from 10 february 2002 blue vol II, # 20 edition |
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from Workers Solidarity #68 Jan/Feb 2002
The old East German regime always insisted that those
who died trying to cross its wall were not 'political
refugees' but rather a mixture of economic migrants
seeking higher wages in the west and 'criminals'
fleeing justice.
The new regimes of (Tony) Blair,
(George W) Bush and (Bertie) Ahern defend the deaths
of those crossing the new walls by reference to
criminal gangs and the 'fact' that those crossing are
not 'political refugees' but rather a mixture of
economic migrants seeking higher wages in the west and
'criminals' fleeing justice.
The workers of this planet need real globalisation. We
need the global freedom to travel, live and work where
we want. We need access to education, healthcare and
clean water where ever we happen to be. We need to
make global agreements that will control pollution,
reduce greenhouse gases and produce the goods and
services we need. We need to end militarism and war
across the world.
There are two projects of globalisation working in the
world right now. The first is the one you are told
about on the 6 o'clock news, the project of capitalist
or neo-liberal 'globalisation' that seeks to erode our
living standards and remove environmental protection.
It is the project of the elite who own most of the
wealth of this world. It is the project of the EU
summits, the World Economic Forum, the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund and the World Trade
Organisation.
The second is that of the anarchists and others whom
the media often call 'anti-globalisation protesters'.
We also have our international summits but perhaps not
that surprisingly the mainstream media, which is after
all owned and controlled by the elites, fail to
mention them. With few exceptions we only appear in
the media as the mysterious and motiveless protesters
who insist on disrupting the 'legitimate business' of
the 'democratic' world leaders as they meet in
Seattle, Prague or Genoa.
But all the same that second project of globalisation
from below has been growing throughout the last
decade. It emerges into view wherever there is
resistance to the neo-liberal project. It may appear
minor as in the resistance to the bin tax in Ireland.
Or it may be spectacular as the people of Argentina
resist the IMF and force one president after another
to resign.
The bosses need us, we don't need them. The working
people across the globe create the world's wealth.
Together we can bring this new world into being.
- SOURCE: WORKERS SOLIDARITY No. 68 Jan/Feb 2002
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