European Democracy Now!

Newsletter 3 November

3 November 2011

TNI

While banks and European leaders negotiate the next public bail out of private greed, and the financial speculation that caused the crisis continues unheeded, Europeans have shown that like many people around the world, from Tahrir to Syntagma Square and Wall Street, they are not going to take more neoliberal austerity lying down. The question already being asked by many observers is - where to now for the popular demonstrations?

En español

Surely the answer is real democracy now, or bust? In this special feature we share perspectives from activists in the US on the situation there, as well as analysis and debate on the European situation, and an easy to print out "EU crisis pocket guide."

The EU Crisis Pocket Guide
TNI
A useful pocket guide on how a crisis made in Wall Street was made worse by EU policies, how it has enriched the 1% to the detriment of the 99%, and outlining some possible solutions that prioritise people and the environment above corporate profits.

Will the Mercozy deal save Greece and the Euro?
Yiorgos Vassalos, Dominique Plihon, Kenneth Haar, Susan George, Fiona Dove
Four activist researchers debate why the European Union is wedlocked to economic policies that will worsen the crisis and undermine democratic control of public budget.(podcast)

Occupy Wall Street: Origins & Prospect
Tom Reifer
The ancient discussion about the purposes of wealth and the conflict between oligarchy – rule of the rich – and democracy – the rule of the demos/the people comes to the fore once again with the Occupy protests.

Occupy Wall Street: New Politics & New Milestones
Phyllis bennis
The occupy movement has achieved an incredible and much-needed shake-up of a long-standing political stasis in the US and elsewhere, but it is crucial now to highlight the connection between failed foreign policy, bloated military spending and illegal wars, and the economic crisis at home.

A Coup D'Etat in the European Union?
Susan George
European Union workers’ pretentions to better pay and working conditions, shorter working lives, munificent retirement benefits, long holidays and time off for this and that have got to be brought under control! Enough is enough!

Perspectives on the EU Economic Crisis
Hilary Wainwright, Andy Storey, Dominique Plihon (video)
Banks are making profit again while more people get laid off with the excuse of 'redundancy'. It seems no lessons have been learned. Interviews conducted in Brussels, Belgium on 12th October 2011

Financial Governance Beyond the Crisis
Interview with Dr. Pedro Paez

Read more about The Euro crisis on our website

Books & Reports


	Whose Crisis? Whose Future?		We the Peoples of Europe		Austerity forever

En español

El desarrollo alternativo en la lucha contra el narcotráfico
Ibán de Rementería
Un comentario juicioso de Ibán de Rementería a propósito de dos recientes publicaciones del TNI sobre Desarrollo Alternativo. La no participación de la comunidad, de los beneficiarios del desarrollo alternativo, en el diseño y gestión de los programas es a no dudarlo la principal falla social y política del desarrollo alternativo y una de las principales causas de su fracaso.

La política de Desarrollo Alternativo de USAID en Colombia
Ricardo Vargas
En Colombia el Desarrollo Alternativo pasó de ser principalmente una estrategia de desarrollo a ser principalmente una estrategia de seguridad. Este informe, desarrollado por Ricardo Vargas, es un análsis crítico de la labor sobre desarrollo alternativo de USAID en Colombia durante la última década.