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Who controls the European Social Forum? national |
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news report
 Wednesday November 06, 2002 13:09 by see url
 Despite the media image, the European Social Forum is not a radical gathering. It is an instrument of large NGO's, political parties, and business - with a neo-corporatist agenda. Unofficial, unauthorised background to the ESF, opening in Florence today, 06 November 2002.
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/esf.html At the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, the WSF International Council decided to organise a separate Social Forum for each continent. It is not clear who exactly forms this International Council: there is no definitive list of its current members online. So far, there are plans for an Asian, a European, and a pan-American version. The European Social Forum opens this evening, Wednesday 06 November, in Florence (Firenze) and continues until Sunday 10 November. What are the reasons for these large assemblies of social movements? They were specifically created as an alternative to meetings of global business and political elites - such as the Davos Forum. However, they are not simply an 'anti-summit demonstration'. They have specific functions. First, the organisers hope to establish their credibility as 'The Leaders' of the social movements. The similarity to the global business forums also suggests, that they are equal partners of the global business leaders. Among the organisers there is some support for global corporatism, under the name of 'global civil society' or 'global governance'. This model implies that there are three main actors in global politics - global business, national governments, and transnational NGO's (non-governmental organisations). According to the global governance model, they should run the world together. Cynically defined, the World Social Forum is a step towards a Greenpeace-Shell World Government. Second, the organisers usually define some form of political programme for 'the movement' - according to their own priorities. That does not mean the organisers are a monolith - but only well-organised and well-funded groups can exercise influence, in the preparation of large international meetings. Because they control the organisation and structure, these established groups can influence any policy declaration of the Forum. Third, the Social Forums are an opportunity for official institutions to influence their opponents, with strategies of co-optation - and their so-called 'opponents' are often very happy to be co-opted. The World Social Forum was sponsored and influenced by the Ford Foundation, the Canadian Foreign Ministry, and the German Green Party. Its international Secretariat is also negotiating with the existing World Parliamentary Forum and the Forum of Local Authorities, for future joint activities. The initiative for the World Social Forum came primarily from ATTAC - a group close to the French Parti Socialiste, especially when Lionel Jospin was prime minister. ATTAC began as a simple lobby for a Tobin Tax, but became a focus of a wider economic-nationalist trend in France. It is supported by many NGO's - which is not surprising, since they propose to give the NGO's part of the money raised by the Tobin Tax. In the case of the European Social Forum, the organisers want to establish themselves as 'the leaders of the European social movements'. They want to become a negotiating partner of the European Union / European Commission. They probably hope for some official recognition of this status - and perhaps subsidy from the European Commission. (Note that there was already a body called the 'European Social Forum' in 1997/1998, it was a consultative group with the European Commission). So the underlying ideology here is neo-corporatism - the idea that Europe should be controlled by a tripartite structure, of business, NGO's and governments.
Despite the media image of an 'anarchist gathering', the European Social Forum is a semi-official meeting, under the patronage of the Region of Toscane (Tuscany) and the City of Firenze (Florence). Apparently the initiative came from the President of the Regional Administration - Claudio Martini of the Democratic Left. He was present at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, leading an official delegation. A clever man, several steps ahead of politicians in other countries, he saw the voter potential of the anti-globalisation movement. France and Italy were the two possible locations of the European Social Forum. In Italy, the location seems to be a question of money. The Region of Toscane and the City of Florence had more to offer than the other possible venues - Venice and Naples. The City of Florence subsidises the ESF, for instance with free accommodation for 5 000 people, and translation services. The Region of Toscane provides the Florence conference centre, without asking for payment in advance, and knowing the bill will probably never be paid. It is unclear who decided to locate the ESF in Italy: some reports mention a 'a delegation of European social movements' in Porto Alegre. However, there is no public record of this meeting, or the participants. Martini may have offered Florence as a location at that time. In any case, the choice of Florence aligned the European Social Forum with the 'Democratic Left' party, and made it part of Italian domestic politics. Two parties are especially involved, both descended from the old Italian Communist Party: the Democratic Left (Democratici di Sinistra, DS) and the Communist Refoundation (Partito della Rifondazione Comunista, PRC). The Democratic Left mayor of Florence, Leonardo Domenici, also supports the ESF. The city councillors of premier Berlusconi's party Forza Italia opposed it, but until October, there was no attempt to obstruct or harass the ESF by the Berlusconi government. Probably for domestic political reasons, Berlusconi decided (relatively late) to characterise the ESF as potentially violent. It soon became a national political issue. In a meeting with Claudio Martini on 17 April, the representative of the Italian Social Forums (Vittorio Agnoletto) gave assurances about the structure of the ESF - in defiance of all the propaganda about it being an 'open' structure. Martini demanded that the meeting should include a dialogue with 'the institutions' and insisted on a special role for the social organisations in the Region - many traditionally associated with his own party. (Vittorio Agnoletto himself stood as an independent candidate on the provincial list of the Communist Refoundation, in 2001). The 'organising meetings' for the ESF in other countries were therefore unreal, they had nothing to say about its structure. The organising committees in Italy made all the major decisions about the ESF - about who to exclude, about censorship, and about co-operation with the sponsors, acceptance of their conditions, about the structure of the ESF, and its agenda. The first decisions on the ESF in Italy were taken by a group of six people, meeting at the Rimini congress of the Communist Refoundation, PRC. The six original organisers were: At the meetings outside Italy, a small group of people had a disproportionate influence - for instance Christophe Aguiton of ATTAC France, Rafaela Bolini (ARCI), and Angela Klein (Euro-Marsch-Bewegung). It is inevitable that well-organised groups, with previous experience of European-level organisation, dominate the organisation of the ESF. However, there is always a price to pay for their efforts: they control the agenda, and probably the final political direction of the ESF. A slogan of the European Social Forum says that "another Europe is possible". But ultimately the organisers of the ESF accept the existing world, the existing Europe. Despite their leftist rhetoric, they believe in a liberal market democracy, a pluralistic parliamentary form of government, the rule of law, and property rights. They reject egalitarianism and the forced redistribution of wealth. They reject the use of force against democratically elected governments, no matter how racist or unjust they are. They insist that inequality and injustice in democracies must be accepted, until such time as it can be remedied by democratic means. Their see 'the movement' as their property, and they think 'the movement' is being damaged by radicals. They see it as their duty to exclude these radicals, and protect the status of the ESF as a 'responsible and moderate' negotiating partner for the European Union. From their own perspective, it is easy to understand why the organisers censor and manipulate the ESF. It is also easy to understand their attitude to, for instance, the Berlusconi government or the global financial institutions such as the WTO. They have different views - but Berlusconi and the WTO are their negotiating partners, not their enemies. Agenda and structure The first 'leaders' of the European Social Forum took important decisions about its structure . The agenda was at first very limited. Subsequently it expanded, but it remained under the control of the Italian organisers. Ultimately, they decide who speaks in Florence, at what time, and on what subject - and they insisted on a 'loyalty oath' to the WSF. Delegates must declare on the registration form that they support the 'ESF Charter' - which in fact is the WSF Charter. If not, people can only attend as a non-participant observer. Organisations must agree to the Charter, they can not get even observer status. If they refuse to sign: no admission. All events inside the conference centre must also "comply with the Charter". With these restrictions, the organising secretariat controls the topics and the speakers at the ESF - their opponents can attend, but only as spectators. The chosen structure is: six simultaneous plenary sessions every morning, for 2,000 people each, and 'debates' in the afternoon, shorter plenary sessions in the evening. All main speakers are chosen in advance by the organisers - anyone else gets a maximum of 3 minutes speaking time. Big international NGO's such as Amnesty have priority as main speakers. There are seminars in the afternoon, but only by organisations registered for the conference - remember that registration is on condition that they support the ESF Charter. Here too international NGO's such as ATTAC get priority in the allocation of seminar space. Even the many smaller workshops are only accessible for organisations which sign the Charter. A note on violence Remember that the ESF is not an anti-summit protest: it has no local target. There is nothing specific to demonstrate against, in Florence in early November. A large demonstration was planned, but it had no specific theme at first. The coming war in Iraq supplied the theme. But in principle, it means that the delegates will march around the city, and then go back to the conference centre. Not everyone will be satisfied with that, and some bank windows might be smashed. Probably, that is all. However, it is not just the actual violence which has an impact, but the atmosphere in the city, which itself is dependent on the media coverage prior to the ESF. In recent weeks Italian media coverage has been hostile - with exaggerated fears of the 'black block', and the idea that demonstrators specifically target the historic buildings of Florence. So even without much real violence, the image of a 'violent clash with anti-globalists' might be created. The organisers will condemn any violence, and say their movement is being discredited by a small minority. But in reality, as everyone knows, it is the violent minority which attracts the media. The organisers profit from the violence which they condemn, because it establishes them as representatives of an important social movement. The Italian dentist's convention, which is being held in Florence at the same time as the ESF, will get no international media coverage. If the ESF was as quiet and predictable as a dentists convention, it would get no coverage either.
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Comments (14 of 14)
Jump To Comment: 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1see url has clearly explained what is driving the esf and it is now obvious to me why chancers such as the swp and sp are so happy to be on board this feeble esf. It may be more interesting to examine some of the hundreds of social movements that will be there as perhaps some of these will be more genuine.
they´ve been dis-organising instead.
one more thing how many people will arrive at the ESF and just cop on immediately that it's a load of NGO's and wanna be in power stalinists and leninists weekend retreat?
but do enjoy your retreat yeah!
Ian, don't waste your time. These organisations are on the way out, and they know it. Let's keep on doing the good work and ignore them.
i wasnt slagging off people, i was simply agreeing with the article published here, and it is my OPINION that the ESF will be used by parties such as the SWP to put an official stamp of ownership/leadership on the "movement". Also the overwhelming amount of reformists attending would lead me to believe that such an event would be worthless. In comparison there are the PGA forum's which may be hosted here in Ireland sometime in the future and at home here recently the Grassroots Gathering. Compare the Grassroots Gathering and the PGA to say Marxism 2002 and the ESF, do you see the major differences, the freedoms the PGA and GG endured and the lack of the latter do.
you're missing the point, the sp or cwi has nothing to do with the organisation of the social forum. But that does not mean that we should not go and talk with people. Unless you think all of the hundreds of thousands who will attend are not worth talking to. You seem a wee bit elitist to me, unless everyone agrees with you they are leninist hacks! Thousands and thousands of people who are activists and trade unionists are going. And most have little to do with the organisation and even fewer are supporting everything every group involved says or do. They are going to meet activists around the world and protest against neoo liberalism and the war. And really your attitute to the rest of us is simply arrogant. There is no ban on converstion in the city. We may not be official organisers but we will take part in every workers movement possible rather than grandstanding arrogantly on the sidelines. We have many many disagreements with other groups and activists especially on the negri line which is prevealnt within the italian youth movement but we will still discuss with them. And try to convince rather than slag off people.
Global sattelite radio / TV broadcasting.
the english translation lacks intonative grace, so I´d recommend listening to the Italian.
If you´re the harware heavy type of techo-revolutionary then you point your dish due East
at the Hot Bird satelite 13°.
The Downlink Frequency: 12.520
Polarization: Vertical
Symbolrate 27.500 kSymb/s con GlodBox canal 150)
If you´re not that well equiped, then follow the link to sherwood.it
The TV broadcast of the disobedients explaining how not to work or shop might make good viewing, but I´m still technically anti-TV, even if its our TV.
There are plenty of reasons to be highly critical of the way in which the European Social Forum has been organised. Despite that, the ESF will still be a great opportunity for leftists and activists from all over the continent to meet and to discuss ideas.
The ESF has been organised by entirely unelected and unaccountable committees. These committees have been made up of reprentatives of "moderate" NGOs and people from Rifondazione Communista, Left Democrats and other political organisations. Irritatingly the "political" representatives have been doing their best to hide their particular affiliations - in other words their decision making isn't just unaccountable, it is shrouded in self-imposed secrecy. This situation has been mirrored in most of the national mobilisations. This is no way for a supposedly participatory and democratic event to be organised.
That said, the value of the ESF remains. If I could go I would and I would recommend going to others. The point is that next time this kind of event is planned it should be organised in a more inclusive and democratic manner.
Is it Mr Treanor himself of the "petition the EU to institutionalise Terrorism" satirical fame?
or is it someone else.
I think its a very well written article.
There are many legitiamate questions about any large scale gathering such as the ESF.
And everyone has noticed how keen the SWM are to be seen "at it´s heart".
ATTAC are the princile macro-economic reform group to have emerged in the last few years, adding to their popularity is the fact that they are non-anglo/american.
Many anti-capitalist, anti-globalist, anarchist and ecoplogists are taking part in ESF and ESF conincedental events in Florence this week.
Such as is almost always the way. I expect there will be many interesting ideas floating around Florence and Europe this week and next, though as with any "institutionalised meeting" such as WTF, WB, Social Forum, etc., the most interesting meetings of minds take place on the streets or by pure synchronicity.
Firenze is a beautiful city and it is also very "nice" that its guiding "urbano-crats" want to associate it with social debate in the 21st century.
Half of the almost thirty buses of text weilding intellectuals have now left Barcelona for Firenze, and the place is a little bit quiet without them. The megaphone buses are fuelling at this very moment. Now very keen readers will have noticed that during a key moment in geo-political activity a while back Ignatius the Indignant arranged for 300,000 right wing Roman Catholics to go to Rome and celebrate a canonisation of the founder of Opus Dei thus keeping them out of mischief in Ireland for the referendum and Columbia for the mass-mobilisations. Well it has occured to Mr O´ asif that certain elements may be trying the same thing. Attract all the intellectuals to Florence with the offer of cups of milky coffee and satellite links and all sorts of global credibility and whilst they´re there do all sort of nasty things back home.
So be warned...
If this week whilst all the really dedicated SWiMies and SP and leftie bolshoviks and really enthusiastic anarchists are out of town the little rascals might try and stage a coup d´etat or something.
I recommend leaving barricade material on the streets and distributing water purification tablets because you never know...
& just in case it´s all a cunning trick I won´t tell you if I´m going till the last minute.
So don´t worry about a thing.
The evolving revolution is safe.
Artilce from the Trotskyist press on the Italian rally
Jim Monaghan
From: [email protected]
[email protected]
Subject: [FI-P] IV345ESF
To: [email protected]
Bcc: Jim Monaghan
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FI-press-l Fourth International Press List
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Europe:
Aims without frontiers
International Viewpoint spoke to Michel Rousseau, a member of the
secretariat of the European Marches Against Unemployment, Job Insecurity
and Social Exclusions (www.euromarches.org) about the European Social Forum
in Florence.
More than five years after the big demonstration against unemployment in
Amsterdam in 1997, what is happening with the European Marches?
As luck would have it, the European Marches has just met in Amsterdam to
discuss the situation of the unemployed and insecure workers in Europe as
well as the network itself. After a short-lived relative fall, unemployment
figures are rising again throughout the European Union (EU). The Lisbon and
Barcelona summits have led to increased insecurity of work. Hence the
necessity for the organizations of the unemployed to strengthen themselves
on a European scale to fight against this mass long-term scourge. This is
not easy; after the movements of 1997/1998, the unemployed organizations
found it difficult to resist alone against ever more ferocious neoliberal
offensives with the return of the hard right in EU governments.
Only a consistent relationship of forces can beat back the bosses and their
governments. The general strike in Spain, just before the Seville summit
and prompted by Aznar's measures against the unemployed, shows the
necessary and possible convergences with the trade unions that are
possible. It is no longer enough to mobilize for protests. We need to score
some victories over those who create unemployment and poverty. If not, the
most deprived layers will turn to populist demagogues, as seen at the
elections in Austria, Italy or more recently in France.
Concretely, what are your perspectives for mobilization?
We think that to count at a European level, where the decisions are taken,
we have to elaborate common demands capable of building unitary struggles
beyond national frontiers. Easy to say, not always to do. Europe is really
diverse. For example, how do we fight on the question of income whether you
have a job or not, whether you are young or retired? If, on the eve of an
unprecedented expansion of the EU, we want to oppose policies of wage,
fiscal and social dumping, we need to demand the same social and wage
minima in every EU country. Therefore, we are organizing a European day of
debate and mobilization on October 30, 2002 on the question of income.
Apart from income question, we have to fight on a European scale for all
social rights. The new European constitution being prepared by the ad hoc
convention has reached a total impasse on these rights. That means we face
an unprecedented regression of everything won through long struggles in the
national contexts. We want to intervene on this terrain and the European
Social Forum in Florence should be an opportunity to reaffirm social
rights; rights like the right to work, to income, to housing are not for
sale in an EU reduced to a vast free trade area.
What do you intend to do in Florence?
We've waited a long time for this! We think that, while struggles in the
national frameworks are still useful and necessary, we need to establish
ourselves at the European level. The bosses have been constructing their
Europe for more than 50 years and for our part we are very late, at the
associative as well as the trade union or political level. At the ESF, for
the first time tens of thousands of activists will meet together to think
through and define an action strategy for another Europe in another world.
Certainly the organizations of the unemployed, the organizations of those
'without' - without work, without housing, without papers, must make sure
they are heard at such assemblies and we have to deepen the 'expertise', we
have to trace perspectives of struggle. So, at Florence we are proposing a
'European Assembly of Unemployed and Insecure Workers in the Struggle',
with seminars on insecure work and income. We will participate in seminars
organized on social rights, the convention, the conference of those
'without', in the final assembly of the social movements and so on. We hope
that Florence will allow us to elaborate unitary objectives of struggle for
the social movements on a European scale. Already we feel this is being
concretized: the very open process that our Italian friends have practiced
for the preparation of this Forum has already borne its fruits. We have
been able to note that all the organizations now seek contacts in every
country to transform themselves into 'European networks'. We want to
accelerate these convergences in Florence, coordinate our forces to oppose
neoliberal policies which sow misery across the richest continent on the
planet. In this 'unipolar' world, the task is urgent!
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it also shows why such groups as the sp and swp are interested in going, wouldnt it be nice to come marching back to ireland claiming to be the leaders of the "movement", the esf is a cop out!
The esf is impotant, it may not be a perfect revolutioary organisation (what is?) But it is a mass conference that including the anti war manifestation will see hundreds of thousands of workers and especially youth involved. It may not be perfect but we should be there.
it's a good article and does answer some very serious questions in regards to the ESF. And, not only does it answer these questions (mind you not all) but it also explains why the SWP are so intent on going to it.
no wonder the Left can't even tie its own shoelaces.
instead of being involved, you snipe and cut down.
instead of having solutions, you bash.
instead of being constructive, you undermine those closest to you and ignore the real enemy.
no wonder the Left is so pathetic.
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many good reasons to be critical of the Social Forum, but what you miss is that it asks for that criticism and asks for your involvement. Get it?