Democratise from below and save Europe's Economy

Newsletter 16 February 2012

16 February 2012

TNI

As the EU Commission, pressured by big business, perpetuates rather than resolves economic and democratic crises, where can we look for alternatives, and for action? What should Greece do to resist? What can we learn from the radical political movements of the 1960s and '70s, and from the new movements that are gaining momentum across Europe? How can we stop the next wave of commodification of the atmosphere under the guise of a "green economy"

En español

Breaking with fear in Greece
Yiorgos Vassalos
The real news in Greece is not about riots, but of a growing number of people who have broken away from fear and decided to fight back against the austerity imposed by the 'Troika' of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF.

For its own sake, Greece needs to declare Default
Costas Lapavitsas
The ruthless austerity programmes imposed on Greece and the endless cycle of debt renegotiations will only come to a close when Athens takes charge of its predicament and announces a democratic and sovereign cessation of payments.

A different kind of Europe
Trevor Evans
What would a progressive pan-European response to the Euro crisis look like? Professor Trevor Evans calls for a radical downsizing of the financial sector, debt audits, democratisation of the Commission and a full employment policy.

Another Road for Europe
Donatella della Porta
The Euro crisis is more than an economic crisis; it has also unveiled an insidious disregard for democracy at the heart of the European project. How can we democratise the EU "from below"?

Europeanism from below
Paolo Gerbaudo
Paolo Gerbaudo reports on the Routes of Europe conference in Florence, arguing that the Italian left must embrace the participatory democracy of the indignados to achieve political purchase.?

An excess of Democracy
Hilary Wainwright
The philosophy and experience of radical movements in the 1960s and 70s are in several ways complementary to the ideas of the direct action movements of today. Hilary Wainwright examines the possibility of forging a new kind of political economy by learning from the best of both of them.

The EU in crisis - Events

Taking on the Technnocrats
17 Feb in London. Trevor Evans and Mary Kaldor to speak on alternative paths for a progressive, democratic Europe.

The EU's New Austerity Treaty
29 Feb in Brussels. A new budget treaty awaits signing at the EU Summit that will seal far-reaching new Brussels' powers.

EU in Crisis, Analysis, resistance and alternatives to corporate Europe
5 & 6 May in Brussels. Movements from across Europe join to strengthen progressive responses to the EU's crisis.

En español

Estado del poder corporativo 2012
TNI
¿Quiénes son el 1% de la población mundial? ¿Qué compañías manejan? ¿Cómo eluden sus responsabilidades? Estos ilustrativos infográficos del TNI ponen de manifiesto los costes sociales y medioambientales del poder corporativo mundial.

La conexión Apple
Walden Bello
El iPad y el iPhone son obras maestras de ingeniería, pero también encarnan las relaciones sociales de la producción, en que el capital es libre y los trabajadores están oprimidos.

¿Un nuevo periodo histórico?
Edgardo Lander
Ante la combinación de crisis que amenazan a la democracia y a la vida misma, hoy vivimos extraordinarias movilizaciones en todo el mundo, expresión de la resistencia popular y la lucha por otro mundo posible.

¿Por qué la agroecología es la solución al hambre y a la inseguridad alimentaria?
Miguel Altieri
Mil millones de personas en el planeta pasan hambre. ¿Podemos alimentar al mundo y garantizar el desarrollo económico y, a la vez, proteger los ecosistemas y mejorar los medios de vida de los campesinos y los pobres rurales?

La bicicleta estática
Amira Armenta
Una vez más ha vuelto a expresarse públicamente Juan Manuel Santos sobre la despenalización de las drogas. El presidente de Colombia ha dicho ahora que la actual política represiva es "una bicicleta estática" que exige muchos esfuerzos, pero no avanza.

El lado oscuro de los acuerdos de inversión
Cecilia Olivet
Al firmar tratados internacionales de inversión, los gobiernos entregan el derecho soberano de regular en el interés de las personas y el medio ambiente, y corren el riesgo de gastar millones en demandas judiciales.

Salvar el euro, pero no a cualquier precio
Beatriz Díez Hernando (RNW)

Connect with TNI

Water Justice

Public Community Water Management and Partnerships
During FAME TNI coordinates workshops on ‘Public Community Water Management and Partnerships’

Alternatives to privatisation - Public services for the future
Booklaunch for Alternatives to Privatisation: Public Options for Essential Services in the Global South & Remunicipalisation - Putting water back into public hands

World Water Forum attendance down as activists ramp up
Press release

FAME 2012
14 - 17 March in Marseille. Alternative World Water Forum
A concrete alternative to the sixth World Water Forum (WWF)