duminică, 21 decembrie 2008

Mexico, Greece- the same problem

The most visible similarity: both countries belong to the so-called "Euro-American democratic system".
They have a Parliament, a Government, a Police.
But there is an incredible low confidence in the government and in the authority of the police forces.
In Mexico, a federal police officer was arrested because she kidnapped a kid and killed him. She was part of an anti-drug traffikers taskforce. She worked closely with the Mexican Attorney General and the chief of the Federal Police. Mexican citizens are reluctant at the idea that the central government and the federal police will be able to put down the increased violence raised by even stronger drug cartels.
In Greece, two police officers were thrown in jail for deadly shoting an unarmed 15-year-old kid. The Conservative government is accused of failing to solve the economic hardships experienced by a growing frustrated youth in a socially and financially unsecure situation.
So the law enforcement forces are seen to no longer provide safety in two democratic countries.

Possible scenarios:
1. The Euro-American democracy will be able to restructure itself and to cope with the increased social frustration.
2. The Euro-American democracy will refuse to accept its problems of legitimacy and it will be soon replaced by another social structure.
3. The Green and the Feminist Parties will join hands and will replace an ineffective and unrepresentative democratic structure.
4. Anarchy and chaos will prevail in most Euro-American countries.
5. The Communist or the Nazi ideology will suddenly become attractive.
6. Other option(s) I haven´t thought about.

I repeat the idea I got from Thoreau´s civil disobedience:
If a government fails to properly represent the needs of its citizens, it should be removed by organized social groups (students, unions, anarchists, radicals, anti-globalization activists, Green and Feminist factions, artists, intellectuals). With a low confidence in democracy among the Euro-American low and middle class citizens, politicians and law enforcement agencies should restructure themselves without becoming repressive, oppressive, totalitarian or without declaring martial law or state of emergency. This would trigger more violent clashes between protesters and police forces.
The army should be used in no situation which is linked to social frustration directed at a illegitimate, unrepresentative and undemocratic political establishment.
France, Hungary, Greece...The tsunami is quickly sweeping the European corporate rule of government affairs.

Italy will be the host of the 2009 G8 meeting (this will be in July).
European elections in June 2009.
From July 2009, the presidency of the European Council will be assumed by Sweden. The current Swedish Prime-Minister is the leader of a coalition of right-oriented parties. Let us see how good will he be at dealing with increased social frustration in the Union.

I predict a hellish summer in 2009. Just imagine: students´unions, radical activists, anarchists, workers´ unions, anti-globalization activists, anti-war activists, leftist extremists, communists, socialists, anti-American activists, intellectuals, artists, all joining hands to oppose the inefficiency of the Euro-American democracy. And even to remove the unrepresentative liberal democracy within the Union.
I predict the most serious crisis of the liberal democracy.

Be prepared for a couple of nightmare years.

The Greek syndrome threatens to win the French already-divided society. HERE
German anarchists prepare for larger protests. HERE
Swedish anachists prepare for larger protests. HERE
‘We will not stand by as the children of Europe are sacrificed to the gods of capitalism: we will fight.’- French students repeat the 1968 success HERE

2 comentarii:

  1. "4. Anarchy and chaos will prevail in most Euro-American countries."

    Out of curiosity, what do you believe Anarchism entails?

    Because either you're referring to a complete breakdown in social order, or the Anarchist movement and I highly doubt you're one to conflate the two and state, "Anarchism is chaos."

    RăspundețiȘtergere
  2. I´m not good at Anarchist Theory. I´m just a social critic of democracy. And I´m not even directly connected with the Anarchist Movemement. Which allows though for me to be sympathetic with the social claims made in Greece, which are also indicative of the democratic breakdowns.
    Yes, it´s a good question: in what sense did I use these terms, Anarchy and Chaos? I don´t really know but I suppose even myself I´m pretty much confused.

    RăspundețiȘtergere