Debt and the international context in the South and in the North from 2000 to 2014

   by Eric Toussaint

 This article reviews a number of developments that occurred between 2000 and 2014 related to the debt issue, various aspects of the international crisis |1|, international financial institutions, the scope of attacks against social and economic rights, and CADTM priorities.

Several changes have occurred since the end of the 1990s.

1. Several countries in the South have moved away from neoliberal policies

 After over twenty years of neoliberal policies and multiple forms of resistance, towards the end of the 1990s and at the beginning of the new millennium, several Latin American nations disposed of their neoliberal presidents thanks to massive social mobilisations and elected heads of state who implemented policies that meet the people’s interests. The people of those countries wanted to free themselves from measures derived from the ‘Washington consensus,’ as imposed by the IMF and the World Bank (privatisations, cuts in public services, ‘liberalisation’ of trade that deprives small local producers of any protection, enforced commodification, destruction of decent jobs, cancellation of subsidies for food staples and services such as water, electricity, gas, and transport). These policies were implemented on the pretence of repaying their public debts, much of which was illegitimate or illegal, as was the case in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia… |2| Ecuador’s government took a remarkable initiative in 2007-2008 when it carried out a complete audit of its debt with the active participation of representatives from social movements |3|. On the basis of this audit, it then suspended repayment of the part of the external debt identified as illegitimate, and imposed a significant reduction of the debt to its creditors |4|. This made it possible to increase social spending. Unfortunately, this initiative did not snowball as had been hoped, since other countries in the area did not follow suit.

Review of “Insurgency Trap”:

Behind China’s Wildcat Strike Wave

SLAUGHTER Jane

 Review: Insurgency Trap: Labor Politics in Postsocialist China, by Eli Friedman. Cornell University Press/ILR Press, 2014 [1].

 When Honda workers in China went on strike for higher wages, their union sent thugs to convince them to return to work. Eli Friedman’s new book Insurgency Trap shows why the rising wave of protests sometimes wins concrete gains, but stops short of forming lasting organizations that could alter the balance of power.

 China is the world center of wildcat strikes—given that no strike in China is officially allowed under the law. The government doesn’t issue statistics, but one source found 1,171 strikes and worker protests from June 2011 through 2013 [2].

Brussels: huge success of the national demonstration called by the the common trade union front

120,000 demonstrators against Michel 1!

ROUSSET Pierre

 The national demonstration in Brussels, the beginning of the plan of action of the common trade union against the Michel 1 plans (and the cuts at the regional level) was a huge success. With 120,000 participants, all expectations were broadly met. Contrary to what was feared at one time, the mobilization was a great success in Flanders also: there were thus 20,000 participants from the province of Antwerp, close to 9,000 from Eastern Flanders and so on. The fear created by some that the CSC and the liberal CGSLB union would only mobilize verbally also proved unfounded.

Democratic Union Party Rojava (Syrian-Kurdistan):

A revolution for life – “We have, in essence, developed a democracy without the state”

MUSLIM Saleh, STAAL Jonas

 On Sunday November 10 Saleh Muslim Mohamed, co-president of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) representing the independent communities of Rojava (Syrian-Kurdistan) and its armed wings, the People’s Defense Unit (YPG) and Women’s Defense Unity (YPJ), visited the Netherlands. Muslim spoke about the fight of Rojava against the Islamic State (ISIS) and the development of democratic autonomy during the Rojava revolution. Artist Jonas Staal interviewed him afterwards.

9-N, “Escolta, Espanya”

Jaime Pastor (*)

 El acontecimiento vivido en Catalunya este domingo ha sido un ejercicio de participación democrática y de desobediencia masiva, alegre y festiva, frente a un Estado y un gobierno que, como ha escrito Suso de Toro, han hecho el ridículo ante el mundo anunciando, primero, que la consulta no se iba a celebrar y, luego, ante el hecho consumado, que era “antidemocrática, inútil y estéril”. Un ridículo que puede ser mayor si, respondiendo a la presión electoralista de UPyD, se les ocurre recurrir al Código Penal para criminalizar a los promotores.

Réchauffement climatique : le cri d’alarme du GIEC

TANURO Daniel

 Le Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat (GIEC) vient de rendre public le rapport de synthèse de son 5e rapport d’évaluation et le résumé à l’intention des décideurs [1]. Le diagnostic est sans surprise :

• le réchauffement est en marche, il est dû principalement à la combustion des combustibles fossiles, et les effets négatifs sont nettement plus importants que les effets positifs,

• il est probablement encore possible d’éviter que la température moyenne s’élève de plus de 2°C par rapport à la période pré-industrielle, mais les mesures prises au cours des 20 dernières années nous entraînent tout droit vers un réchauffement de 3,7 à 4,8°C (2,5 à 7,8°C en tenant compte de l’incertitude climatique) qui entraînerait des « risques élevés à très élevés d’impacts sévères, largement répandus et irréversibles ».

9N, la hora de la verdad

Esther Vivas

 Han pasado meses, semanas, días en los que la consulta soberanista ha sido tema central de debate. ¿Habrá consulta o no la habrá? ¿9N sí o no? ¿Legalidad o legitimidad? ¿Unidad de los partidos proconsulta o ruptura? ¿Permiso o prohibición? ¿Aceptación o desobediencia? ¿Nuevo 9N? ¿Consulta o proceso participativo? La ilusión pero también un cierto hartazgo de tanta incertidumbre han marcado las semanas previas al gran día, ese que parecía imposible e inalcanzable pero que finalmente ya está aquí. El 9N ha llegado.

“In general, those who have less eat worse” –

Of the class struggle and the things we eat

 VIVAS Esther

 Do the rich and poor eat the same? Do our incomes determine our diet? Today, who is overweight? Although often, and from certain quarters, the call for healthy and wholesome food is viewed with disdain, as “a fad” “posh”, “hippy” or “flower power” the reality is rather different than these short-sighted comments imply. To defend ecological, local, peasant food is most “revolutionary”.

 If we look closely we see how today’s agricultural model is determined by the interests of capital, by the interests of large companies (the agroindustrial sector and supermarkets), which seek to profit from something as essential as food. The capitalist system, in its race to transform needs into commodities, rights into privileges, making food, and especially food products of quality, into a luxury. Just as it has made housing only accessible to those who can afford it, and the same fate awaits our health and education systems.

Against the banning of the consultation of 9 November:

THE PEOPLE OF CATALONIA HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO DECIDE THEIR FUTURE

 The Catalan people have proven to the world that they are ready to take the reins of their own destiny.
 Since the 2010 ruling by the Spanish State Constitutional Court cutting down the Catalan Statute of Autonomy – after it had been approved by the Catalan and Spanish parliaments and endorsed by a majority vote of the Catalan people in a referendum in 2006 – there have been street demonstrations and a range of other actions in favour of sovereignty have united most people behind the demand for the power to vote for an independent state. The most recent was the march in Barcelona on September 11, Catalonia's national day, attended by 1.8 million people.

Bosnie – « Nous voulons vivre de notre travail et pour cela les ouvriers doivent contrôler la production » : Un euro ouvrier de l'Europe pour cent ouvriers de Tuzla !

PAVLOVIC Radoslav, BUSULADJIC Eminka, KARBOWSKA Monika

 Après la guerre sanglante importée qui a divisé la classe ouvrière bosniaque, le nouveau pouvoir sous protectorat international a promis aux travailleurs le « paradis suédois », mais il les a plongés dans l' « enfer grecque » : il n'y a plus de travail ni pour les vieux, ni pour les jeunes, il n'y a plus d'accès libre et gratuit aux soins médicaux, il n'y a plus d'école laïque et gratuite, il n'y a plus de droit de vote pour ceux à qui l'administration tarde à fournir la nouvelle carte d'identité... Pas plus que de poursuite des criminels de guerre et de soutien aux combattants et victimes de guerre.

De l’indignation au pouvoir (partie 1)

​Espagne:​

​ ​Un contexte propice à l’indignation

  par Jérôme Duval