer no is objective global The system. educational the of modalities funding the and goals the attacking also is It republicanism. contend not does virus liberal The sacred. between difference formand written in being former the to downboiled be can tradition and Sharia the speaking, Generally element. core a is inferior being t which among values, old to return a advocates it as equality, of negation the represents it authorities; so to subjected not are who citizens of concept the to threat o foundations the weaken easily may terrorism where context a in developing is State the of is Sharia the of foreign largely application the on debate the i Besides, concern countries. of of source number a becoming is life social and political of islamisation counter a of cultural effect the has which adjustment, structural by broken was impetus This that universities creahave been overcrowded to schooling mass from reaching impressive, are approach educational this of results the quantity, of terms In mind. critical a of exercise the encourage and competences generate would research as well as be would quality edu good technical and higher where and charge) of free a thus (and compulsory at all for education primary where system, school nationalist republican the a create to task the themselves set States of majority The differences. as the eliminate well would curricula as school development, of ideologies social and cross economic this by that induced was differences ethnic and religious regarding

f societies and of States. Ethnocentrism, on the other hand, poses a poses hand, other the Ethnocentrism,on States. of and societies f - ted by independent States. financed. A political Islam that calls into question the secularism the question into calls that Islam political A financed. - eouin noa a i i cnuie o bcrnim The obscurantism. to conducive is it as insofar revolution . loehr i cn e ad ht h peoiat idea predominant the that said be can it Altogether, t. e re he - ntuain f h picpe f oe ad girls and women of principle the of instauration itself merely with attacking secularism and secularism attacking with merely itself –

to the detriment of the working classes. working the of detriment the to

gna n hr wee it where there and agenda ik f pltcsto of politicisation a of risk - called traditional called - fertilisation, fertilisation, cation 113 a n

. - 27 ce in all each other.

thelogics and itimate itimate vision and and necessarily

–

tounderstand sufficiency; sufficiency; however, the - based societies that would - trialisation efforts were centred on of of industry

meansthe search forknowledge

concept of market economy has replaced capitalism; the alternative.

– job opportunities for young people, regardless of whether they `,in thiscontext, ofcapitalism and imperialism he economic point of view, Bandung was a period marked by the s Revolution was never put into was never Revolution practice systematically. imperialist

- riticalmind ´C

114 27 function Green Green policy policy to support agricultural development in which tariff and quota protection was instrumentalised in order to achieve food self where where the two sectors would actually start to mutually Thus, Nigeria experienced the emergence support of projects in the steel industry and a in China), there was no African experiment that reached the crucial watershed 1980. 1980. Whereas in some countries indus Green Revolution politics (e.g. India) or rural development (People’s Communes had had attended school and received higher education or not. The results show of course that certain countries had come further along that road than others in oligopolies oligopolies reflected the intention to adopt modern management and techniques to provide as long as capitalism was dominating the world. The promotion of a nationalised a nationalised promotion of as long as capitalism the world. The dominating was economic sector and State participation in the capital of transnational innovation capacity, and production of mass consumer goods, capital goods and arms for deterrence. This was a particularly ambitious, albeit leg resemble resemble those of the triad in terms of work productivity, technological colonial colonial project. The proponents of the first had the intention of turning Africa within a few decades into a continent From From t confrontation between the sovereignist project and the imperialist or neo anti teaching of techniques designed to reduce poverty has replaced the imparting of knowledge about its origins and the reflection on the socialist shaping of a critical mind is demonised as being the source of unemployment In the new system, the Consequence: Consequence: not only does technical knowledge take precedence, but the indebtedness policies is reflected in the privatisation that is taking pla areas of education. Private business schools are replacing universities. The The coming into power of collective imperialism through assistance and The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI nutis wt a eti sces i i as atcig h cnet of concept economies leading the the supplying in specialised attacking continent a into Africa also turn to is it success, reinsti to is objective The itself. industrialisation certain existing a of destruction with the merely industries; not is adjustment structural of aim The any effective struggle socialism. for The str adjustment. eventually has this counter and the organisation; facilitated their hindered the and of forces Left of communist development the stifled that regimes dictatorial barbarous actual have countries Some life. political and societies democratise de and secularisation that realised have state the included also field, economic and cultural analysis the on mainly focusing of instead had, we If detour. this make in to useful it thought phase we century, 16th the since important history African most the and South the of peoples the of victories major that fact the to Due techniques. self any of and but capitalist modernist socialism, World, global of instauration Third the the impede in only not elsewhere does and imperialism Africa in both summary, In oil the control to ambition American the Gulf.production Guinean the in to down put be can declaration this So, states? member ECOWAS of development of framework the within this caca sub the in and country the industrialisation an inside is sectors and industries needs different the between really exchange an country by supported this what yet, cacao; only not b exports its diversify to Ghana urged July last declaration hisAccra Obama in Thus, with primary, energy,products. or mining, agricultural o derivatives and to build a powerful chemical industry based on its oil, and oil, its on based industry chemical powerful a build to and derivatives o uggle for democracy is hence one of the key prerequisites forof uggle one forhence thekey prerequisites democracy is - fesv ld y h srtg ta w cl structural call we that strategy the by led offensive - region. Why not advise this country to produce more produce to country this advise not Why region. - ete plc b ivnig woe rea of arsenal whole a inventing by policy centred

the Bandung era was by far the period of the of period the far by was era Bandung the

- ethnicisation do not suffice in order to order in suffice not do ethnicisation tute the old colonial project, i.e. project, colonial old the tute - building attempts, we would we attempts, building

f h srgls n the in struggles the of y supplying oil and oil supplying y y adopted ly 115

es of on the

– Class Class struggle

t this project must or or the paths

capitalism today. This – ne, ne, or of the oppressed m project which should and can

ain separate from each other, or even come into conflict

rem rendering them ineffective oligopolistic capitalism?”... and leaving the initiative to “The really challenge is, therefore, as follows: will these struggles succeed in converging to open up the path long road to the transition to global socialism? Or will they the same challenge align with one battles take place another.” always on the local . level bu on the level. global be therefore inseparable. There will be no way out of capitalism by virtue of the struggle of the people of the North alo people of the South alone. There capitalism when, will and to the extent onlythat, these two dimensions of be a way out of agree agree I want to propose a long ter only be tackled by the left forces in together… the North “And and the the South two dimensions of the challenge are they are subjected, and start on the long road to socialism classless society. and Following the analysis situation of with Samir which I Amin 100% the seventies of last century. This crisis is the call to the exploited classes of the countries of the Center, as well as to the exploited peoples of the countri the periphery, to rise to put an end to the exploitation to which In In September 2009 broke out the financial crisis that is the visible tip of the structural crisis of the globalized crisis is the latest phase of the long capitalist crisis that began in I have a Dream I have Mamdouh Habashi

Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives for Forum World with cooperation in Foundation Luxemburg Rosa and TNI and

Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Pa Transformation and Alternatives on Conference ths to Overcome the Regime of Regime the Overcome to ths - Crisis Capitalism

The World Crisis Crisis World The and Beyond Beyond and – Brussels, October 28 28 October Brussels, November 1, 2009 1, November -

116 The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI each of these parties alone cannot achieve the dislocation of the dominant neo dominant the of dislocation the achieve cannot alone parties these of each and North the of classes working popular the of collaboration close the without achieved be cannot goal a Such e lbl n t etn ad oeae ad e aal t pt n n t the to end an put to capable success be Its world. the dominate that oligopolies the by media and mass of monopoly coverage, and extent its in global be broadcasting co satellite TV a be to has center media this of activity central and main The World. the over all classes and peoples oppressed the of struggles the of news the as well as platforms, militant the all of popularization and diffusion Cent media a creating of project ambitious the of relevance the Hence medium istheTV. building consciousness and culture and information of source main Their read. even don’t who masses those but activists and intellectuals left the mainly be group target Our South. the of Peoples exploited the and North the in the within popularmasses the of consciousness the raising by on politics impact significant a have to them hope can left the to where field the is Media end Mass and communication an put let to break, to or alone monopolies four above first the with interfere no or to little possibility has particular, in South the of Peoples the and general, in classes gl the that obvious is It 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. the of Triad (the oligopolies the by monopoly collective the by manifested is their but Lenin, to due more of time the no at ago years hundred a is was it as production industrial today of monopoly capital financialized the of dominance The the North and their compradorand lackeys agents of governments the corporationsbypursued transnational the of policies liberal

vering the entire glob in as much languages as possible. Such a project must project a Such possible. as languages much as in glob entire the vering Communication Technologies. Information and Destruction; of Mass Weapons allthesignificant accessto Free Resources of thePlanet; Markets; Dominance oftheFinancial Modern Technology;

USA, Europe and Japan) of: EuropeandJapan) USA,

obal Left as the defender of the interests of the popular the of interests the of defender the as Left obal

the peoples of the South, since the struggle of of struggle the since South, the of peoples the

meit ftr. However, future. immediate

in theSouth. in

should not should er for the for er 117

d d run the

ing ing in the project as a means of

ommittee should be convened as soon as the financial means to support the Project and

majority majority of the world Left supports it in one way or

Last but not least finding The The guiding principles and practical steps adopted to start an The The criteria and the methods to be adopted to recruit the widest possible The The quest of diversity of the parties participat 8

11 ensuring their continuity. their ensuring solving all technical difficulties facing its implementation;solving • Project. This should include Laying down the general policies to get as near as possible to a consensus on the content of the material diffused, as well as • • the Left; of representation of the forces • the richest possiblesecuring formation; issues: have committee the following will This to consider possible including a membership as widely representative of the Left in both possible. South as and North forces forces of the Left should be created to study the idea and put it into implementation. practical A preliminary c To To embark on such an ambitious project an entity embracing the majority of the another. can only be secured if the The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI The Multiple Aspects of the Crises and the Way andthe Crises the of Aspects The Multiple Out François Houtart em Aan h cptls lgc s lyn te oiaig oe rapid role: dominating the playing is logic accumulation and disregard of externa capitalist the Again term. middle aznd short on profitable highly is it But energy. of use the for marginal becau climate, of millions from communities of and expulsion peasants the and jatropha... soya, trees, oil palm canes, sugar of monocultures to South) the in (mostly hectares of millions of hundred devote t means which agrofuel, capital: the by proposed is solution immediate One process. last this retarded has crisis financial the Already technology. new in investments considerable and demand the of contraction strong of necessity the othe to fossil (from cycle energy of completely change to have will mankind years,50 within that fact the with related is crisisenergy The ignorance of externalities. and profits rapid stake: at is logic double A accumulation. of frontiers new the of counter real a and property land of by replaced be to concentration new agriculture a is There peasant’s(monoculture). agriculture capitalist productivist of destruction gradual of to much due is so it not but stocks, th of of dimension conjectural a been has reduction This production. to a related on strongly been playing have forces 2008 and speculative 2007 years the of crisis food The logical origin. coincidence the but dimension, global its only not is day present the characterizes what However system. capitalist the of typical economy, the of fundamentals the affecting one, economic an but countries, the of immediate its of most because in attention the concentrated has crisis financial The

e h gnrl aac o eiso o gzs s o pstv. t is It positive. not is gazes of emission of balance general the se

effects. We all know that it is not only a financial crisis, financial a only not is it that know all We effects.

their land. It is clearely not a solution for the for solution a not clearely is It land. their - land reform, the agriculture becoming o becoming agriculture the reform, land lities. between various crises having the same the having crises various between

e question. Structurally question. e r sources). This means This sources). r

119 ne o

ly ly should should

a minority than to produce for categories with rofit) and it has been accelerated with the neoliberal phase ld ld and to a theoretical reflexion. The parameters ed ed with a deep social and humanitarian crisis, characterized els of the seas. If strong measures are not taken the middle of the

120 organization and world and world ethics. vision,organization including nature, production of life (physical and cultural), social and political in the whole wor envisage the fundaments of mankind’s existence on the planet: relation with parameters. This is the only real postcapitalist redefine position. such parameters, The according to question practical experiences is existing partially to and and continue like before. Second, to regulate the system, more or less definite of strongly according to the proposals and third, to find alternatives and new Three solutions are proposed. First, to change the actors (week or incapable) added added value able to be bought by no marketable with power purchasing or income. law profitable to invest in sophisticated products (goods and services) with a high All All this is associat by an acceleration of social distances and encouraged by the fact that it is more and habitat).and of of capitalism (Washington’s Consensus), because of overexploitation of natural resources, more good’s circulation and individualization of behavior (transport is the fruit of capitalist logic, ignoring ecological externalities (less now because it affects the rate of p increasing lev century could count between 150 and 200 million climatic migrants. Again this very very damaging phenomena: higher temperature, with drought and famines and Finally the climatic crisis, with both ever more emission of greenhouse effects and the destruction of the carbon wells (forests and oceans) is bringing about

the Common Market of South America]; as well as being used to refer to much to refer to used being as well as America]; South of Market Common the - economic and geo ns’ [such as the Southern African Development Community, or MERCOSUR or Community, Development African Southern the as [such ns’ - odr eain bten egbuig n int and neighbouring between relations border

e iet n dne cross dense and direct se

–

h ‘oiain alac o ntos n South in nations of alliance ‘Bolivarian’ the – - - prone capitalism can be conceived and implemented at the at implemented conceivedand be can capitalism prone

border transport and communications systems, and many many and systems, communications and transport border - the Union Union the political terms. political f h Ntos f ot Aeia. h term The America]. South of Nations the of

- odr neatos lo nld intra include also interactions border - cnmc n ohr agreements other and economic iaey inter ricately lysis deliberately lysis mrc ad the and America - odr human border - regional’ are regional’ - economic - linked on’ in in on’ 121 - -

- and and

irect irect - life and - industrial industrial - would would presage

- es of such essential appropriate appropriate energy

ted by the recognition measures measures so essential for - take’ take’ and ‘mutual benefit’ - sustaining, and thus region

term term threats motiva -

– and - within within the context of the imperatives

ficient and self suf - not be effectively managed, protected and developed ted ted and based on principles of mutual support and cooperation cooperation and coordination will have to be collectively and

- standing standing rationale for all these crucial regional arrangements for - tially tially uneven inputs and benefits from their joint programs. It is in the

122

entirely entirely different systems and relations capitalism. globalised mercantilist exploitative and to those that drive competitive, modalities, such regional cooperation programs of directly shared immediate problems and longer solidarity, solidarity, but with differentiated resources responsibilities and and capacities. roles Within according such to ‘give democratically democratically negotia light light of such asymmetries that the programs to emerge such from practical often pragmatic differing sizes differing and economic/financial and capacities; thus technological and the poten measures measures are rendered even more complex in view of the development different levels and of resource endowments of such interlinked countries, their the creative initiatives and transformative counter peoples’ security, and human survival. However, the challeng made made even stronger and more pressing imposed by looming climate change instabilities and insecurities and in view of more more effective cooperation/coordination between neighbouring countries is Thus, the long renewable energy sources and for technologies.generation systems and the innovation of within within essentially artificial (and often arbitrarily created) political boundaries. Such cooperation is also essential on shared but unevenly distributed other other natural resources. These are, by their very nature, not confined political within borders and can regional regional cooperation over underground aquifers), shared forests and biodiversities, water fisheries and wild resources (rivers, lakes and emerging emerging climate change crises, equally vital importance attaches to d based, food production, development. Furthermore, and under conditions of for global economic mutually crisis and supportive agro are urgent needs for more self The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI upss n i rlto t etra f external to relation in and purposes countries socio time same the At countries are able to negotiate and implement amongst themselves alternative themselves amongst implement and negotiate to able are countries de calls) Belo Walden (what al for possibilities out hold and significance global broader carry strategies regional suchthat possibilities these …. system relatio in re/positioning self more a enabling at or … system political and economy global the within groupings united such by engagements effective more ensuring at inter or continental alliances regional strategically, and broadly Most crises against protection elsewhere. and buffer some provides distance that onto to cling easier is illusion dangerous the level that at neighbouring but … globally immediate applies course, the o same, all The well. as consequences crisis negative suffer will into peoples and countries descends country one if that shows experience Hard together. work to incentives pragmatic powerful and ‘higher by motivated neig interdependent closelysuch principles’, entirely not if Even forces. outside hostile/negative to prioritising consciously and poli of level a require alliances ‘emerging’ and/or countries smaller and/or ‘developed’ socio joint such However,concerted parts’. its of is sum whole the ‘united the than that greater and strength’ is ‘unity that adage the on premised a are alliances political in Such environment. global effectively economic and political and difficult strongly more engage to which from bases political as countries interdependent closely for frameworks political coherent extra - - economic and environmental/ecological concerns of specific groupings of groupings specific of concerns environmental/ecological and economic einl yais ae og oe te eest fr h ceto of creation the for necessity the posed long have dynamics regional

- or even, partially or totally, outside of the system. the of outside totally, or partially even, or

the creation of regional alliances are also perceived to serve political serve to perceived also are alliances regional of creation the oiia srtge b gopns f tews wae, lesser weaker, otherwise of groupings by strategies political -

- - in addi in

regional (south regional are not straightforward to devise/negotiate. Such strategic Such devise/negotiate. to straightforward not are n to the global economy and system …. or against the against or …. system and economy global the to n tion to quintessentially intra quintessentially to tion –

the interests they hold in common and in relation relation in and common in hold they interests the tical far tical - lblsto. f uh einl ruig of groupings regional such If globalisation. entvs o lblsd aiaim through capitalism, globalised to ternatives - south) levels levels south) -

- but even including some that are large(r)are that some including even but re ad nentoa rltos These relations. international and orces sightedness that focuses on identifying on focuses that sightedness hbouring countries have immediatehave countrieshbouring

- –

whether at the ‘sub the at whether

can be conceived and aimed and conceived be can - regional issues and the and issues regional

It is in the light of light the in is It - cnmc and economic n extremely extremely n - determined - regional’, 123 - f

l – by by

– capitalist capitalist - sustaining sustaining - environmenta - lternatives lternatives within low’. low’. In the face of South alliances and - for for shifting the global economic

- globalist and anti - ncremental erosion of the ‘single too lacking in strategic concertation and

– rovide rovide demonstrations of real workable

political ‘spaces’ secured for innovative - effect effect an i

– gh gh their own negotiation/creation of appropriate, more self economic economic strategies, they could not only be advancing a - these have to be negotiated/agreed globally, implemented universally and

124 conceptual and practical levels are levels conceptual practical and and and monitored internationally. In sum, what is therefore needed at both the alternatives, there remain vitally important spheres concern for and the whole of humanity and for the very survival of the entire planet, levels of common strategies hold out the most promising balance possibilities of power and creating living anti However, However, even as such alternative ‘regional’ South international balance of economic and political power. political economic and balanceinternational of compared compared to regional(ised) strategies simply insufficiently powerful politically and economically to change the increasingly increasingly threatening global crises, such localised ‘national’) (or solutions could even be too independent piecemeal and gradual, too scattered and blocks. blocks. ‘Living alternatives’ at community/local levels are also useful for their demonstration effect, but are probably too ‘small’ and ‘s capitalists; and, at the same time, p alternatives that are feasible within sizeable, viable and effective regional literal physical and economic scope for the operation of capitalism and programs, programs, within experimentations, could the on the one hand constitute a gradual narrowing of the geo interests of global/transnational Regional corporations terrains for and distinctive international and diverse capital. socio autonomous autonomous decisions integrated/liberalised global economy’ that has been created by and in the models, models, and more diverse modes and modalities, such regional entities can design and through deliberate intent, or as a de facto outcome of their Throu towards alternatives to globalised capitalism, and for the whole of humanity. alternatives capitalism, for to globalised and towards and and for the countries and peoples within their own regional groupings, but also from their putative regional economic and political power bases for and socio The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI * capitalism; ( * well as global capitalism, as‘north * system; common thecurrentcapitalist to global alternatives globalised global) approaches towards countering the countering towards approaches global)

both and convergent as well as alternatives… regional viable and diverse specific ‘bottom simultaneous

polit

ical ‘south’ and ‘south and ‘south’ ical - p (oa, ainl n rgoa) n ‘top and regional) and national (local, up’ - - south’ alliances of the international ofleft . theinternational south’ alliances south’ alliances against northern against alliances south’

processes and forces of globalised of forces and processes - dominated

and - down’

125

in in

– both both great great

, the

ture) ture) that somehow en unprecedented, from The Great Transformation and and why not also for its “passing”

– into approach. the perspective opened this by ressively, ressively, this new production mode became

catastrophe reflection. through capitalism; in way: any unfortunate unfortunate “alter ego” for half dismissed experiment of Soviet socialism. This crisis a is century: the rapidly fortunate and pertinent, as it is a result of capitalism itself; and that is why we must seek the reasons for the crisis crisis marks an important historical moment, as it marks the end of a capitalist phase that has be its very beginning with the industrial revolution of the 19 century and its undisputed victory over what had been its Prog “disembedded” from society and the diverse and manifold organisational forms created to “regulate” it. The current blocked blocked its “natural” evolution; it was pursuit prompted of by “interest” and the supported by this primary force driving man, which is his egotism, as has been presented by English philosophers and economists following Stuart Mill. In In short, the modernity of the capitalist production mode consisted in freeing its numerous internal social functional ties logic (be from customary, legal, religious or political na they ancient or modern, of our our contribution to the analysis of largely crisis the current financial In In his major work Austrian anthropologist Karl analytical prospects of Polanyi capitalism, as well as the conditions overthrows the that gave rise to both its genesis and its evolution. We place An anthropological view on the view An anthropological crisis Ali El Kenz

Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives for Forum World with cooperation in Foundation Luxemburg Rosa and TNI and

Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Regime the Overcome to Paths Transformation and Alternatives on Conference - Crisis Capitalism

The World Crisis Crisis World The and Beyond Beyond and – Brussels, October Brussels, November 1, 2009 1, November - 28

126 The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI re t fe orevs rm h ilso o mdr tms fo the from times, 18 modern the of of illusion beginning the from ourselves free to order “re to i.e. way, the along back go To oil fet o te rss f h “nentoa Fnnil ytm ad to and System” Financial “International the of crisis the of effects social have the whoevaluate to try who and capitalism towards those stance "critical" a adopted among also today, obvious glaringly become has This or, effects” “its study to ablewhich mightbette be are we that crises these of means by the is it from autonomous) least at that we believe crisesand its we of Accordingly, dynamics society. speak of (or independent is rules, functional wi suggests, name its as that, system” “a become has same, the all it dominating and society from disembedded model, economic This logic. goods economic as considered beco has which term, the of sense capitalist the in economy the of objectives and norms the to them submitting by objects and actions “natural” and social all evaluating in consist not example, for WTO, the underlying utopia capitalist the Does uninterrupted violence (classconflicts andinternation by set values and norms society rules, the obey longer no does economy the logi the to logic social charismatic, of form every subjecting traditional, in succeeded finally etc.), religious (aristocratic, world old the of those replacing legitimised, and established are etc.) progress scientific and technological the of and (rationality world modern the society, of dominations and in sphere hierarchies economic the where place the it make the that mechanisms the particularly by occupied place central the of value sole economy the of form single one turned

o eooi ato. iebde fo is oil environment, social its from Disembedded action. economic of c –

n h cnrr, t moe is w rls n oit through society on rules own its imposes it contrary, the on

exchange and profit and exchange r or worse, “its impact” on r or impact” society. worse, “its th

century, i.e. the emergence of capitalism, which which capitalism, of emergence the i.e. century, me its synonym? The world, man and nature nature and man world, The synonym? its me –

that is today the ultimate finality of this of finality ultimate the today is that –

into a universal model. At this point, point, this At model. universal a into - embed” the economy in society in in society in economy the embed” –

the economy with a view to the to view a with economy the al wars).

subject, growth, subject, th regard to its to regard th

127

– – ist ist like like

ical – element element of

– regulation” and - to add a little bit of onal onal situations faced re re of those famous

– profit, i.e. “bubbles” that - and and largely speculative

– but also social and ecolog

– certainly certainly important

– healthy” healthy” basis However, However, there is no International Criminal

erate speculative super

a “disembedded” and globalised economy, which has

– onsible” onsible” of the consequences and effects that it generates semble allows us to go beyond the notion of “social effects of and his return and to this country.

we we must now (and think this no longer represents a but “utopia”, a –

type experiments. – -

128 eventually eventually generate crises. Tribunal to punish those who are responsible of these catastrophes! It is generation of nuclear energy and hence also its use as atomic bomb, the “ICTs” have served to gen derivatives, derivatives, made possible by mathematical and information science, yet uncontrollable in their use. As in physics, which made possible the even more so in the future, by the use of new methods of obtaining profit; we are talking he and and that affect both man and nature. Their failure is amplified, and will be a closed system become “irresp with with the actions taken by the leading groups of the respective economies. These leading groups, both at local and international level, run today reality reality make up an ensemble depending on of the individual social dynamic groups and and nati diversified reactions, the social en the crisis of the international financial system”. In fact, these effects in need to reconsider the notions Considering that the economic sphere as are a being used in this context. To To begin with, and this perfectly fits with the theme of our meeting, we Soviet firm firm intention that is founded on experience) of alternative hypotheses that had been deemed “insignificant” after the failure of the social “refoundation “refoundation of capitalism” on a “ ethics civilisation, which has reached its limits with criticism. globalisation, to radical Beyond “reformist” illusions of “re scratch: scratch: the global scope of the financial catastrophe makes it today possible and legitimate to subject the capitalist Adopting Adopting Karl Polanyi’s position, it is however possible to start from Algeria Algeria mitigate its rigour. Hence the endless discussions on Keynes here in The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI The current crisis of the “IFS” certainly has a different scope, but it is downisit but scope, different has a certainly “IFS” the of crisis currentThe either. the useofatomicbomb those judge to tribunal such no was there that indeed true and thefuturepresent ofourworld. the both endangers it nature; to as well as societies, our to threat a poses It limits. ethical and social political, economic, its reached has economy demon has and crisis brutal global, profound this contrary, the On yet! decided been has Nothing former successesachieved into by thelatter. the by anticipated effects” “the transform to practice into put be will that capabilities organisational on depend turn, in formerwill This resist them. resistance, will the submit or to either who dominated the vs. actions their for accountable not are who economy th of up made be will that told be to still story a but destiny, a have unavoidability, not do they an represent not do thus crisis this of “effects” said The and countries. groups affected the hence and sectors concerned the conflict through social increased case, this a in Such and, return. conflict called in is place relationship take that reactions the on depending intense, less or more is that way a in act they and taken, being is action any before social and history to to but physics attributable not is it, present to like media the way the effects, social its to crisis IFS the links that effect and cause of principle mechanical very str the to proportionate inversely exactly be will crisis the of effects” “social the and countries, all strugglein political and social the with lie will dynamism this of drifts the containing of role The elsewhere. and hemisphere Western vulnerab dramatic most the on have heavily more even may weigh that effects and “irresponsibility” of mechanisms same the to cahs f w pwr rus ht r peet te edr o an of leaders the present: are that groups power two of clashes e ength and the resistance they are going to meet on their way.The their on meet to going are they resistance the and ength

tae ta te dsmedd capitalist “disembedded” the that strated dynamics. For “these effects” do not exist exist not do effects” “these For dynamics.

and hence on forms of mobilisation of forms on hence and

responsible of responsible le, both in the in both le, wih is which , 129

hink and “liberalism”. “liberalism”.

– sometimes even r r „social“ phases,

–

century century

th eir eir interests and hence to and and 19

th alism is rich in periods with alternating phases the crisis in to order mitigate its and social effects

embed embed it. This means we have to ret -

State intervention to protect th

– nd nd long phase of its cycle, capitalism was contained by the

Liberalism

e case of wars between nations or class conflicts within a country that – following following the English theories of the 18

130 In this first a prevailed prevailed over democracy and this example, even though unique, may be in other forms in and other circumstances, today. as reproduced such “totalitarian” bridle capitalism, in order to eventually save it. Interests in this case could could lead to civil wars with grave Franquism consequences. led Nazism, fascism the or bourgeoisie to call for strong th accompanied capitalism, sometimes keeping its influence to a minimum, sometimes intervening more vigorously in its evolution; for example, in The indispensable political institution which is the State has always its democratic phases, in the English sense of the term, o in the French sense. of of neoliberal exacerbations and phases where the State regained control over the functional rules of the economy, which we will call its liberal and The liberal period of capit the one and the “monstrous” excrescences of the other. excrescences the one the “monstrous” and However, However, this logical continuity does not necessarily entail a continuity between historical the first and the second, between the liberal roots of Of Of course, neoliberalism is a phase in the logical continuity of what we call – 1

reorganise reorganise its laws by subjecting them “civilise”somehow. it to the laws of society, i.e. to within within society, to re reconsidering reconsidering regulatory theories, which are by the way made ineffective by globalisation, it might be the right moment to replace the economy Thus, beyond containing beyond Thus, The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI unions and political parties. Besides, in all European and Western Western and European all in Besides, parties. political and unions the of them pressure organised the progressively which by classes, institutions, subordinate these through and, State the and “nation y rgesv cret o utilitariani of currents progressive by politically and morally obvious made is this place; important an the ties social of concept democratic grant philosophies liberal “classical” The d to inorder ofliberalism anthropological foundations the further examine and go to have we considerations, political and historical these to addition In firmly logic, neoliberal new the determined it. toglobalise with in settles capitalism victorious the block oftheSoviet that the collapse and isafter theweakening finally it Conversely, influence. socialist the to counterpart political as act to Europe Western in established become state” “welfare its of and regulation Keynesianism II, State strong a l to years few a State); proceed Welfare the (i.e. capitalism USA the that 1929 of crisis “nation form the clo we Before various of means by situations dosages and combinations of two these elements. respective the in differences the out “equality of pair mobile the through France, and structure the to it linking balance, regular this noticed “more had Tocqueville of hand. favour other the in on concessions wages” its and hand for one enthusiasms the on its profit” with “more capital, the of oscillations cyclical the left/rig marks The cycle. the of phases different the manage to inter governments, of form the in solicited are Communists and Socialists Democrats, Social Democrats, cr internal strong and hand one the on capitalism regulating in play politics and State the role the of evolution cyclical this between parallel a observe can one countries, efine more precisely how it is to be distinguished from neoliberalism. from distinguished be to is it how precisely more efine - tt” n hne oe r es ioosy otold y h Law the by controlled rigorously less or more hence and state” se this chapter on the original embedding of capitalism into capitalism of embedding original the on chapter this se - tt” lt s ae no osdrto ta i i atr the after is it that consideration into take us let state”, ises on the other hand. The Liberal Right, Christian Right, Liberal The hand. other the on ises of classes of two societies, i.e. the United States United the i.e. societies, two of classes of

- partisan coalitions and even dictatorships even and coalitions partisan m wih oeie bre on border sometimes which sm, ater, following World War World following ater,

- iet” wih singled which liberty”, evs n trade in selves t “pendulum” ht 131

through through individual

In In order to be functional,

ed by Foucault; neoliberal

izen based on notions such as “public space” and hich, following the liberalist Adam Smith, had taken on the g, a democratic subject that would be the ideal reference of a called called “invisible hand”. “Naturally”, it returned to this mentality”. It is in the straight grain of the schools of - faire”, w -

Neoliberalism

– 132 in the Seventies, which considers that the reality we imagine and base our construction. actions uponhuman is in a fact “govern “constructivism” that flourished in the wake of American postmodernism to build the neoliberal individual, through institutions, culture, politics. Neoliberalism represents a reflection on the methods of government, on individual individual and its thinkers as ideologists want to go beyond demonstrat the natural disposition. They want to form, The The neoliberal rupture does not content itself with this “naturality” of the there is a natural “Homo oeconomicus”. there is a “Homo natural organisational order what is being pursued separately egotism. In classical liberalism, there is a presupposition that in every man legal legal and political characteristics of market organisation, leaving things to the so principal theoreticians wish to mark a laissez rupture with the “illusions of What is the “neo” in neoliberalism, an American essayist once asked. Its 2

this model cit “communicational action”. and and a citizen who was a free and aware subject. The complete works of Habermas, for instance, represent an undisrupted attempt to construct voting, a citizen representing a public good. liberal or classical capitalism required this democratic functional model citizen: citizen: the image of a citizen who, together with other citizens with equal rights, demonstrated a shared will and made collective choices through everythin linked linked to the idea of human progress. The dominating political and moral normativity in capitalist “liberal democracy” presupposed, in spite of socialism. The social tie is thus considered as a means of emancipation, The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI cnmc ieaim ad vn es o wtdaa o te tt o a or State the of withdrawal a to old less the even of and reactivation liberalism, the economic to reduced be cannot It politics. economic The ol Wr I Fr rm en isgiiat tee set ae however are putting aspects at aim policies Neoliberal these goal. fundamental more a insignificant, to subordinate being from Far II. War World of aftermath the in established redistribution and solidarity of mechanisms destro that and richest the of are favour that in policies always of implementation systematic the to reduced be cannot market of intrusion the by even th by defined rationality, givenness; natural, hence and ontological, an is society of domains all to rationality economic stri the that presume not does it project: constructivist a is “neoliberalism clarity: its for credit deserves gives she definition The politics. justice, education, health, sphere: every to and existence of area appl and life” of aspect every in “entrepreneurs are who subjects “responsible” “calculating”, with the State confront policies neoliberal “active” that us reminds Brown Wendy essay incisive her In is “constru – English dispositions The natural man’s followed liberalism government. that believed philosophers the by stimulated and after, looked created, b into comes it given; simply not is power “responsibility”, of object the Hence, interest. proper his by governed be himself let to competition, apt is who man of type certain a produce to is spheres, objective overall The human. subjective entrepre and social specific influences it being, human economic the of anthropology total the all fields and allareasofsocial and of action individual public Based life. on by guided is It interventionism. its of reduction

neoliberalism aims at constructing new anthropological dispositions: it dispositions: anthropological new constructing at aims neoliberalism political neoliberal project goes far beyond the mere framework of of framework mere the beyond far goes project neoliberal political neurship, with the aim of producing a new subject, the neoliberal the subject, new a producing of aim the with neurship, ctivist”.

Brown continues. Brown pesr o te cnmc ol o te rvt shr, not sphere, private the on world economic the of pressure e

t ahr a a is ak h dvlpet f such of development the task its as has rather it elbrls ad h Ed f iea Democracy Liberal of End the and Neoliberalism Neoliberal rationality is not in the first place first the in not is rationality Neoliberal y a universal economic rationality to every every to rationality economic universal a y - retd neet no h pbi sco. It sector. public the into interest oriented ig hog te mechanisms the through eing

a normative logic affecting logic normative a te ntttos n the and institutions the y t plcto of application ct , 133

to a ideal reference of

all these aspects are

–

formation formation is illustrated by nent life competition. Political

riented economic calculus. economiccalculus. riented o -

/herself /herself as an enterprise on the lookout for profit - ificance. For this political project supplants the political and ness profitability and criteria, are as well as evaluation techniques ctice ctice a universalisation of economic reasoning, with the rational, thing in return for for his money. inthing return

134 mere mere consumer who is not willing to give more than he takes, who expects some political practice, as can be observed in the United States and, more and more frequently, in Europe: the citizen is encouraged to act as if he were a subject is reduced to a calculating subject, enjoined to choose whatever serves his proper interests best. This trans Effective imposed everywhere as undisputable evidence. The moral and political thoroughly thoroughly affected by this generalisation of the entrepreneurial form. and and morale, the educational link, everyday relationships, even the that idea the individual makes himself what he his think think of him opportunities total in of a perma context and The The tension that existed between the merchant and the citizen is reunified in the construction of the economic subject, encouraged from now on to liberal democracy. considerably considerably destroys normative forms that predated means it; the end of moreover, the democratic it subject that was the moral moral normativity that has so far dominated “liberal democracies” and dimension; dimension; it adds an institutional and political dimension that completely alters its sign The The “neo” in “neoliberal” thus acceleration of means “liberal”, a which lot is more largely than contained a in capitalist the economic principles of marketprinciples State and governed through legal artifices; it is about actively producing an institutional reality and social relationships that are solely governed by the Adam Smith’s liberalism. It is not simply about granting more space supposedly natural market by reducing the space that is occupied by the That is why we cannot simply consider neoliberalism as a mere sequel to calculating subject as its normativecalculating reference as its subject into pra The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI rjc. h rltv atnm o cran ntttos te a, the Law, (the institutions certain of autonomy relative The project. the to back neoliberal the of us foundation the as governmentality” “neoliberal bring of notion reflections Browns Wendy of quotes long These played a key role in t in role key a played Treasury. the he Bank, World the and IMF the of from colleagues former his with Together Secretary Deputy to promoted later International was for and Affaires Undersecretary appointed first th was for He working Department. started Summers 1993, In and the Republics Soviet Balkans. former the Europe, Eastern to medicine” “economic deadly Bank’s World the and IMF’s the of administration the and Union Soviet the of collapse Summers Larry of period The extreme poverty. entailingdevastating,reforms was those ofandeconomic impact social the Bank, World the and IMF the by supported (SAP), programme adjustment impose macro of design the to contributed He 1993. to 1991 from Economist Chief Bank World of office the held University, person. The 3 democratic liberal the and syste political economy political capitalist the between tension a and interval an preserve to possible been has it point this to up intere of that independence this that to owing is “it for capitalism, liberal of foundations calculus: same the logic, same the by driven elements various in “integrated” are market the to relations their in them of each of autonomy the as well as another, one with relationships t elections,

–

An example of neoliberal of reasoningAn example d on numerous indebted emerging countries. Within the structural the Within countries. emerging indebted numerous on d e oie te ulc pee ta caatrss their characterises that sphere) public the police, he m”. Lawrence Summers, professor of economy at Harvard Harvard at economy of professor Summers, Lawrence

he elaboration of the economic “shock treatment“ in treatment“ “shock economic the of elaboration he t h Wrd ak onie wt the with coincided Bank World the at

- economic reforms that were that reforms economic Uie Sae Treasury States United e t Ti ris the ruins This st. 135

m this

encouraging MORE

the D.E. Shaw Group

According According to him, that

oor oor countries a lot more

overpeople have and there, shorter lives y is impeccablethat. should is to and face up we y

In In 1991, a controversial internal memo of the World Bank, World countries, as,

achs and general manager of the D.E. Shaw Group, a hedge

he measurement of the costs of health impairing pollution depends on

1) T

136 the countr wage lowest the country with the lowest cost, which will be the country with the lowest wages. I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the foregone earnings from increased morbidity and mortality. Fro point of view a given amount of health impairing pollution should be done in

of threereasons: “Just between you and me, shouldn't the World Bank be migration of the dirty industries to the least developed countries? I can think industries “Dirty” His His reasoning. as follows (extracts): Economist read Chief Summers, by signed Larry “profitable”. value of people in the Third World is very inferior.” makes the export of dangerous material to p labour costs are extremely low, which essentially means that the market Summers Summers is known among ecologists for having suggested to dump toxic inwaste Third year”. announced 7 billion dollars in revenues, i.e. an increase by 22% compared to the previous year, “with three times as much money at hand as last financial crisis, the D.E. Shaw Group made record profits. At the October end 2008, of at the height of the financial crisis, at Goldman S fund organisation. Under his direction and as a direct consequence of the He became Secretary of the Treasury in July 1999 and is today a consultanttoday is in and July 1999 the Treasury of He becameSecretary Indonesia atIndonesia the Asian the peak in crisis of 1997. the context of the reforms imposed on South Korea, Thailand and The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI ult i poal vsl iefcety o cmae t Ls nee or Angeles Los to compared low inefficiently vastly probably is quality under that thought always I've costs. low very have probably pollution of increments operative, operative, tactical, become has law every even and decision every devaluated; have been offence, from behaviour decent vice, from virtue themselves, separated which criteria Moral war. nor protection about social neither hence therefore and pollution about development”) is “sustainable this (because precaution or even Humanist concerned) are people “business”. of (millions is responsibility as the everything such principles, costs”, governing “economic norms of new calculation of nation establishment of the “sovereignty in and warfare in even and universities, of criteria evaluation industries, of relocation the genet commercial in law, in as well as law, civil in everywhere: applied is model this elsewhere, and hemisphere Western the in Today, reasoning. neoliberal of example perfect a is Summers Mr. by forward brought reasoning The 4 5 mortality where under thou isper 200 country a in than cancer prostrate get to survive people where country a in higher much be to going obviously is cancer prostrate of odds the in change income the with increases demand [The elasticity. income high very have to likely is in pollutionair andtrade waste. costs transport non generatedbyis pollutionmuch so that facts Only lamentable the City. Mexico

3) 2) Some conclusions - tradable industries (transport, electrical generation) and that the unit the that and generation) electrical (transport, industries tradable The demand for a clean environment for aesthetic and health reasons health and aesthetic for environment clean a for demand The h css f olto ae iey o e non be to likely are pollution of costs The ee] Te ocr oe a aet ht ass oe n million a in one a causes that agent an over concern The level]. - ujce t a ue f meit efciees n gm of game a in effectiveness immediate of rule a to subjected populated countries in Africa are vastly under vastly are Africa in countries populated ic research, in drug production, in the “knowledge economy”, economy”, “knowledge the in production, drug in research, ic

of solid waste are so high prevent world welfare enhancing welfare world prevent high so are waste solid of

- tts. vrtig a b reduce be can Everything states”. –

ohn can nothing sand. “

eit t lgc Ntig and Nothing, logic. its resist - ier s h initial the as linear - pollut ed, their air their ed, t the to d 137

based. -

benefit” benefit” - is a carrier of the “cost

–

will will not be enough to convince the next and given the fact that we are experiencing experiencing the are that fact given we and

–

benefit calculation. -

138 neoliberal logic. crisis crisis will be proportionate to the resistance that will be put up against Finally, to get back to the theme of our seminar, the social effects of the Neoliberalism, being at the origins of the crisis of the IFS, violence. the use of militarised forms, including inviolence various victims victims of this crisis; and, contrary to its own principles, it will therefore be constrained to solicit political action, be it ordinary or force global global crisis, there will be not enough space for everybody! But then, the neoliberal economic logic alone a global crisis that is effectiveness consistent is the with finality of every that action, including the logic way out of this However, if in this However, calculation disintegrating in a cost disintegrating balance of power and of maximisation of results. Everything is slowly The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI the social movementsthe social Transformation newrole the of politics: the state of and Chi Kin Lau tl, oua pesr sol b mblzd o bie h sae o epc the respect to state the oblige to mobilized be should pressure popular still, capital; of corporate interests and more notdefends than the assets, often public has state privati the for decades, concessions three and last legislations the facilitated in China, in example, For labour. and livelihood for resources and commutation, care, health education, housing, food, a welfare social the hence common, crisis With social broad for, impetus further and of, outcomemobilizations. is Japan, and USA the decade, last the in countries American Latin most in politics electoral in left the towards turn the example, For periods. given in shift to power of balance the for fluidity of degree certain of site a as seen be contestation to continue should state the practically, but furthered, be should state the of nature class dominant the on debates theoretical think I victoriesour and defeats of struggles sofar. for, called are movements, and states from both moves, new process, monstrous this resist to order In exploitation. of object the become has labour, simply than rather itself, life but oil, to addiction relentless name its the in recuperation of of power effects its beyond exploited as excessively being nature resistances is only Not mounting expansion. the to reaction in phase new a entering is capitalism that obvious it make world the of crises deep The Re - articulating thearticulating political - capitalism, the state should be pressurized to respect customs of the of customs respect to pressurized be should state the capitalism, wee atclr ocs r hgmnc bt tuge big a bring struggles but hegemonic, are forces particular where s

of trade and development, aggravated by capitalism’s capitalism’s by aggravated development, and trade of

especially in Venezuela and Bolivia, or recently in recently or Bolivia, and Venezuela in especially

nd security of the people, including access to access including people, the of security nd

ulig n h eprecs f both of experiences the on building

ain f tt cptl and capital state of zation 139

he he amount

that are not empty

articulated in terms of inarticulated of terms – - tions; rather, they should munities. This means on a

. reciprocity, reciprocity, sharing, giving

tead of globalization; and in terms of alternative – t by the people. I feel the core agenda for society and the effect of leaving the people little role to play except being

cy is the cy “the be political” re keyword, may the state need also be obliged to defend “national” interests to

sufficien -

140 consumption also requires transformation, economic struggle. less importantsubjectivity than is no the change and this cultural struggle in economic, social and political life by regenerated com personal level, the “modern self” that is chained to commodified labour and cultural cultural values and logic gestures, but supporting and supported by alternative ways of organizing institutions of power such as the mass media or formal education; in terms of efforts for localization ins If self If distancing from the sphere of influence of the state, big business, capital, and

promote promote and consolidate community control over the commons: the means and a for decent life, and spiritual. physical resources be predicated on the cumulative effects of steps, smallhowever or invisible, that economy; economy; actions for advancing people’s power and autonomy should not be predicated on capturing state power or winning elec fighting fighting for the agenda se movements should be to reduce dependence on the state and on the capitalist relegated relegated to inertia and passivity. This is a major effect of political democracy, when electoral politics becomes the end, rather than a means, among others, for increasing, rather than decreasing, dependence on the state as actor, protector and provider, with Strategically, the danger is not whether or not social movements or civil society should negotiate with the state or fight for constitutional reforms, but

responsible for the people’s livelihood defined as national interest (for example, out WTO) to keepof agriculture IMF and WB, thwart the aggressions of global capitalism. Thus, the state should be held encroachments encroachments of global capital backed by global institutions of power such as and and use of arable land to ensure food security, abide by its promise of just social distribution, or combat ever aggravating pollution. Confronted with the collective collective ownership of farmland by village communities, monitor t The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI example, some indigenous elders in Oaxaca, when asked what they want from want they what asked when Oaxaca, in elders indigenous some example, indigen Some ecological concerns means attending to both short term and medium term term medium and term short both to attending means concerns ecological liv Integrating exploited. is nature way the in change radical a with concur must capital by labour) just (not life of exploitation the from Liberation ecology and Connecting livelihood modernist positions. vulgarl often are which communities, indigenous or rural of philosophies and practices the appreciate to seeing of way different a been take would not It capitalism. of have logic the that by ensnarled communities marginalized from learn to much is There the of acknowledgement ofhistorical constitution thecommon andthrough in diversity. an is rather but some of identity, sharing transcendental the on common, based not understanding an is, that common, the of a to t belonging same the its at and fabric admitting common also is state, in the Oaxaca, for in role positive elders a The recognizing top. the at situated hierarchically power, unifying of promotion than the other of as those values on well based solidarity, as and cooperation society, in the experimentations of elements the collective self diverse over in autonomy cultural ponder and political to of advancement state the the challenging authoritarian, not if centralizing, wisdom its of transformation the lies here I time. think the of most lives own our manage well can we but necessary, if shade go the want we said, etc., jobs, wish a giving of instead candidate, mayor the rviig etlte ta rgr te tt a sm transcendental some as state the regard that mentalities prevailing ous thoughts may inspire the re the inspire may thoughts ous

badd s bcwr” y eeomnait or developmentalist by “backward” as branded y vernment to be like a tree; we will go to it for the for it to go will we tree; a like be to vernment

ime articulating an alternative understanding alternative an articulating ime - articulation of the “political”. For “political”. the of articulation - list for roads, houses, hospitals, houses, roads, for list oe n t eain to relation its and role, -

aaeet for management elihood and elihood 141

al for rate rate and determining the -

sumption patterns are ever

America, America, apparently a from distance,

ng, and consumption. ing ing the ecological crisis, there are major obstacles: lions of ecological refugees is no false alarm.) In the medium fter fter peak oil, the MST seizure of land and development of cal crisis, and to understand its relationship to the capitalist mode

142

sustaining community livelihood and ecology. and livelihood sustaining community science movement in India is reconstruction also movements a as source to of how inspiration appropriate for technology the is rural vit Uruguay, Uruguay, all these are examples from Latin but found inspiring for the alternative movements in China. In Asia, the people’s cooperatives, the Venezuelan use of oil money for community projects in health and education, community currency projects in Mexico, local trade systems in state. The Zapatista caracole of agriculture good a governance, the Cuban community There There is no lack of experimental work on the autonomy from ground the that existing systems goes of dominant for control relative by capital or by the

vested vested interests that continue and development, maki profit investment, expand existing patterns of economic of of the ecologi of production and consumption, so as to inform an effective fight against the conditions conditions of exploitation. There is need to go beyond an empirical perception vested vested interests. The local and specific struggles would, thanks to globalization, immediately touch upon global structures of power over before before first class passengers. Thus, in the short term, the class majority, passengers, the need third to fight exploitation and deprivation by corpo problems problems caused by technology, and commodity con expanding. Before the Titanic totally sinks, third class passengers will expire “economic development” concerns are prioritized, big business goes on as usual, energy crisis is business opportunity, more technology is used to address rural, rural, the humans, all living things. While there seems to be a common agenda for all stakeholders in surviv term, term, all will be affected: the north, the south, the rich, the poor, the urban, the warming warming causes the collapse of produce tens major of mil ecosystems. That this century will crises. (There is no need to speak of the “long term” if, within 50 years, global The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI have been involved in: PeaceWomen Across the Globe. This project articulates project This Globe. the Across PeaceWomen in: involved been have quo to like would I resistance? of force dynamic a constitute and other each to connect situated, locally usually they, can how is: ground the on work experimental such to addressed usually question The our of parcel order. capitalist the and of part domination cultural as and economic build political, the to to history resistance by assigned are we that fabric t importantly, most us, shows with up come to manage they selfsituations impossible seemingly within of plentiful autonomy the the towards time, practices same innovative of the examples At development. of mode beyond capitalist alternatives dominant for striving regards as concerns common quantity with concerned status minority their Instead, of unif any conception More development. on predicated be to not is that fabric common a actualizing collectivity, building capitalist for potentials the them of through read to us hegemony invite examples their importantly, growing the than another by one to dominated relating of ways and values to different efforts persistent articulate their in only not inspiring be can they However, places. other to transposition for models into turned be to framed locally and specific movem mass of examples not are experiences as (such These life. social and resources economic alternative developing in and seeds) land, water, over control asserting in communities their and women seeks livelihood and ecology connect to programme A practical change. for experiments to and innovations articulation giving as well as the communities, on the violence of of lives effects everyday the scrutinizing of process a is means peace what etc. culture, livelihood, communities their and women by efforts diverse the

o ae iil ad o enepe te cul rcie of practices actual the reinterpret to and visible make to e motne f iest fr h vtlt o te common the of vitality the for diversity of importance he ied organized oneness hierarchically. –

s h patc o “ec” Te rcs o red of process The “peace”. of practice the as –

hw u te oeta fr h cnttto of constitution the for potential the us shows –

small scale activities to those who are primarily are who those to activities scale small ns ad hy r otn too often are they and ents, e n eape f poet I project a of example one te –

n elh education, health, in

- organization h present the efining

those 143

he T

f O

ut O

strategy strategy is built around with with certain peculiarities ays ge ge is to define a new

– W

ansformation and of the nature of intending to rebuild the Left. The left of

– oreshadow F this is the meaning of the statement “another

s – ion by the global capital market. Current debates globalisation movement’s - globalisation movement, which can be defined as a -

decolonisation movement, the workers’ and the social ovement M

managed managed activities and mutualisation, and which prefers -

ontality” over hierarchy. A strategic orientation has become apparent:

pposition risis 144 In In Europe, we can distinguish five political currents depending on the particular countries

questions of parties, of the model of social tr development. inside the movement highlight the strategic question. This raises the question of power, which takes us back to the discussion on the State and touches on the an alternative to the predominant approach of adapting our world societies market through regulat to the that of access to fundamental rights for all. This represents the development of diversity, diversity, self “horiz the convergence of social and citizen movements that freedom and emphasise peace. They solidarity, also build a new political culture, which is based on the status quo as inevitability world is possible”. The alter This This movement represents a new hope that is born from the refusal to accept emancipatory project. democratic democratic imperative, as well as the freedoms constitute historical the culture predominant of this movement. The challen predecessors: predecessors: the movements, and the for struggles freedoms. Decolonisation, social struggles, the I I will start with the alter its of three both a renewal and a prolongation representing historical movement

as a startingWhatwe take point? Leftdo C O Gustave Massiah Gustave The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI mn te oil eort wo ae eu t cmrhn te disa the comprehend to begun have who democrats those practices; social alternative the of among to refusal trying collective and libertarians, individual the the Sovietism; express of collapse the after itself rebuilding itself distinguish to continuing Left, the the destabilisation is systematic. The forms of war have changed along with the with along changed have war of forms The systematic. is destabilisation the war in live people billion wor the that forget not us be Let crises. will major of outcome that typical another countries is war of concerns risk The ruined. danger and marginalised third The populism. fascistic and agitation, nationalist produ may and evolution this regions, some islamophobic In Roma. and migrants scapegoats, of exploitation racist, xenophobia, order and law ideologies, terrorism, of instrumentalisation solidarity, crim and measures, movements repressive on rely to tend orientations anti on based strategies management Crisis democracy. and freedoms of restriction the concerns danger second The classes. middle the crushing about discr the with starting crisis, the for pay poor the make to is approach usual The poverty. to relates danger first The ruling the and movements political powers. and social between confrontation the many shows crisis economic and food, estate, real monetary, financial, a of andsequence current The ideological. political geopolitical; ecological, social; and economic crisis: structural a cr a is crisis global The dangers the Confronting crisis the of ismatter of urgency a ecologyfreedoms, tothe tie solidarity. issues, tointernational directly to social who ecologists the among those neoliberalism; to subordination the following

e ittra n ersie eie adee gv rs o fascism to rise give even and regimes repressive and dictatorial ce isis of capitalist globalisation in its neoliberal phase. It is It phase. neoliberal its in globalisation capitalist of isis - tiknrgos hs ofit aepraet and permanent are conflicts These regions. stricken facets of it. All these aspects play a decisive role in in role decisive a play aspects these All it. of facets iminated ld is already at war and that almost one one almost that and war at already is ld

rm h etee et communism, left; extreme the from - against and the colonised. It is also is It colonised. the and against

inalisation of social social of inalisation - social 145 ster

s ocks ocks of the irst of all, the f f the strong against the

of of the principal actors bringing about all

ve ve democracy, as well as for reflection on

for for the other regions of the world and for the working classes

– and and of reorganising the public services. Likewise, the ecological

World World War II economic boom (“Trente glorieuses” in France), of the -

146 realisation that improvements for the working classes should not be sought by Europeanreasserting hegemony. movements movements are bringing forward fascinating proposals characterised by the Southern hemisphere opens up a new perspective phase on of global decolonisation geopolitics. and Regarding a all these new aspects working clas for for social democracy and participati power. Moreover, creating a new balance between the Northern and the emergency emergency requires a transformation of Similarly, the the crisis of the political mode model of representation reinforces the of need social development. market market offer new chances of stabilising and guaranteeing protection wages and social ideological ideological defeat of neoliberalism regulation. Secondly, the redistribution of wealth and the return of the domestic favours the strengthening of public Let us remember six opportunities inherent in the crisis. F crisis of decolonisation. of crisis neoliberal period, of the failures of Sovietism, of the limits of Keynesianism of the post There There are opportunities. We can identify them by analysing the deadl The ways out of the crisis are waysThe not predetermined out of the crisis

of of these dangers in Europe. and and expand the alliances and coalitions for freedom, From this point of democracy view, Europe is one and peace. To fight against these dangers, we must strengthen the opposition movements weak, and the trivialisation and torture. weak, of militarisation of societies, global apartheid, the war o The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI better situations if the opposition movements grow stronger and if the social social the if and stronger grow movements opposition the if r situations only better can they itself; impose to going is opportunities these of None possible world.possible another build to on now from start must we And topical. now is it beyond going collective o question the new, eternal; not is Capitalism agenda. the on is project A emancipatory contradictions. new create will it and experienced already contradictions from out starting is It difficulties. experience will it feudal and today, in beginnin emerged is world, old relations the from born world, social new The societies. this capitalist foreshadowing way same relations the social development, already are beyond There going predetermined. of be possibilities the takes Thi seriously. very and capitalism transformation radical a of favour in largely is it Moreover, situations. unbearable avoiding to committed is The of goingquestion beyond capitalism. historical the of context the in set is third The Deal”. New “Green a or approach neo a choosing by capitalism of reform fundamental conservati a of that is One possible. are scenarios political Several war. world a newfollowing 1945, in landscape the 1933, in Deal New the 1930, in Depression Great the 1929, future and crisis pr current the of duration the regarding prevails Uncertainty movement of for theworking classes? thebenefit between reform potential alliance a radicalise to How regimes? authoritarian green, and an reforms avoid to conservativ How and raised: neoliberal Two been intensifies. already war against have and questions freedoms the for struggle ecological and set. e u rmme te at tutrl rss is fiil einn in beginning official its crisis, structural last the remember us Let ospects. alter - globalisation movement does not neglect possible improvements and improvements possible neglect not does movement globalisation

e aue a a noieaim Te eod s ht f a of that is second The neoliberalism. war a nature, ve fre ad eomr ta i bsd n minimal on based is that reformers and forces e s is a long term objective and the outcome cannot outcome the and objective term long a is s

- Keynesian and ecological ecological and Keynesian g to take shape take to g sl in esult 147 f

an ruling Financial Financial

–

dictated dictated ‘Structural

linked, insulated and - it is an economic crisis, a

ed ed their economies to the -

Europe Europe and Japan in a bid to pull out

US,

– economies. economies. Just like many governments in the World World Bank and WTO

–

pronouncements that this global phenomenon would not have the economy in the Country. the economy n the Indian economy as it was de

is on the ongoing and the unabated economic crises that lay st system.

ncontestable fact. It is not merely a financial crisis 148 capital and in the race to capture the markets and contention resources of the various imperialists’ capital was discernible. of The Indi the country, Never was the Indian Economy totally free from the influence of imperialist economies, the ruling elite was constrained to admit impact on it had the fact of the severe imperialists directed IMF Adjustment Programmes’(SAP). But as the crisis began to bite into the though though these were the same governments that tailor decoupled decoupled from the imperialist Third World, it parroted the theme of ‘decoupling’ from the world economy India India made loud much impact o In In the backdrop of the initial phase of the crisis in the US, the Prime Manmohan Minister Singh of the Congress led United Progressive Alliance, in power in capitali food food crisis, a natural resources crisis, an ecological and environment crisis, social a crisis, a cultural crisis thus sowing the hollowness of the much acclaimed u That the crisis is essentially the crisis of Capitalism as a system is an their their economies from the quagmire of this crisis variously named as Downturn. Economic Meltdown, Recession Financial Crisis, and being borne by them. Bailouts and stimulus packages are being doled out by the governments of the imperialist triad in the world centred in the US enveloping the world, as the brunt of this phenomenon is In the contemporary global situation, the principal focus of the working masses

P. K. Murthy K. Murthy P. intheIndia Midst the of Global Economic Crisis The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI n welfar in cut subsidies, government of reduction with play into came SAP the of features ’90 the in Policies Economic New infamous now the with culminated processthis and ‘80s the since diktats IMF/WB’s the adopting been have classes y h wres f cmay r hne oe t a otatr h employs who contractor a to over handed are company a of workers the by performed generally workswherein Policies, Economic New the under emerged isanother adifficult ‘Outsourcing’ casual workers task. becomes the disorganise, or contract the organising to employment, of security and any of lack to , Due workers. of wages depress to owners the enables structure a been had regular on employment there in reduction drastic consequently, and sectors private the and public the both in workforce regular the replaced labour temporary years, 18 last the In force. was employment of structure characteri the distinctly sectors, service the and industrial the In agrarian economy badly being up. mauled the and provinces some in farmers by suicides of spate a witnessed th and class working policies the these of effect adverse particularly the India in masses broad the on diktats IMF/WB/WTO the by imposed demonstrated have years 18 last The of labour.contractualisation publ the in Privatisation in changes introduced. already such is Flexibility” “Labour unions but made been trade not have laws labour various by led struggles and protests to Due by labour permanent of replacement meant Flexibility” “ This Flexibility” Market “Labour was that and element important an contained Policies Economic the New understanding, this with line In ‘80s. late the since on insisting was Bank labou fire” and “hire to freedom full have should Capital foreign of inflow allowing toflow it capital, freely country. the into on restrictions of removal and undertakings sector public contract labour, laws to allow capitalists for easy retrenchment and closure. and retrenchment easy for capitalists allow to laws labour, contract sedn, atclry o euain n hat, rvtsto of privatisation health, and education for particularly spending, e e b cnrculsto ad aulsto o te labour the of casualisation and contractualisation by sed c etr netkns e t jb oss s el as well as losses job to led undertakings sector ic paaty I ws n hs eid ht h country the that period this in was It peasantry. e

basis. It could be noted that such a such that noted be could It basis.

r was what the World the what was r

feature that has that feature - 92. All the the All 92. 149

y rate rate

workers workers and

– erialism, that when vindication vindication of their policies. time economic policies pursued b -

al security in the form of Provident and

oriented units had to bear units the brunt of the crisis. oriented had -

the burden of which falls falls theon which wages the workers. of of the burden e and garments sector, some 700,000 workers lost jobs by the end of

The The leather industry engages around 2,500,000 workers and between

It It is estimated that around 15 million workers are employed in these units. In

150 lose their job in the coming period period joblose their in the coming September and 2008 December some 500,000 were displaced from work. It was predicted by the Leather Exporters’ Association that another 500,000 would unemployed. • the textil 2008 and in the last four months, another 500,000 had been added to the • the workers in the export the workers peasants who had been victims of the long the Indian ruling classes at the instances of the imperialist triad. In particular, The worst affected by the crisis are the labouring classes the bubble in the US burst, it had its version in bursting. the Indian bubble of growth and and that too speculative capital, resulting in the creation of bubbles in the share markets. So tied is the Indian economy to the strings of Imp Needless Needless to say, this growth was fuelled primarily by inflows of foreign capital rulers rulers as paths to the economic development of the country. Growth rates were shown as indicators of development and as Liberalisation, privatisation, globalisation, deregulation et al, were hailed by the government government decided to put these funds players to invest market. them in stock the in the hands of private corpo Pension Funds. Even on this, the interest rate was cut to 8.5% from 12%. Not only this, the only savings of the workers were put in danger when the and and around 370 million in the unorganised sectors. Out of this entire workforce only 40 million have the benefit of soci In In India, there are 37 millions working in the organised sectors of the economy production, production, labour labour on contract with the least wages. This is one form of reducing costs of The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI rss a gbld p oe ,0 uis edrn aot 0,0 workers 100,000 about rendering units jobless. 2,000 some up gobbled has crisis The crisis. the of onset the before units 3,000 were There units. jewellery and • should be said that so far such a generalised resistance by the workers has not has workers the by resistance generalised a such far so that said be should the in Even sector. Insurance tea sector, education Health the in Capital foreign of entry the and privatisation opposing strike on went employees Insurances and Banks time, opp recent the in Though to exist. do laws, and labour anti new wages and retrenchment closure, jobs, defend to resistance mass for ground a benefits, job growing the of backdrop the In country wages”. the in capitalists the to advice of piece co the of Minister Finance the losses, job of midst the In workers. the of lives the affecting factor serious a also is depression wage rise, lossesin themanufacturing Whilecrisis. job both are onthe and services sectors year one last the in proportions serious assumed has unemployment of problem the that is reality grim The 2009. by country the Employment in unemployment Zero would be these declaredthat AdvisoryCouncil Economic unemployment on the Force solve In 2012. would Task by problem India a that declared appointed which government Opportunities the back, Way cross well could ancillaries and 5,000,000. units export the in both period this t during estimated is It affected. badly been have these on dependent • lost employees IT the in sector.their jobs 25,000 some Hyderabad, sh In 2008. were December and employees September 10,000 some country, the in hub IT main the Bangalore, of city the In crisis. the by hit been also has markets, • •

o ol tee export these only Not so The T In foundry the he city of Surat in the state of Gujarat has a large concentration of diamond of concentration large a has Gujarat of state the in Surat of city he

- aldsnieidsr,te Tsco wihmil aest h US the to caters mainly which sector IT the industry, sunrise called

industry, over 150,000 industry, lost their jobs. workers ching staff ching 07 gotn i te lr o hg got rts the rates, growth high of glory the in gloating 2007,

- retd etr bt lo hs scos ht are that sectors those also but sectors oriented –

professors and teachers had to go on strike. It strike. on go to had teachers and professors - losses, wage cuts and cuts on other social other on cuts and cuts wage losses,

under the impact of the global the of impact the under –

w te or between doors the own d nt ernh u cut but retrench not “do nr hd eety a recently had untry

a jb losses job hat 151 ose

eir eir rights. f f the right and the government which

152

irrespective of their allegiance join the strike and struggle for th for struggle allegiance their joinirrespective of and the strike All All India Joint Coordination Committee of the Trade Unions, workers dominance dominance of the major Trade Unions o are supportive of these policies. But as it happens every time, at the call of the taken place in the country. Some of the reasons for such a situation are the The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of CrisisCrisis--CapitalismCapitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI The WorldCrisis Financial PauloNakatani add the derivatives and contracts on exchange rate, interest rate, stock prices… stock rate, interest rate, exchange on contracts and derivatives the add to right is it Nowadays, capital. banking the and debts public actions, stock the IIVolume in institutions similar other and funds) (hedge funds investment speculative funds, pension companies, insurance the exchange, stock the of also but banks, the of consists not that credit, of system the is capital" "fictitious the of place creation The themselves ontheeconomiclogic. imposed diktats whose finance, leading the towards gravity power of centre the integration and deregulation The assets). of prices future the had on contracts or has credits other of system credit the structure, use the (allowing derivatives of creation the particular, in changes, considerable Woods Bretton the of dismantling Sin period. historic every in vary can mechanisms and causes its even though system, capitalist the of way working "normal" a is crisis economic The aworld at which consequences scale. had multiple the by caused problems unresolved continuous the as interpreted be also must They dynamics. bubble auto own their had States United the in sector estate real the in observed 1997 in Brazil an Russia Malaysia…), Thailand, Korea, (South countries Asian "emerging" the North the of 1994 member became in Mexico touched first it however started, it when determine exchange stock the of deregulation accelerating the with up showed conditions the when experts other many and Marxist economists many by ago time long a announced was crisis financial present The - I of “The Capital”, identified the main forms of the fictional capital in capital fictional the formsofmain the identified Capital”, “The of I

State and enterprises being the two extremities of the chain. Marx, chain. the of extremities two the being enterprises and State - 8 ad ial Agnia n 01 Te irpin currently disruptions The 2001. in Argentina finally and 98, of the stock exchange and banks into globalise markets moved markets globalise into banks and exchange stock the of

implosion of the bubble of the "new economy", in 2000, in economy", "new the of bubble the of implosion - mrcn re rd Areet (NAFTA) Agreement Trade Free American

. It is not possible to accurately to possible not is It .

- when it it when ce the ce - -

then then kept kept only 153 d

- edicted edicted by trying trying not to

- cally cally the opportunity to n order to attenuate the cumulation cumulation cycle of the capital. accumulation accumulation of capital money in - even if a part of them turns to be

- economic policies allowed the system to - ere before riginated riginated from the over plus value redistribution and nourishes the creation of

actions, generally less productive and/or innovating and presenting the 154 bourgeoisie. In fact, the organizations of workers, parties, unions, or even, social movements, remain without structures, strategies and necessary programs to In In terms of class struggle, a systemic crisis gives theoreti start the revolution and to take political and economic power off the depression. devastating effects of its own crises, rather than to avoid the exacerbation of its internal contradictions and a convergence toward the stagnation, or even create institutions and more efficient instruments i middle middle classes. In every reorganization of capital domination during the 20th century, the improvement of the macro structure structure more concentrated. In this become way, stronger than the they w capitalist dominant classes fr riskiest credits, get into bankruptcy, to be incorporated in a capitalist property depreciation of accumulated capital by a systemic record necessity large losses. Therefore the crises are moments during which capital As usual, when there is a capitalist crisis, the bourgeoisie is forced to deny a experts. be so strong that such depreciation would risk pushing it toward a with downfall, economic, social and political consequences that can not be pr fictitious capital to get to restart a However, from today new on, the contradictions ac of the capitalist world system will fictional capital as a mean of its own remuneration. crisis Therefore, should the financial depreciate a logically quite gigantic amount of this parasitic reproduction. reproduction. In spite of its lack of contribution to the production, this capital benefits from sur We must then notice that an increasing part of the speculative capital becomes parasitic, because it is much larger than the one for the industrial capital

the ’60s and ‘70s, mainly from the Eurodollars and petrodollars in markets. banking the inter These These instruments o The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI 1t etr. h fc ta po pol fc ms o cptls cii’ effects crisis’ capitalist that risk of the brings most face people poor that fact The century. 21st the in transitions socialist and progress revolutionary for spaces offer countries r capitalism. e of the for and exploitation work the means against transitions, socialist on action the than rather and thought of processes rebuild to urgent is it relations conditions, these In production. production capitalist of dominati destruction capital and classes’ of end the until just limit, the to up contradictions the worsen to possible is it when occur crises The worse. exploited be to right the means this if even system, capitalist strict the for struggle one the for emancipation total workers’ the substituted has capital the of defense common the example, pro but sat h srgl fr oils. oaas pras ny ai American Latin only perhaps Nowadays, socialism. for struggle the estart - system measures, causing an extraordinary rise in exploitation rate. For rate. exploitation in rise extraordinary an causing measures, system

they accept this dominant ideology and support anti support and ideology dominant this accept they

defending the employment right, within right, employment the defending on -

ht en utl the until means that - crisis nd of nd 155

4 - reason d’état liances, liances, but that a decent job and a

asses and peoples could build low low up for the middle (next six

crisis crisis world in the horizon of a wide spectrum - For For it example, seems strategically to necessary

NEP’s NEP’s Global New Green Deal, the FAO’s, UNDP’s, level level in order to block the deployment of the overcome overcome in foreseeing the deployment of the crisis

z warmonger warmonger mafia’s agenda that is controlling the events thus far -

156 June’s General Assembly Outcome Document signed by the 192 ILO’s Global Pact for Jobs, the U nations, the international commitments and consensual notions of a kind of among the most important systemic actors, like the Stiglitz Report and the foundations foundations for further political action. In that sense, the UN has developed at different instances very interesting points of departure that are already part of install in the society’s basic values the citizen’s rights to healthy environment (and the consequent state’s responsibilities) as key ongoing struggles ongoing and struggles demands. threatening troubles and fears of the working cl up political and social in relevance the conjuncture, in the articulation of already and and the inexorable affectation of the fundamental needs of the working peoples. The continuous proposition of “politically sensible” solutions to the life The The generalized weakness of the democratic values in the global and national ideological arenas could be the priorities for small but early victories. small but early the priorities for political accumulation that do not start nor end with electoral al proves itself in the effectiveness of its demands. In that sense, it’s crucial to plan most most principled aims for the post of of this process. The pedagogically consistent fol months, one year) and the long term (next years) should address directly the speculative and targeting, from the viable initiatives, the construction of the moral direction The The democratic forces can define an months) agenda for at the the very planetary short term (2

Employment Scientifically Sensitive Planetary Program of Decent Full Planetary Program Sensitive Scientifically Pedro Páe Pedro and Sustainable, Culturally Environmentally an Towards The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI wl nt drs hr te eim n ln tr aeds bt ih the with but agendas, term long and medium the here address not will I human the facing measures emergent for potentialofcatastrophe thiscrisis. claims WFP’s and UNICEF’s months) priorities: these strug political domestic the on depend would content final (whose Package Stimuli Global real a in country every in engage to capacity operational have to order In structural changes. targets. radical more towards advances further exclude not do and struggles democratic of capacity reaction nations. o and the classes upon danger imposes unfolding the crisis’ the on that constraints focuses platform programmatic immediate an to contribution my employment, full decent of program planetary sensitive scientifically and culturally sustainable, environmentally an building of agenda) (indispensa perspective strategic 1. l) w ne t icue n h vr sot em gna I nit 2 insist, (I agenda term short very the in include to need we gle),

chaos issues andin theconstruction of alternatives like: tas urgent South’s for initial GDP an implies of That 0.7% required). are changes normative promised and technical (few development largely the of compensation to goods, public donation global the of impulse construction the in struggles further for possibilities new open to and reserves of system global the address To

The idea is to create the empowerment and social insertion for deeper for insertion social and empowerment the create to is idea The a.

iatclto o te od rvso can ht corporatist that chain provision globalization provoked has food the of disarticulation regional and national the overcome these gradually would time, mechanism same the At consumers. and producers vulnerable could that reserves grain calami prevent regional of building the including one), regional (supranational, sovereignty food danger, Famine ks to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and a world economy world a and catastrophe humanitarian a avoid to ks

All the proposed initiatives should be rooted in long term long in rooted be should initiatives proposed the All

flow of 150 of flow is n mdlt pie i dfne f h most the of defense in prices modulate and ties

f h Nrhs ut o SR s partial a as SDR of quota North’s the of

l peet n ah f h tm horizon’s time the of each in present bly - 200 billion dollars each year for the most the for year each dollars billion 200 .

increasing f 157 - 4

local local

) Banco del Sur SUCRE

regional regional sovereignty in – s initiative:

ALBA’ mmon mmon monetary space including the

and and new practices, including domestic and

- trade, reducing the ecological impact and ld ld be the basis for macroeconomic convergence ve ve central banking, starting for their direct nitiative, with new priorities Development banking of a new type (like the issue of regional SDR (like (like SDR issue of regional regional currencies ) currencies regional Alternati connection in compensation systems, regional swaps mechanisms and a Regional networks, Monetary Fund (as part of a global network) backed by the with payments to the… SDR, related global and Development of a co i food, energy, health care, science and technology, physical connectivity, financing of the economy, etc heterogeneous popular

i. ii. iii. sources and developing local circuits of payments developing of and circuits credit. local sources and Architecture should include: Architecture support block regional monetary accords stability that for cou regional parity and the transition towards a fixed but adjustable exchange rate system. The basic pillars of this New Regional Financial Strengthening of the according New Regional to Financial circumstances in each zone of the Architecture the globe. These institutions would economic, political and institutional prefiguring prefiguring a new mode of life. These dimensions could combine with the others in the infrastructure recovery of coherence, regional productive as of the spaces.organization and opposite to the globalized Environmental crisis, installing at the core the of discussion issues far from been at preparation: the the center of consumption technological and the Copenhagen paradigm Summit in production, from from the territories and the communities with culturally sensitive technological enhancements, recycling and mobilizating re Extreme Extreme poverty and delays in Goals, including the the financing of alternative development projects Millennium Development

d. c. b.

158 The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI These resources would open new doors for the panoply of forces working in in each of issues. these working forces of panoply the for doors new open would resources These 2. 4. 3.

o meitl bok h rsoain f h bakaln pwr on powers blackmailing behal the of restoration the block immediately To global food provision chain (seeds, pro (seeds, chain provision food global short of re To the establishment. of part and churches the debt including the campaign, to Jubilee and link struggle organizations and forces the all summon could This private. and public both an arena, financial globalized the in abuses actors reputed the of part least at transparent Debt International an of and capital fictitious of chunk good a purge could that Tribunal Arbitrage introduction the and Ecuadorian the from t with combined be could that and moratoria debt external immediate an suggested has UNCTAD space. policy fiscal create to urgent it’s policies, deploying for capabilities real periphery’s the allow To Architecture. practical a is effectively will and window ones former the for criticism new the of existence mere the Moreover, WB. the and IMF the against denunciation term long the of part as developed furt its even or governance Institutions’ Woods Bretton the of reform needed pressure. political months, adequate the of with couple a in done be can administratively and Bank, World t with format similar a already is there precedent, As regions. the of representation democratic more conditionalities adjustment neoliberal the without agile), and (cheap terms emergency wou window new The window. new a through IMF the to to need given we or promised already been have decade), that resources new previousthe all channel the all than 2008 Fall the since credit e eeaiain f et uiig rcse ta cud rtcly learn critically could that processes auditing debt of generalization he - regulation and to link that fight with famine prevention: universal ban universal prevention: famine with fight that link to and regulation block the speculators speculators the block her dissolution into a completely new institutionality and would be would and institutionality new completely a into dissolution her f of the Old Financial Architecture (the IMF has given much more much given has IMF (the Architecture Financial Old the of f - eln ad te seuaie ehnss epcal i the in especially mechanisms, speculative other and selling

and

ih n lentv drcoy ht ol rfet a reflect would that directory alternative an with blitzkrieg he Global Environmental Fund within the within Fund Environmental Global he

offensive against any type of financial of type any against offensive

This do not imply to renounce the renounce to imply not do This ducts, inputs, etc. both in the spot the in both etc. inputs, ducts, d corruption of the most most the of corruption d

push the New Financial New the push

counter ld operate in operate ld - cyclical cyclical 159

the write down of all financial derivatives, already

exhaustive exhaustive list, but for political pedagogy, it’ll be - , which has already had an important echo among representative obert Merton and Maryon Scholes. Mertonobert Maryon and sabotage of democratic processes, it’s necessary to impulse a universal definition of efficient and transparent capital controls and a global Tobin Tax personalities of the establishment. claimed claimed by their godfathers, beneficiaries and creators, Nobel laureates R In the same venue and to prevent geopolitical retaliations and economic and and future markets). Further regulations in other speculative markets can follow, including

5. 160 important to keep it relatively short) important to keep it relatively (Of (Of course, this is a non The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of CrisisCrisis--CapitalismCapitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI A Note Switzerland on RochatFlorian hint that the strategy of bilateralism with the EU may well be coming to its end its to coming be well may EU the with bilateralism of strategy the that hint o report last its in And up. brought frequently more and more is abroad operations” “peacekeeping in army Swiss is the of participation committed more a imperialism of issue The this. realise to beginning are Swiss of peculiarity The a this more becoming triad. for the narrower considerably of become member has unavowed road the case, the being This the at isolated remains heart of Europe”. that but envy, even may some that country working little “brave a describes and internalised largely is which debate, the by blurred becomes picture the before, ever than obvious more is conglomerates And industrial and financial theSwiss machinery dominantand political the between that. called being of worthy intermediary thisresistancenonetheless, remainsfragmented, without scattered, political any kick companies, certain of workers (farmers, intensify. and continue will etc.) employment services, public insurance, social levels: all (at classes popular crisis political no is there However, by several parties. confused as and described been Germany, has Italy) France, EU, States, United OECD, G20, the from notably (most abroad” from “attacks with dealing in management” “crisis Its pressure. under of and state siege the declares centre, financial a as Switzerland, teeth. its of some lost up be still may image this Although imperialism”. of louse “the as Switzerland to referred once friends my of one ago, years Forty 1. al o te ulc o oiie o is eec. h gvrmn is government The defence. its for mobilise to public the on calls

nd more challenged by its peers. Some of the country’s leaders country’s the of Some peers. its by challenged more nd

They may well meet meet well may They

n Swiss politics, the Federal Council gives a gives Council Federal the politics, Swiss n –

and fainthearted. It is being reproved of reproved being is It fainthearted. and

a fo i! h ofnie aant the against offensives The it! from far - – f o uins mobilisation); unionist of off

sometimes fierce sometimes vn huh h symbiosis the though even - to - ae te aaie has parasite the date, –

resistance

hard 161 -

- – – eople eople without without

– called called semi -

d d time with the least have the advantage of more or less recent, ongoing

– called called “illegal” workers and other - results results of numerous popular votes . The idea that an alternative to

– t workers risk to bear the brunt of it, as himself” to save his meagre advantages before - for - official official figures are traditionally low in Switzerland

– man - string of attacks against social insurance. And, most likely,

qualified” migran - – be refugees” who are already having a har - external markets. Like in the 1970s, unemployment will probably might might receive their redundancy notice. Farmers are desperate

l perspective. On the contrary

neral neral has considerably increased; add to this a 162 in a climate of “every the competition gets them and of worry about the future, the sirens of “global (issues submitted to a referendum are not what is lacking in this so direct democracy, 20 to 30 each year at the very least) give reason to fear that, left has not benefited from the crisis, neither from an organisational, nor from a politica dissociate it from any fundamental criticism regarding capitalism and are ready to accept a rampant weakening of the «welfare state». Up to now, the political people stick to the idea of a “green new deal”. But not at all costs: p capitalism is not only conviction necessary, of a but minority. In some also circles, especially possible, in the remains petty bourgeoisie, however a with with “modernisation” and “specialisation” directives. According to many, the neoliberal project has been discredited that they including those (and maybe even more that others) who have largely complied the system. In a large enterprises, as well number as in the banking sector), of employees have to fear each companies day (particularly in the largest “dismissed “dismissed would existing laws and terrifying measures, even though they are part and parcel of even mentioning aboutto 300.000 500.000 so Especially the “low well as female workers in insecure jobs, young people, old people be partly exported: maybe to a lesser extent than at that time, but all the more violent, if certain measures currently under discussion are put in place. the situation will continue to deteriorate in this country, which is reasonably dependent on ge or at least planned 2. All proportions kept the rate of unemployment has seen a sharp increase. Pressure on workers in

happens happens in ten, fifteen or twenty years, it will at internal some debates, out sorting the EU be! realitywhatever may and and that accession to the Union may eventually be inevitable. If this finally The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI . ie tee circumsta these Given 3. booths. thepolling in ears open more find always Amin, Samir of words the with speak to apartheid”, ht rae sae o te tuge o lbrto wee t s eeoig and developing is itself. asserting it where liberation for struggle the for space a create that governance” “global for proposals specific 5. Putforward alternative anti feminist, as well organisations. as population), the of scattere unfortunately up, 25% than (more organisations migrant to drawn be should building attention particular are fronts Several 4. in so more even OnSwitzerland this therestofEurope. in than note maybe regions; other in progress potential to comparison to and steps in think to us forces and perspective into topic the puts this However, bed. to go also could we otherwise region”? Certainly, [our] in development alternative and transformation emancipatory       

reaffirmetc.) culture antisystemic history, an (arts, refuse armed imperialist interventions; men nationals to regard with (especially struggle social the in solidarity and opportunities equal of principles promote and defend readyreinvigorate thatis andtostruggle; unionism a toconfront ecological, culturalsocialcrisis; and the account into taking goals, production on debate the democratising ai the with economy, solidary and social a of networks develop have wind the their backs;taxes” at into “less of favour taking in those debate, current global, the in that fact and the consideration (regional fairness and equity tax for struggle quality; food and sovereignty food of issue the on countryside and city reconcile

- immigrants relationship);

cs cn e ely pa o “motn poet of projects “important of speak really we can nces,

- – ula, n anti and nuclear,

some potential initiatives: some potential osdr hs poet in projects these consider

- oe ad Swiss and women ad unstable; and d institutions -

m of re of m military 163

and and capitalist -

opposition and

ive transformations necessary to

2000 2000 elections, is to a certain extent corrected in

the government is contemplating taxing already law regulation regulation (stimulating measures for buying cars in -

ed ed as the buffer zone by the imperialist powers, left the region liberal socio/economic policy of the corrupted government instituted in -

. Describe the situation of the capitalist state in your region: in of thesituation the. Describe state capitalist 164 fragmented fragmented in colonies like Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija Instigation and exacerbation of civil wars in former Yugoslavia when it was no more need 2. 2. What is the in your policies imperialist region? impact of the present international capitalist and pressure for further territorial fragmentation of Serbia. further territorial of fragmentation for pressure oriented oriented political party in sight. Since the aim of imperialists is still realized, they not are still fully paying separatists and terrorists to keep up tension when when government has just few parliamentarians more than the unemployment rising, new elections can be expected but with no anti millionaires that became rich over night through shady deals. In conditions Under Under the pressure of IMF salaries and pensions, instead of progressively taxing banks and new accruing accruing to EU member states, fall of investment in technological renewal of old equipment, dependence on credits and rising indebtedness and trade deficit. systems systems at the rock bottom production prices and with abolishment new of owners protective failing tariffs to without organize any advantages mitigate great damage made by destruction of domestic banking system industrial production through and robbery privatization of strategic enterprises and exchange exchange for old ones, projects).infrastructural These measures insufficient, are having no vision of structural and innovat the direction of state re putting fire to the building of the Parliament in which the were stored of election the September materials Neo Serbia after 1999 NATO bombing, building of military base Bond still and 1

Vera Vratusa Vratusa Vera Short Theses The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Slovenia.member state, seeming and developed most the including semi rest the and and European federation of socialist republics in the sense of the power of, for for of, power the of sense the in republics socialist of federation European and Balkan the project regional democratic social of tradition the in advocating are anti growing potentially practicing but small and Presently below. from rule globalization imperial at transnational divide implementing by capital exacerbated purposively differences precisely addressing organi transnational by matched is capital of organization transnational developed that imperative movementscrucial is It and worldwide? activists left of force collective reform, strong a can Bologna how oriented corporate of lines unemploy the along education higher commercialized in scholarships high pay to made young products, agricultural EU subsidized of import by ruin to brought peasants salaries, low too receiving region? your in change for coalitions necessary and actors possible the are Who 4. making of producers freelyassociated and consumers. attempts less self at still and consumers attempts and producers between middlemen no avoiding cooperatives still are There owners”. and “better partners” “strategic in rescue the for search to plans are there property, form some ownership, employee majority the with enterprises anti no however still is There appearing. are them manage to employees the to enterprises of returning and obligations with agreements privatization the of breaking for demands of coordination of examples encouraging however, weeks last the In fragmented. still is resistance isolatedstrikes, of extinguishing thefire bureau between cooperation to Due working? successfully already examples concrete there Are and transformation emancipatory of inalternative development region? your projects important are What 3.

Unemployed, employed who for months did not rece not did months for who employed Unemployed, d n lw ad pcait. owtsadn rgoa differences, regional Notwithstanding specialists. paid low and ed

at realization of integral self integral of realization at rtzd rd uin wt te oenet n onr in owners and government the with unions trade cratized - oois ufrn fo aig ouain n ban drain, brain and population aging from suffering colonies

ain f ie lbrr ad unemployed, and laborers hired of zation

e onr wo i nt ufl their fulfill not did who owners new - capitalist breakthroughs, since even in even since breakthroughs, capitalist - management at all levels of decision of levels all at management

y ot needn ad ny EU only and independent most ly

- mlyet through employment ive salaries or are or salaries ive

of group private group of

et groups left - capitalist 165

is the

term term and low interest rates predominate predominate demands for re -

– iness iness and replaced by sovereign raise and how can it be realized? and raise

king king including through information technology mediated inflationary inflationary emission to long - ning and investment in renewable energy sources locally available and in

166 long as it exists persistlong exploitation there will as well oppression. and challenge challenge for the most class conscious activists to keep reminding that private property is just the legal expression of the class division of labor and that as controlled controlled non investment in public infrastructural, educational and health projects. It institutions they should be put out of central national bus banks under the control of parliaments, contributing through and and ownership. In the financial sphere, wherever exist central banks as private citizens in decision ma frequent referendums and participation of employed in decision making, profits enterprises and services and attempt to pull privatization through of natural monopolies legislature like water forbidding and stimulating participation of embedded, embedded, more organized, more socially situation responsible…capitalism. the In most urgent such issue is to stop privatization of remaining public Within broadly defined left movement there seams not to be enough radicalism to demand anti capitalist transformations 5. 5. Please give a global outlook on the upcoming decade. What is the most must urgent issue the left movement

plan development at human profit. insteadpublic at transport, private aiming and and by the working classes, social ownership of production means, democratic The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI From neo persistent a of heartlands the WainHilary usin f Ps xess hc bcm a ant o a epr discontent. deeper a for magnet a became which expenses MP’s of the question over erupted crisis underlying the system: political the in crisis the to As th in and pensions pay, sector bail provision) for deficitcreated topay by the the public but Trident not (meaning spending public Uk’s in cuts the of issue the make to media and in rightwing the and Conservatives the allowed position City powerful the City to the allegiance to state’s deference Labour’s the change seriously to reluctance This and policy lending of terms Industry onspeculation. for arguing atax in support for the reorg conditions even down lay debated and proposals short banks the rejected turn to press, government financial mainstream Labour The usual’. assured interestmain government’s the that them which way a in banks the out bailing resort, last of guarantor banks’ the as role classic state’s the with accordance in crisis the to respond to state di to words, other In clearly failing! so are which markets private the exactly to handover to i.e. privatize to urge the is services, public cut to pressure the accompanying but this only Not money. questio even not are Public spending. bankers while public paperclip, last the of to down scrutinised crisis be to going a are servants into turned been has markets financial the of crisis the which in Uk the in situation extraordinary the in now are We 1. (attempts to answer to question1 and3!) alternative led union e build up to the2010e build upto election. anization; it later poured scorn on scorn poured later it anization;

wright ety nwr usin , odn rw ld h British the led Brown Gordon 1, question answer rectly e aot hi ls (r n) ilo pud o public of pounds million any) (or last their about ned

a previous head of the Confederation of Confederation the of head previous a

was to see them return to ‘business as‘business to themreturn see was to - out, the central political thecentral issueout,

- em no ulc utilities public into term - liberalism:a cnm has economy 167

- nd nd David lans and on much much about operation with management - what what they push for and what

– operation (there is always more - ings were inings back office made functions operation operation with management. Indeed the operation operation - -

operating with the municipal management to - of of the co

g g the terms of this co

lternative lternative model of managing the public sector, based on BNP).

nature ing ing it’s traditional support to abstentions, Scottish and Welsh privatization and co formative initiative that is relatively new and maybe adds a new adds maybe dimension and new initiative that is relatively formative

168 they accept in negotiatin participation in it, as it is about co union's view of the Moreover, Moreover, this strategy to secure public provision has building been as the organisation of the union and strengthening members' maintaining conditions. and wages operation with management to secure public provision, is also based on transparency and openness, including openness to management’s p increased investment in staff learning and development. The strategy of co that were reallocated to frontline services. The co was conditional on no outsourcing, on avoiding compulsory redundancies, on created created a working model of public sector industrial democracy. At improved andtime were the services sav the same defeating defeating secure and improve public provision. In the process, the union and management UNISON, the major public sector union in the UK is seeking to learn from and generalize an exemplary experience of a local branch (in Newcastle council)

development development of an a democracy. industrial to the conference’s wider analysis. It is a strategy emerging in the public sector in the UK, which combines resistance to outsourcing and privatization with the 3. Moving to the question trans of alternatives: I will focus on one kind of to the racist far right to the far racist with with Labour los nationalist parties and to a lesser extent the greens (sometimes, it has to be said next election but not because of any enthusiasm for their politics; more to do Cameron’s Cameron’s populist promise cut down the number of MP’s. The political depth disaffection of has no the sustained outlet. The Conservatives might win the Nothing Nothing was resolved beyond the sacking of some ministers and MPs a The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI n efcie rcie rud lentvs i itrsig n iprat for important and interesting is alternatives, around practice effective and to central as sector public the in democracy industrial on focus This organization. and union participation strengthening co of way one than ulc etr tf. h srtg o co of strategy The staff. new sector relatively public a to on unions terra sector strategic public the leading are privatization union these Fourthly, crisis. of economicandclimate both led public relegitimising to Thirdly, alternatives these are ofcentralimportance to have a ledare beginning of strategies reformwider impact. public failure the (all privatization theAs of choice. reformandof mantle the claiming claimingby by champion users' service the as advocates pose to managed have the ), UK the in where parties political mainstream context a in importance are reform service public of models alternative Secondly, for discuss to need including institutions, rethinking electoralpolitical parties. political we implications important have control democratic for and combined be could locali the institutions (beyond generalised state transforming for strategies two these how think to which from model useful a provides experience UNISON The municipality. p union and workers of process parallel a of absence the been has experiences these of limits the of was that One success. of degrees varying with institutions world, the across cities and towns smaller state local over control e popular exert and to participation citizens’ of attempt kind the to complement necessary a is it First, several reasons: prmne wt i Pro lge utl eety i Svle n mn other many and Seville in recently) (until Alegre Porto in with xperimented s –

indeed disasters indeed –

as opposed to opposed as

in in which pubic sector managers are seen as potential allies of allies potential as seen are managers sector pubic which in in

- operating) is based in part on the importance of importance the on part in based is operating) articipation in a process of internal democratization of the of democratization internal of process a in articipation - e atraie fre ot f h srgl against struggle the of out forged alternatives led

market led led market –

of privatization are increasingly well know, public know, well increasingly are privatization of ty). Both these internal and external movements external and internal these Both ty).

–

- economic strategy necessary to lead out lead to necessary strategy economic prto wt mngmn t secure to management with operation

f eta strategic central of

the kind of the kind of constantly thinking 169

- s c o

young young people le as political – e, quasi marketised, e, quasi marketised, rial rial strategy. These kinds

in the face of the multiple crises

e trade unions who are taking an – sections of the unions are open t

– with with management in the private, profit

operation. -

and and hybrid alliances often between ‘old’ labour

– over over green issues as well as privatization. There is a

party party - al institutions. but non

it it has to be struggled for. Indeed the present postal workers strike

– –

170 inpolitic national at a local level. How they will gain national expression many cases they is have stronger international unclear. networks than they Indeed have alliances in around around the environment and also international issues such as Palestine, publi service managers around the destruction of public services are most developed of of political movement organization and newly radicalized social groups demanding demanding government action around a green indust growing growing alliance between sections of the unions and the green movement over green employment, both defending existing green jobs hit by the crisis and This can be seen in the UK working working with allies on developing political responses from a base outside the having bargaining base for an influence within. political as system, a new the same time becomes increasingly political that the conference invitation describes this is that as the representative of working class interests Labour and as the nature of these interests at Party vacates it’s traditional ro trend trend in the unions in the UK, is an increasingly important one. One reason for the importance of alliances with sections of th increasingly strategic and political role. And this trend, notthough the dominant The wider significance of this experience for the question of alliances points to and and the maintenance of its autonomy and capacity to challenge management to a co committed strategic even while This This recognition underpins the union’s emphasis on constantly developing the union's organisation, including the capacity and participation of the member in the UK shows a public sector management (in this instanc though not yet privatised) to be as vicious as the worst private sector managers. automatic model model based on replicating the struggle driven, sector. UNISON recognizes that this convergence of interests is not public provision moves public sector trade unionism beyond the traditional The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of CrisisCrisis--CapitalismCapitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Crisis Global Chenjie Li Huaiyu, Liu Wen Tiejun, eue ytm a aadnd Cia eeoe a hrae f ri. Even grain. of shortage and1950s the in capita per increased production a average farmers’ small though developed China abandoned, was system tenure Howe Rebuilding”. “State 2 after Korea Japan, with similarity 20 the of half first the in originally about came villages”, the inside managemen tenant family of system a up set to one only the was China Bangladesh, India, as such million 100 over of populations with countries developing Asian Among issues during security Food industrialisation state the period security food areas, rural isolated relatively in living peasants are population the of 60% where and capita per land agrarian of hectare 0.1 has that country a China, In money seeking profit in hot of amount large the especially development, economic global and security global as well as food of issues crisis on worldwide research extensive food to rise given has global This inflation. mounting a brought far thus has 2008 Source: Msangi, et Source: al., 2007 发达国家投机资本导致能源价格高位运行将使全球生物能源发展进一步加速 Prediction of Largest OilCountriesConsumption e, s giutrl cnme o sae ot motne n te landlord the and importance lost scale of economies agricultural as ver,

is ofimmense importance. 现在和未来全球生物燃料发展预测 t. The system, known as “families’ land rights of equal distribution distribution equal of rights land “families’ as known system, The t. and Grain and Grain

Eco 摘自国务院发展研究中心汤敏研究员 - energy made market grainincreased. and price Security Security

WW, not only for agronomy, but also for also but agronomy, for only not WW, 2008 in China 年

3 月 8 日的报告

century,

171

economic economic -

ss WTO. ss WTO. unique compared to that of

inflation rate(1/1000) inflation Price index of grain(lastindex Price year=100) scale farming. Over the last 10 -

2006

2005

2004

2003 2002

ised ised by small sufficient sufficient in terms of subsistence during this 2001

2000

on food supply food on

1999

1998 as Russian model. The necessary capital accumulation 1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

economic impact economic 1990

1985

1980

1978

0 50 50 - 100 150 250 200 300 172 Since 1949, food output has been fluctuating every year, which is normal for a as vast as China.country growth growth and a steadily increasing population. The internal inflation always be price China exce before food increment, of the pre factor Currently, Currently, rural China is character years, food output has been increasing along with the rapid macro management system, rural agricultural issues government lost priority increasingly as the focused Chinese on industrialisation and urbanization. In In the 1980s, after a series of rural economic reforms of the family tenant The macro mainly mainly caused by heavy foreign debts transited into large amount agricultural export… process process made China’s trajectory of industrialisation western countries. And, 3 years’ serious crisis of food shortage since 1960 also was was made possible as collectivized resulted productions in in surplus the creation. agricultural This sector significant internal capital accumulation The The Chinese process of industrialisation was secondary reformed state under the leadership of the

period, it was not enough in the face of urbanisation and industrialisation that immensely. demand up pushed rural rural agricultural production was The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI

US$1=RMB8.71,which was US$1=RMB5.8 onDec 31, 1993. the mostimportant factor lead to theabnormal inflation rate. 28 Th food. commercialised of households, 20% farmer represents which in stockpiling food of patterns in changes of monitoring the complicated enhancement income farmer and urbanisation faster However, increa an China, of People’sRepublicthe of foundation the Followingrates. inflation highextremely macro large unusually after arise output food in fluctuations that indicates graph above The 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1985 1980 1978 Year

In 1994, In China mergedofficialthe exchange ratewith adjustmentthe price at swap center together, which was

Price index of of index grain(1978=100) Price 102.4 101.5 123.1 102.3 99.9 102.3 91.5 99.4 99.5 91.4 101.3 117.1 122.2 112.8 117.9 105.5 93.2 101.9 97.6 100.6 - cnmc lcutos sc a i 19 we Cia experienced China when 1994 in as such fluctuations, economic

e n h pplto ws ope wt rsn fo output. food rising with coupled was population the in se

28 83 171 241 147 64 34 31 93 60 inflation rate(1/1000) 15 18 39 12 8 7 4 - - 14 8

On Jan 011994, the Chine

lc o eat aa n the on data exact of lack e securrency devalued to

173

50 50 kg economic economic - as a complement

living living in urban areas. Also, it is the

sustaining grain consumption. Hence, - economic fluctuations. - economic fluctuations and inflation, not the - ly and consumption in China in and consumption ly

supply is a result of the effects of macro ocess of urbanisation, around 60% of the population is

economic period. Therefore, soaring food prices are the control control policies which often result in decreasing prices - -

iversity of China, Beijing 100872, China) 100872, China, of Beijing iversity driven food supply.driven food -

174 (Renmin Un Development at Renmin University of China UniversityDevelopment of at Renmin Wen Tijejun Assistant of Professor Li Dr. Chenjie Liu and Dr. Huaiyu is Research Dr. Wen Tiejun is Professor and Dean of the School of Agriculture & Rural to market annual food output. Thus, the country’s food security system is very different from the West and China should promote national stockpiling concerns only 40% of the population; those annual food commercialisation ratio that should be taken into account, not the still living in the rural areas with self when considering China’s food security system, it is important to note that it respond to price policies and macro and to price policies respond As China is still in the pr per capita, or kg 450 per farmer, which constitutes 60% of total productionfood in China. Only 40% of this output reaches the market, which is the part that will farmer farmer households. This led to a constant average food output of about 3 After After the system of family tenant management was implemented, agricultural production and distribution started to take place in more than 200 million small featuresSpecial of supp food consequence of abnormal macro around. way other and and subsequent output policies and the macro likely likely to launch macro and insufficient supply. Discrepancy between the agricultural production period During During times of rapid economic development or inflation, the government is prices change. amount amount of stockpiled food can subsequently impact the food market when The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of CrisisCrisis--CapitalismCapitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Short Thesis Short Rick Wolff that laws andwere finally enacted, weakenedremoved most or ofthem. and regulations those evaded then profits, hurt that interventions capitalist US oppose. they interventions state the established end possible, where and, weaken to illegal, and legal campaigns, political evasions their finance capitalis left), the and labor by supported those to profits their state use when Second, who opposition. capitalists by opposed are teaches crisesprofits capitalist to First response lessons. in strategic intervention state of history The or in basic change capitalismif no better a alternative to provide might solution. of futility the proceed debates The details). interventions’ over quibbles (and intervention state less versus more relatively for arguments repeat endlessly to constrained are crisis the around debates public Therefore, “so appropriate and crisis and (3) politics. legislation, dominate the of perception limit public and shape (1) to borrowings) and taxes state’s the plus profits resources(private vast brings focuses industry large and state between coordination socia traditional displacing co largely are Keynesianism) renewed dramatically (a interventions economic state increased Massively them. for opportunities new vast creates their are US marginali the in left the and unions labor for problem central The proposednewand a strategy workers) tomobilize of those interventions. Third, capitalist profits finance ideological and ideological finance profits capitalist Third, interventions. those of zation

state

(politically and ideologically) by the capitalist crisis even as it as even crisis capitalist the by ideologically) and (politically

- (addressing theUS especially in crisis the interventions to solve capitalist crises. capitalist solve to interventions sae nevnin ta ngtvl ipc capitalist impact negatively that interventions state , dmcai porm. h crisis The programs. democratic l - nevnin nntees uce (especially succeed nonetheless interventions

as if history had not already shown already not had history if as t profits finance legal and illegal and legal finance profits t

The debates proceed debates The s fought the New Deal New the fought s lutions,” (2) control control (2) lutions,”

- rvkd closer provoked - opting or opting

further 175 as as

that t crash. that state

– descriptions. descriptions. - ofits ofits and hence

Thus, today’s proposals once again reat Depression and prevent future the collective receipt and disposition of e resources to block, thwart, and undermine selected boards of directors with collectives - . So long as this strategic nonsense cannot be

der and and labor and the left had accepted

–

hallenged, hallenged, the internal structure of capitalist enterprises f f century. Democrats seemed unable or unwilling to stop the as they have always done

176 enterprise net revenues. The economic shareholders would autocracy thus end of in a major directors move towards and economic democracy. major Beside one’s particular tasks within the enterprise’s worker division would of have to labor, participate each in In each transformed enterprise, workers would receive new job enterprises’ net revenues. No longer would they to the enemies interventions. of those resources provide pr democratic democratic state interventions would henceforth receive and dispose of enterprise: to replace sharehol of the enterprise’s workers. Workers who need, depend on, and support social A changed strategy would aim to transform the internal structure of each them admitted, little change. will receivers receivers and disposers of enterprise net revenues. Those interventions to continue acquire th opposed to state leave in place, unc positions boards of and directors who select the shareholders them major as the to propose and support more of the same. Labor and the left in the US cannot yet acknowledge or face the implications of this history of failed Keynesian state interventions. They continue, with Obama, and socially disastrous disastrous crashes. socially and Republicans and Democrats alternated in presiding over state interventions over that Republicans alternated in and Democrats presiding never solved or prevented the sequences of capitalism’s speculative bubbles policies, pulled the US out of the Great Depression. Since 1945, US capitalism imposed 12 further “economic downturns” culminating in the curren economic intervention overcomecould the G capitalist crises. History proved otherwise. World War 2, not state economic achieve. FDR had promised over over the last hal destruction of the New Deal that labor and the left had struggled so hard to The The US working class came to distrust and disengage from the Democratic Party The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI tt vru piae rpry wesi ad re akt vru state versus markets free and ownership property private on versus emphases state traditional the from profoundly differs system that strategy a capitalist describes production anti an articulate to of way a left the and labor organization offers It capitalism. to alternative the in change basic This capitalism. movemen strategic proposed the supplanted, it feudalism the of those for preferences and modalities its substituted once capitalism As alongsideinvestment newly needs and emergingpriorities. social internal transformed treated. the sum, and In differently. altogether evaluated handled be would differently production issues. of be Relocation sustainability would to equality attentive gender for more Demands much con be ecological would the they with production, live worker to and Having change differently. technical retraining process would They traditionally enterprises. in deployments organized typical the from differently revenues net their w workers where Enterprises By interventions. economic theymight. strategicby proposal, thisnew state supplemented but past workers, mobilize nor to appeal of longer no they themselves, failures the by compromised planning. and regulation

tutr o etrrs wud rdc nw rtra for criteria new produce would enterprise of structure hs epae wr cmlct ih and with complicit were emphases Those ere their own boards of directors would deploy deploy would directors of boards own their ere

cn usiue for substitute can t

eune of sequences 177 - -

. He is

nities in India. He is Whose Freedoms? MDGs as . Sandeep is an active part Le Le Monde Diplomatique

y. (RLF) , former director of

d d the South South Peoples Solidarity Forum. He is social anthropologist, and an activist who has lived

s luttes India India and the National Question India, was was appointed prof. at the Universities of Poitiers, Dakar and , prof. em. for English literature at the Institute of European and and

, prof. em. of political science at Free University of Berlin. He is , prof. of social philosophy, director of the Institute for Critical , president of the WFA, worked from 1957 to 1960 as a research Mémoire de Analysis, Analysis, his main research and work focus on democratic socialism.

178 also currently working the WFA. for the South Asia processes on developing working also currently of of a collective in Accountability developing platform, an the Global Economic Literacy and Budget if people matter! capacities in ActionAid International and other development organisations for the last two decades. His recent publications include currently currently the International coordinator for ActionAid International's, just and democratic governance and economic justice theme. He has worked in several Sandeep Chachra, and worked with indigenous people and dalit commu member of the International Committee of the World Social (WFA) Forum. the International the World of member of Committee Studies, University of Paris 8; Honorary President of Attac France and General Secretary of Bernard Bernard Cassen (RLF) Michael Brie Social World Forum in Dakar. World (WFA) 1960 1960 to 1963. He Paris (Paris VIII, Vincennes). In 1980 Amin became the director of the Third officer officer for the Egyptian government's "Institution for Economic Management". Subsequently he was adviser to the Ministry of Planning in Bamako (Mali) from Samir Samir Amin connection between ecology and econom and connection ecology between Elmar Altvater working on capitalist development, state theory, development policies and the

List of Contributors The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI Studies (Translation Series). She is deeply involved with the building of cross of building the with involved deeply is She Series). (Translation Studies co is She Board. Executive ARENA the of chair of Fellows of Council the of Chair is She Kong. Chi Kin Lau upr Rssac i Plsie n Ia ad gis te oprt driven corporate the against globalizati and capitalist Iraq and Palestine in Resistance support to Action Solidarity International the Conference, Cairo the of organization the for responsible was he 2005 and 2004 2003, Engineers; Democratic of founder co 2002 society civil many in actively co 1987 organizations: works and Cairo in lives Habashi 1983 Since Habashi Mamdouh Committee memberof of is He theInternational theWorld (WFA) Forum. Social Louvain of University Catholic Houtart François Dakar. (WFA) Founou Bernard of (WFA) Ecumenical José,the Department Costa (DEI)Rica. Studies atSan Teguci Dierckxsens Wim Planning Committee (NPC). (RLF) National USSF USA, Minnesota, Committee, Relations International Cox Jennifer World Forum. Social Alternatives Beaudet Pierre engaged thestudy in in people's participation localgovernance. (WFA) of co is and region the outside and Asia within alliances border galpa (Honduras). He is a political scientist and economist, working with working economist, and scientist political a is He (Honduras). galpa - one o te ni lblzto Eyta Gop AE) 2003 (AGEG), Group Egyptian Globalization Anti the of founder Mnra. e s ebr f h Itrainl omte o the of Committee International the of member is He Montréal. , , sociologist, prof. of Cultural Studies at Lingnan University in Hong Hong in University Lingnan at Studies Cultural of prof. sociologist, ,

or epes cnmc ua Rgt Cmag (PPEHRC) Campaign Rights Human Economic People's Poor scooit po. t h Uiest o Otw ad one of founder and Ottawa of University the at prof. sociologist, , , Cameroon, economist, member of the Third World Forum at Forum World Third the of member economist, Cameroon, , , exe , i o Dth rgn n hs en rf a te nvriy of University the at prof. been has and origin Dutch of is , on; 2007 co 2007 on;

, economist, working at t at working economist, , (WFA) cutive secretary of the WFA, sociologist, prof. em. at the at em. prof. sociologist, WFA, the of secretary cutive - founder of the Arab & African Research Center (AARC), Center Research African & Arab the of founder

- a ev, one o te ete Tricontinental. Centre the of founder Neuve, la - founder of EL HELALI Foundation for Liberties for Foundation HELALI EL of founder he Arab research centre in Cairo. in centre research Arab he RN (2000 ARENA - editor of Cultural and Social Social and Cultural of editor - Chair of P of Chair - 03), and former and 03), P21, and P21,

179 co - -

Revista Revista wide wide Africa Trade - Keet Keet is simultaneously

- is a leading figure in the creation Sociedade Sociedade Brasileira Economiade

–

formation formation and Development Center FA)

, political scientist and unionist (WFA, WSF liberal liberal globalization - coordinated coordinated by TNI, focused on alternative regional and s work is focused on Arab research in the social sciences. - and and President of the SEP

, economist, teaches economics and social policy at the Federal Center. Center. Fellow and Research Associate of the 'Alternative

Member of the Stiglitz Commission. Pedro Páez was Minister for , political scientist and journalist, prof. in sociology in Nantes , , South Africa, Research Associate, Alternative Information & He is Adviser to social movements like the MDT (Movement of Landless

. Páez

regional regional strategies to neo -

can Social Forum (SASF), as well as the continent

180 Ecuadorian Ecuadorian universities, Pedro Páez especially for a new international economic system as he is coordinator of the Southern Economic Policy Coordination of Ecuador. Despite having taught econometrics, macroeconomics, sustainable development and public finance in several Pedro Política Peasants). (WFA) de de Economia Critica Paulo Nakatani University of Espírito Santo, Brazil, member of the editorial board of the Committee of the World Social the World (W Forum. Committee of Murthy Padmanabhan Krishna India, All India Federation of Trade Unions). He is member of the International (WFA) Ali Ali El Kenz University, France. Hi

Network Network (ATN); and the international Our World is (TNI) network. Not for Sale (OWINFS) Peoples Solidarity Network (SAPSN), the key Afri coordinator of the Southern (AIDC) (AIDC) headquartered in Cape Town. From national this South African base, Trade Strategy she Group (TSG) is and active the Southern in African the inter Research Associate of the Alternative In Development Regionalisms' project Dot Keet them organizing themselves.them organizing (WFA) to actively defend the rights of workers, peasants and the marginalized and help The World Crisis – and Beyond Brussels, October 28 - November 1, 2009 Conference on Alternatives and Transformation Paths to Overcome the Regime of Crisis-Capitalism Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in cooperation with World Forum for Alternatives and TNI growing expressof theglobalsouth.(TNI) assertiveness clear a thus and Bank, World and IWF dominated western the to America Latin in counterweight a be will Bank This Sur). del (Banco Bank Visiting Scholar over( andregions. in 30Countries or Investigator Academic organizations; international numerous for consultancy and research providing years; 20 past the over tanks think policy Instit Reconstruction Macro China Secretary Deputy National Radio; China of Consultant Economic & Agency News Xinhua Central of Economist of Center Research the Health Resources, Water of(Agriculture, Ministries Government’ Expert Invited Special positions: Main China. of University Renmin Development, Rural, & Agriculture of School the of Tiejun Wen the on current (RLF) USA economiccrisis, teaching School, New the at Professor Visiting NASDAC and Amherst, Wolff, Rick Democracy published previously the of edition Right socialism of making the and feminism Studies, Fragments; Participation for Centre co and International University Bradford the of Associate Research Wainwright Hilary , most recently most , . (TNI). , economist, working at at working economist, , currently prof. of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts, of University the at economics of prof. currently - cnmc eerh onain Drco o Jms e Rural Yen James of Director Foundation; Research economic

, Fellow of TNI, works for it's New Politics program, a Senior program, Politics New it's for works TNI,Fellow of , Public service reform but not as we know it! know we as not but reform service Public t. an xeine: oiy tde i dfeet central different in studies Policy Experiences: Main ute. - eea, hn Scey f cnmc eom n the and Reform Economic of Society China General, -

editor of Red Red of editor

eli te tt, Experime State, the Reclaim the Bejing People’s University, prof., Dean prof., University, People’s Bejing the Pepper. Her books include books Her Pepper. WFA)

, nwrn te re Market Free the Answering ); Special Invited Special );

and an updated an and t i Popular in nts Beyond the Beyond o o the of ion 181

2009

Tanja Gerth Impressum

Cover Design: Cover enlarged and and edition enlarged revised

nd Texts compiled by Roland compiled by Kulke Texts 2 Rosa Brussels Luxemburg Office Foundation © Layout and Typesetting: Lorenz Krämer, Katharina Krämer, Flüchter Lorenz Typesetting: and Layout

2 18