International anarchist communist statement on the global economic crisis and G20 meeting, endorsed by Alternative Libertaire (France), Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici (Italy), Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group (Australia), Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front (South Africa) and Federação Anarquista do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). [Français] [Castellano] [Italiano] [Ελληνικά] [Polska]

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Anarchist Communist Statement On The Global Economic Crisis And G20 Meeting

[Français] [Castellano] [Italiano] [Ελληνικά] [Polska]

1.The current crisis is typical of the crises that regularly appear in the capitalist economy. "Overproduction", speculation and subsequent collapse are inherent to the system. (As Alexander Berkman and others have pointed out, what capitalist economists call overproduction is actually underconsumption: capitalism prevents large numbers of people from fulfilling their needs, and so undermines its own markets.)

2.Any solution to the crisis prepared by capitalists and governments will remain a solution within capitalism. It will not be a solution for the popular classes. Indeed, as in every crisis, the workers and the poor are paying – while financial capital is being bailed out with huge sums. This is likely to continue. No change within capitalism can resolve the problems of the popular classes; still less can such a solution be expected from individual politicians, such as Barack Obama. The most such politicians can do is play a part in offering the capitalists a way out, and perhaps in throwing the working class some crumbs.

3.The bank bailouts show not only whose interests the state serves, but the hollowness of capitalist commitment to free markets. Throughout history, capitalists have stood for markets when it suits them, and state regulation and subsidies when they need it. Capitalism could never have existed without state support.

4.In the US, the UK and elsewhere, the bailouts have taken the form of nationalisation of troubled financial institutions – with the full support of capital. This shows that capitalists have no fundamental problem with state ownership, and that nationalisation has nothing to do with socialism. It can also be a method of screwing the working class. We ourselves, not the state, need to take control of the economy.

5.Owing to the globalisation of capital under neo-liberalism, the ruling class recognises that the solution must be global. The G20 is meeting from 15 November to discuss the crisis. This is significant. The rulers of the US, Europe and Japan are coming to realise that they cannot handle the crisis on their own; that they need, not only one another, but other powers, notably China (which is emerging as a top industrial producer, and is on its way to becoming the world's third-biggest economy). India, Brazil and other "emerging" economies will have seats at the table. This may mark a recognition – under discussion for some years – that the G8 alone are no longer the world's economic decision makers. It is likely to signal a shift in the running of the global economic system.

6.We place no hopes in the inclusion of new capitalist powers. China's rulers may claim to be socialist; others, such as Lula of Brazil and Motlanthe of South Africa, may present themselves at times as champions of the poor. But in fact, all are defenders of capitalism, exploiters and oppressors of the people of their own countries, and, increasingly, imperialist or sub-imperialist exploiters of the people of other countries.

7.If the crisis is to lead to anything other than complete defeat for the global popular classes, poverty, exploitation and war, the popular classes must mobilise. We must demand bailouts, not for the capitalists, but for us. We anarchist communists will fight for those who got homes on subprime mortgages to be bailed out and keep their homes. We will continue to engage in and support struggles for jobs with better wages and shorter hours, housing, services, health services, welfare and education, protection of the environment. We fight for an end to imperialist wars and to repression of our class and its struggles.

8.We present these demands in response to the G20 meeting, and will continue to present them in the future. Through such demands, and through direct action to bring them about, we will work towards building a global movement of the popular classes that can put an end to capitalism, the state and the crises they create.

Signed:

Alternative Libertaire (France)
Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici (Italy)
Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group (Australia)
Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front (South Africa)
Federação Anarquista do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

90 anni fa a Villa Giusti l'Austria si arrendeva all'Italia. Era la vittoria! La prima guerra mondiale per l'Italia era finita! Una guerra non voluta dai lavoratori e imposta con la forza dallo stato italiano.

Chi si ricorda in questi giorni che nel 1915 a Milano, Roma, Torino e altre località ci furono manifestazioni di massa contro la guerra? Che a Torino 100mila operai in sciopero si scontrarono con la polizia e le truppe in una lotta durata due giorni?

Era chiaro che i lavoratori non volevano essere carne da cannone, non intendevano pagare i costi di una guerra imposta dalla borghesia, dagli industriali, dalle alte gerarchie dell'esercito. Eppure chi dirà in questi giorni che durante la guerra ci furono un milione di processi per diserzione, efferate decimazioni nei battaglioni, 4mila arresti per manifestazioni contro la guerra?

[English] [Ελληνικά]

We are constantly being told that the only economy that works is the capitalist market economy. However, events over the last few weeks have shown this to be a lie. Capitalism is a crazy way in which to run a society. But are there any alternatives? And if so, what are they and how would they work?

In this debate (originally hosted on Znet), two leading thinkers outline other economic systems. Michael Albert and Wayne Price put forward their respective positions and reply to each other in a series of 10 short articles.

Wayne Price, a member of the North American anarchist organization NEFAC and a regular contributor to Anarkismo, argues the case for Anarchist Communism, while Michael Albert, co-author of Parecon and founder of Znet, speaks on behalf of Participatory Economics. Each article is then commented upon by the other author, who then each have an opportunity to respond before making a final conclusion.

Nel Caucaso è in atto uno scontro interimperialista in cui il nano georgiano ha operato come "interposta persona" per conto degli Stati Uniti. La prevedibile e immediata reazione russa - che ha aggiudicato a Putin la prima mossa - ha solo messo in luce l'imbecillità del Presidente della Georgia il quale, da buon nazionalista, ha scelto (ancora una volta) la via della diversione bellica, contando su un aiuto statunitense che non poteva essere di intervento militare sul campo, invece di pensare alle disastrate condizioni del suo paese. Per inciso: si manifesta ulteriormente la pericolosità dell'essere alleati di Washington.

L'imperialismo, come forma di appropriazione o controllo monopolistico delle materie prime, delle fonti energetiche, e dell'esportazione di capitali; che sul piano ideologico in qualche modo si è coniugata con il nazionalismo europeo fiorito nel secolo XIX e con sentimenti, a volte mascherati da umanitarismo, di superiorità razziale - che in Europa non sono stati certo introdotti dal nazismo tedesco.

Costituisce ormai un classico l'interpretazione data da Lenin al fenomeno imperialista. Interpretazione che ha scavato nella sua essenza economica, individuandovi l'alto grado di sviluppo della concentrazione della produzione e del capitale, tanto da dare origine ai monopoli; la formazione (attraverso la fusione tra capitale industriale e capitale bancario) di un forte capitale finanziario e, quindi, di un'oligarchia finanziaria; la crescente importanza (non solo qualitativa) dell'esportazione di capitali in rapporto all'esportazione di merci; la ripartizione dei mercati mondiali fra le grandi potenze.

[English] [Ελληνικά - A' - Β']

يضع الاتحاد العام للأناركيين لنفسه نفس المهام التي تشغل جماهير الفلاحين المستغلة , و لكي يعمل كأساس , لاعبا نفس الدور الذي تلعبه النقابات الثورية بالنسبة للطبقة العاملة المدينية , عليه أن يحاول أن يطور شبكة من المنظمات الفلاحية الاقتصادية الثورية , و أكثر من ذلك , اتحاد فلاحي خاص يبنى على مبادئ لا سلطوية . كونه متحدرا من جماهير العمال , يجب على الاتحاد العام للأناركيين أن يشارك في كل جوانب حياتهم , دائما و في كل مكان جالبا روح التنظيم , العمل الجاد , الكفاحية , و إرادة المضي في الهجوم . عندها فقط سيكون قادرا على أن يقوم بدوره , للقيام بمهمته النظرية و التاريخية في الثورة الاجتماعية للعمال و يصبح سلاحها الأمضى المنظم في طريقهم نحو الانعتاق .