We do not want to pay for their crisis
The financial and economic crisis results from the process of globalized capitalism marked by the primacy given to the search for immediate profits, the reign of globalized finance and the commodification of everything. The consequences of this crisis become clearer day by day: the weakest are the most strongly affected. Millions of people throughout the world are already confronted with the loss of their employment and housing. Poverty, precariousness, climate, food and energy crises and permanent war are considerably increased.
Various “rescue” plans have consisted in using public money to refund the deficits of private banks and supporting big firms, although such amounts have been refused to meet social needs. These plans consist in “socializing” the losses without addressing the basic flaws of the system, ignoring basic needs of workers and the people, and speeding up the “reform” policies of dismantling social welfare. On the contrary it is necessary to rebuild solidarity, social rights, and collective guarantees. More than ever, it is essential to develop public services, the right to education, health, housing, electricity, water and public transport.
We refuse to pay for a crisis we are not responsible for
Mobilizations to address the effects of the crisis have already developed in several countries and sectors, both within the European Union and outside it: in Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, and others. It is urgent to coordinate the ongoing initiatives and struggles to build a joint movement at a European level. A few key dates offering a European and individual country dimension have already been set: in December 6th in Paris (Collective for Another Europe), on climate crisis in Poznan, on 12th December general strike in Italy, on 16th December in Strasbourg against the working time directive of the European Commission, and in March in Brussels for a social conference/counter-summit. In July Europe will host in Italy G-8 summit.
We, the Social Movements Assembly, gathered at the European Preparatory Assembly of he European Social Forum in Istanbul, call for the developing of initiatives and mobilizations to challenge the decisions taken and attacks launched by governments, day after day, in name of addressing the crisis, to say “No, We will Not Pay for your Crisis.”
We therefore call on the World Social Forum, meeting in Belem to be the occasion for launching a common Global Day of Action in the face of the global crisis.