Public services in Europe

Eurotopia No.4: Public Services in Europe
The privatisation of public services continues apace across Europe. This special supplement of Eurotopia, a pan-European collaboration between progressive magazines and public sector unions, assesses the spread of the private sector in public service provision and surveys a range of union and citizen-led initiatives to innovate while keeping these services public.
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Privatisation in Europe
Paolo Andruccioli
The privatisation of public services is proceeding apace across Europe. Paolo Andruccioli examines what it means for consumers, workers, citizens - and democracy.
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Look to Trondheim
Mathew Little
With privatisation failing to deliver good quality public services, what are the alternatives to 'there is no alternative'? From workers' initiatives in Norway and Newcastle to citizen-led participatory budgeting in Italy and Spain, Mathew Little goes in search of innovative public sector reforms in Europe.
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European Unions of the People
Giulio Marcon and Duccio Zola
Giulio Marcon and Duccio Zola survey the resistance to privatisation across Europe, highlighting the role of pan-European trade union initiatives and a growing alliance between social movements and the unions.
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Iran Sanctions Aggravate Rights Situation
Praful Bidwai
With economic sanctions applied to Iran for its nuclear activities, hardliners in the government are gaining strength and using Western pressure to legitimse even harsher curbs on civil liberties.
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Freedom under squeeze in Iran
Praful Bidwai
The Iranian Artists' Forum is becoming a target of censorship as part of a new drive by Iran's authorities to regiment individual conduct.
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Bronze Soldier Takes a Shot
Boris Kagarlitsky
The removal of the monument to the Soviet soldiers who died in World War 2 sparked spontaneous protests that mark a turning point in the formation of Estonia's civil society. On the contrary, the recent protests in Moscow were qualitatively different - they were organized by pro-Kremlin youth.
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Going Out and Earning Their Pay
Boris Kagarlitsky
The conditions of Estonia's Russian population are of no real concern to Russian politicians, who only raise the issue for their own political interests. The protests in Moscow were a cheap provocation that ultimately harmed the interests of the Russian-speaking population in the Baltic states.
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Free Trade vs. Small Farmers
Walden Bello
Small farmers everywhere paid a heavy price for industrialisation in the 20th century. Today, free trade poses the greatest threat but small farmers are fighting back, writes Walden Bello.
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On June 9, 2007 the World says NO to Israeli Occupation!
40 years of occupation of the Palestinian Territories
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Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer
Phyllis Bennis
This new book by Phyllis Bennis uses straightforward language to answers basic questions about Israel, Palestine, the US and the Middle East, Zionism and anti-Semitism; and address complex issues ranging from the Oslo peace process to the election of Hamas.
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Moving Beyond Anti-War Politics
Phyllis Bennis and Robert Jensen
With Congress sending its bill requiring partial troop withdrawals from Iraq to the White House for a certain veto, it has never been clearer that mobilising against this war is necessary, but not enough, write Phyllis Bennis and Robert Jensen.
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Réfutations: on the prospect of a Sarkozy presidency
Susan George
Online video interview (in French) from "Réfutations: un film de Thomas Lacoste"
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Los servicios públicos en Europa

Eurotopia No. 4: los servicios públicos en Europa

La privatización de los servicios públicos sigue avanzando de forma implacable en toda Europa. Este suplemento especial de Eurotopía, un proyecto de colaboración paneuropeo entre revistas progresistas y sindicatos, analiza la expansión del sector privado en el suministro de servicios públicos y recoge una serie de iniciativas sindicales y ciudadanas para mejorar dichos servicios manteniendo su carácter público.
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Perspectiva global:

Entrevista con Susan George
Con motivo de su participación en Getafe en el ‘Foro sur: capital del pensamiento social’, cuya finalidad es crear un espacio entre los foros de Davos y Porto Alegre, Susan George charla con los internautas.
El Pais >>