UPDATE TO THE WORLD FORUM MOVEMENT ON THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM 2004

international | anti-capitalism | opinion/analysis

Thursday January 29, 2004 14:48

by activist

An overview and update on the ESF 2004 process.

UPDATE TO THE WORLD FORUM MOVEMENT ON THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM 2004

An overview and update on the ESF 2004 process:

From the start the ESF 2004 process has been on a difficult footing, with organisations that have opposed the setting up of local social forums calling for it to be held in London in 2004 – not the local social forums and those involved with them. Indeed, the Socialist Workers Party (http://www.swp.org.uk/) and their front group, Globalise Resistance! (http://www.resist.org.uk/, http://www.schnews.org.uk/mr.htm, http://www.schnews.org.uk/monopresist/monopoliseresistance/vampirealert.pdf) who are opposed to local forums, UNISON - which has had virtually no part to play in the anti-war or global justice movement -, and the CND, took it upon themselves to put in a bid at the ESF in Paris (2003). Local social forums and independent activists then argued that because the bid for 2004 had been submitted without the consent of local forums, 2004 was too soon for a London ESF; work needed be undertaken by all to discuss location, principles, organisational form, etc. For this reason, local social forums argued that 2005 would be a better year to hold the ESF in the UK (http://www.londonsocialforum.org/esf). This advice was not heeded, and at the European Preparatory Meeting (EPA) prior to the 2nd European Social Forum the bid was proposed; this was consequently accepted at the EPA on 10 December 2003. It wouldn’t be wildly inaccurate to say the entire process of getting the ESF to come to England in 2004 has been farcical – and points to some severe deficiencies in the ESF bidding process.

The subsequent proceedings have – not surprisingly - been controlled by the SWP/GR!, and people connected with the Greater London Authority (http://www.london.gov.uk/). They have called meetings at short notice (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284508.html), withheld information so as to be deliberately difficult to grassroots and independent activists, and presented agendas that activists are unable to discuss or question; they have imposed democracy rather than consensus on the proceedings, refused to contact people who have indicated an interest in giving support, and labeled those who have called for greater transparency and horizontal methods of organization as 'traitors' and 'wreckers' of the process (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284356.html, http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284379.html .

The Mayor of London and the hierarchy of those who called for the 2004 bid continue to shun attempts to broaden the call for more organisations to get involved, and even refuse to say who is pulling the strings in organizing the meetings (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284513.html). This logically leads some to conclude that the small cabal that is trying to dominate the event is attempting to exclude non-affiliated individuals and small organizations from having stalls or getting involved at all. At the very least, the GLA, SWP/GR, UNISON and the like are attempting to turn the ESF in London into a talking shop for the old-left - an event, rather than the an integral part of the anti-war, anti-capitalist or social justice movement in Europe. Indeed, the Mayor of London (head of the GLA) has personally called for social justice Mayday protesters to be arrested by the police – which include some of the people most active in the social movements in Britain itself! (See http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/may2001/may-m01.shtml, http://www.sheffieldmayday.ukf.net/2001/ken.htm)

It is a ludicrous that an organisation that has opposed the creation of local social forums in Britain – and done its utmost to disrupt attempts to create them – is now trying to gain hegemony over the ESF process in London. It claims that Britain is ‘not ready’ for local social forums, but more likely sees them as a threat to its own influence. So even though France and Greece have at least 100, and Germany 50, for example, Britain has very few. Has this been GR!’s intention from the start – to prevent social forums from existing in Britain until it could control an event that will launch them instead – and then claim to be the founder and initiator of local social forums, sell lots of newspapers and recruit activists? Whatever the case, the organisations that currently control the process have a warped notion of what the ESF and WSF are about, and are not representative of the forum movement globally, or the social justice movement.

It seems imperative - for the sake of the ESF and WSF - that something is done about this. It is now probably too late to stage the event in 2005 - which would allow us in Britain to properly discuss and organise a real bid to host the ESF. Instead the proceedings must become more transparent, using horizontal methods of organisation, with real consensus rather than imposed 'democracy' in meetings ‘packed’ by the authoritarian left. The events in England could seriously damage the reputation of the ESF and WSF as a whole, and should be a lesson to all of the regional social forums that the old-left can and will attempt to make the world forum movement a playground for its stale and failed form of politics at the expense of those who have worked so hard to really try and create a blueprint for a future society.

Further References:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284413.html - Overview of preparation
for ESF in London Nov. 2004.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284424.html - an excellent summary
of the internal goings on inside the ESF 2004 London process.

http://www.cpgb.org.uk/esf/ - updates and inside information on the workings
of the ESF 2004.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/12/282454.html - report from the
first ESF preparatory meeting.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284508.html
- - Meetings being called without transparency. The short notice of this
meeting prevents most from anywhere outside of London from attending;
is this inclusive organising? Proof at http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/284415.html.

http://www.fse-esf.org/ - European Social Forum 2003 Paris.

www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/wsf/ - World Social Forum discussion
documents.

http://www.gfk-ooe.at/projects/cp/esf/esf%20gb.pdf - Lina Jamoul – The European Social Forum : Reflections on the English Mobilisation.

save preference

Comments (9 of 9)

UNISON

by activist 2

Thu Jan 29, 2004 19:44

"UNISON - which has had virtually no part to play in the anti-war or global justice movement". What 'proof' have you got for this very sweeping statement activist?

unison

Thu Jan 29, 2004 21:15

What proof do you have that they didn't? This reformist, pro-Blair organisation has done nothing for the global justice movement. It orgnanises in a way that inimical to the foundations of the anti-capitalist/global justice movement, and sucks up to government. How can it be part of the same movement, when its clearly on the side of the oppressors?

Activism By Any Means Necessary

by UNISON Member

Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:16

UNISON members have been at the forefront of anti-war and anti-racist struggles in Ireland and UK.

What is the point in trying to subvert and destroy unity, the so called globalisation movement may think of forming a broad front of opposition and activism and not snipe at organisations whose members are allies. and who are struggling daily against exploitation and economic abuse...a protest a year will not replace capitalism..constant struggle and activism will win us this class war and trade unions have a role...

Activist you're playing the game of the oppressor..divide and rule..
REVOLUTION NOW

that's impossible!

Fri Jan 30, 2004 15:00

You say you want 'unity' and "REVOLUTION NOW" - sounds VERY cool doesn't it!

Yet you'd be happy to do this with an organisation that regularly sells even its own members out, let alone sucks up to pro-war, pro-capitalist, pro-authoritian Blair? The chances of having a revolution with UNISON on your side are less than that of finding the enormous stockpiles of WMDs that Saddam destroyed back in the mid 90s.

You need to stop deluding yourself with this nonsense about 'unity', because if unity means selling out on every principle, so as to go along with Blair's agenda then its simply called selling out, or betraying your own cause. You clearly need a revolution in your own head first.

Activist or Agent

by UNISON Activist

Fri Jan 30, 2004 15:20

I am Irish and therefore do not accept Blair or the British Government's agenda for the six counties it administers.

So activist do you get paid to divide workers or do you do it for the right wing ideals you aspire too. Lenin called Left wing comminism an infantile disorder..

Again real politics is defending and supporting the working class and leading by example...so what did you do for the revolution today ?

Hehe

Sun Feb 01, 2004 21:22

Hehe, highly amusing: you're telling us that UNISON is some great, potentially revolutionary organisation. And at the same time insinuating that I'm an 'agent of the state'...despite the fact that the state is very happy with the right-wing unions of this country!

When an argument becomes as facile as that, its barely worth responding... since I don't really believe either of us is actually an agent of the state (tho I can obviously not be 100% sure about yourself)...no, I waste my time anyway.

The stale, old-left doesn't really learn; and quoting Lenin - that authoritarian bastard (who wanted workers organised like an army, with officers and the like), - well his work was pretty much complete by the time he'd virtually rolled out the red carpet for Stalin. Bakunin predicted that sorry state of affairs many years previously, and was proven right in every respect, even if he wasn't as coherent as his opponents.

All I can say is, have fun selling out the working class through the pro-capitalist policies of UNISON. Whilst your doing that, I'll go on to try and create a truly different world - one without politicians, bosses and cops. This won't happen overnight, but at least I won't be selling out on every principle for which I stand. I won't bother arguing that its actually you that is acting in the interests of the state...no doubt Lenin would have a wise word to say about that too!

The Mayor of London....

by Londoner

Mon Feb 02, 2004 14:17

Islington, London

...is Ken Livingstone, and he, and the rest of the Greater London Council WERE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED by the people of London, unlike you, 'activist', and your tiny unrepresentative groups, whom most people will NEVER support.

Democracy - you mean statescraft.

Tue Feb 03, 2004 01:19

Tony Blair was democratically elected as well. Unlike Ghandi, Marx, Che, Marx, Kropotkin, Mother Theresa.... I wonder who's done more good for society?

Hitler

by Pedantic Fool

Tue Feb 03, 2004 02:36

Hitler was also elected. Got about 36% of the vote didn't he?

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Lockdown Skeptics

UPDATE TO THE WORLD FORUM MOVEMENT ON THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM 2004

Comments (9 of 9)