Challenges & Desasters Challenges & Desasters

english edition transform! european journal for alternative thinking and political dialogue 2011 2011 08 ChallengesChallengesChallenges &&& DesastersDesastersDesasters Wallerstein | Bischoff | Castellina | Händel | Laurent | Mestrum | Van Heijningen Photo by Carla Luis Impressum: transform! european journal for alternative thinking and political dialogue Edited by transform! Europe, Brussels Editors: Walter Baier (V.i.S.d.P.), Eric Canepa, Lutz Holzinger and Maximilian Weber Photos by Carla Luis transform! 11 Rue Michel-Ange, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Publisher: Karl Dietz Verlag Berlin GmbH, Franz-Mehring-Platz 1, 10243 Berlin Tel.: 0049 30 29784533, Fax: 0049 30 29784536 e-mail: [email protected] Layout: typothese.at Printing: MediaService GmbH, Franz-Mehring-Platz 1, 10243 Berlin Price: 15 Euro, Subscription: 25 Euro for 2 issues ISSN 1865-3480 Distributed by VSA-Verlag, St. Georgs Kirchhof 6, D 20099 Hamburg, e-mail: info@vsa-verlag Challenges & Desasters transform! european journal for alternative thinking and political dialogue 08/2011 2 Content Editorial 4 Lutz Holzinger Uprising in Northern Africa Revolution in Egypt 9 Gabriele Habashi Domino Effects in the Arab Countries 20 Joachim Bischoff Desaster in Japan Fukushima, Mon Horreur 28 Elmar Altvater Essays The Raging Tempo of the Long Decline 35 Micheal Scharang Social Relations Put to the Austerity Test 42 Yves Lochard and Jean-Marie Pernot At the Heart of the “Crisis of Civilisation”: The Issue of “Living Well” 56 Patrice Cohen-Séat The Conflict between Conflicts in the Crisis of Globalised Capitalist Civilisation 64 André Tosel The Extreme Right in Europe Introduction 75 Walter Baier New Aspects of the Radical Right 78 Jean-Yves Camus The Rise of Right-wing Populism in Finland: The True Finns 84 Carl Mars The Hungarian Disaster 94 G. M. Tamás Three Sources of Ukraine’s “Freedom” 98 Vitaly Atanasov 3 Economic and Institutional Crisis Perspectives for the Belgian Social Movement 106 Daniel Zamora Power in Paradise: The 2010 Vienna Elections 112 Ulrike Kruh The Financial Crisis as a Political Opportunity for the New Extreme Right 118 Dimosthenis Papadatos-Anagnostopoulos Challenges for the Left Challenges for Dilma Rousseff and the Role of the Left in Brazil 124 Iole Iliada Lopes Against the “Pact for the Euro” 130 Interview with Pierre Laurent On the European Union Why Germany and the Euro-Countries Need Another Europe 138 Conrad Schuhler The Main Stages of a Declared Ambition 150 Francis Wurtz The German Miracle? 158 Richard Detje / Wolfgang Menz / Sarah Nies / Dieter Sauer Citizenship: A Fundamental Issue for Democracy 170 Marie-Christine Vergiat Spring Social Conference 174 Documentation Review Bleak Progress. On Michael Löwy’s Book “Juifs hétérodoxes, romantisme, messianisme, utopie” 176 Walter Baier List of Contributers 182 4 Editorial roducing this issue of Transform ! was an exciting process. Long after we P decided on the focus of right-wing extremism in Europe, the world be- gan to move – on the one hand, with the uprising in North Africa and other Arab countries; on the other hand, the environmental catastrophe in Japan, with an earthquake, tsunami and atomic-reactor fallout. To treat these issues adequately, we tried to find authors and provide space. In this we succeeded quite well with the contributions of Gabriele Habashi, Joachim Bischoff and Elmar Altvater. However, as to the question of the use of atomic energy, the discussions seems far from over; rather it is just beginning. Left European opinion on this issue seems divided. Further discussion will be indispensable. As the development of right-wing radicalism as well as Europe’s ongoing currency instability emphasises, the world has entered a crisis of the prevail- ing model of civilisation. Capitalism, growth-oriented as it is, always clearly shows that it is thoroughly incapable of even beginning to solve the global crises in the domains of the environment, energy, immigration, education, poverty / exclusion, etc. Just in the last year, which the European Union ded- icated to the struggle against poverty and social exclusion, a round of state austerity programmes were passed, which were mainly at the expense of the unemployed, welfare recipients and nursing-home patients. Aspects of this dilemma, along with the incapacity of the dominant economic order to cope with the need for a materially at least halfway carefree life, are addressed in 5 very diverse but very exciting ways by the essays we have brought together for this issue. Right-wing radicalism, this edition’s focus, is introduced by Jean-Yves Ca- mus’ lead article. In what follows, the status and development of right-wing radical parties in various European countries and regions is examined. In this, the aim was less completeness than the demonstration of typical devel- opments, and the relation of traditional right-wing parties to the right-wing fringe. This edition is rounded off by a series of articles that deal with basic aspects of the European Union and fundamental European issues. In my opinion, Conrad Schuhler’s reflections on alternatives to the current monetary policy of the European Commission and European Council, as well as the study by Richard Detje et al. on the negative attitude of the German population to the austerity policy of its government (though their attitude not resulted in ac- tions) deserve careful attention. Unfortunately, we did not have a report on the recent World Social Form in Dakar in time for this issue. Thanks to Carla Luis, Deputy of Portugal’s Left Bloc, we could at least present photos of the event’s venue. She request- ed that we publish her photos with the following accompanying text. Lutz Holzinger Impressions from Senegal Senegal is a remarkable country, and you cannot go to Africa for the first time without strong feelings. You can count on the joy, the sympathy, the mess and the smog, quiet villages and the impressive strength of Senegalese creativity and the energy of women. These pictures try to illustrate a bit of this “total impression” I was able to see. For instance, the kids playing in a tannery garbage dump, where their mothers were probably working, showing that, despite all the smell and worst conditions, childhood joy will always exist. Women can be strong everywhere, and in Senegal you understand the practical energy and creativity they need to have. It’s in their blood, and it’s really something you can see. From agricultural workshops, to more specific women rights issues, women and their colourful clothes were something impossible to miss. 6 Then the artisans. Men coming from everywhere, working on whatever there was to be worked on. You look at them and wonder where they will be and what they will be doing next. It’s a moving world full of moving people and you feel it there most of all. Small villages can present another reality to you, if you have the chance to get out of Dakar. Quiet places by the sea always have colourful fishing boats called “pirogues”, which signifies “all you can do with it”.You can catch fish which women sell in crowded markets, sometimes in the absence of basic hy- gienic conditions. When fish, opportunities and hope are lacking, pirogues 7 “En vers le forum”, with happiness and joy. World Social Forum Opening March. can go to the sea at night, and instead of fish, it’s people they take in it – dreaming of a better world, dreaming a dream everyone is entitled to have. Don’t expect to visit Senegal and come home immune to all that you have seen. This creative energy enters you, and it’s not easy to forget – to imagine other people’s dreams, to mentally live part of it. The world is all of its parts, and this is just a small part of what we had the opportunity to see. Carla Luis 8 Women empowerment project out the outskirts of Dakar. These women work in the leather tannery, under the worst imaginable working and living conditions. From the indescribable smell to a complete lack of a shelter, these women have the strength to survive in this. 9 Revolution in Egypt A Live Report Gabriele Habashi Part One Cairo, February 7 urbulent days lay behind us and the revolution was still going on. At T least, internet was back and phones working. On this day the city re- turned to a sort of normal life, with the usual restrictions that come with any revolution such as blocked off streets around Tahrir Square, and curfew. No one was sure whether the curfew was still on and during which times. After all, there were some policemen on street corners and at junctions again. Nobody was taking them seriously anymore, as they had vanished for days when things got hot. Dressed in plain clothes, they had in part mixed in with normal folks and tried to instigate anger and strife and looting, as they had been among those attacking at Tahrir Square. Now they were back in their uniforms and acting as if everything was alright, though in the previous few days many police stations had gone up in flames and policemen beaten up. By now the people were clear that they wuoldn’t be bullied anymore. The guys in uniform were even less liked now. The people despised them and looked down on them, their anger barely repressed. They barely tolerate them. And the policemen take care not to provoke anyone. They were back to their positions at junctions and street corners directing traffic. They knew they’d better not bother anyone. Admittedly, some people liked to see the police come back. The usual presence of black uniforms in the streets is normal 10 to us, and we all wished for a bit of normal life after these tiring days.

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