From: John Milios (jmilios@HOL.GR)
Date: Tue Jun 07 2005 - 17:31:25 EDT
Jerry,
Attached is the draft of a Decraration of European Economists for an
Alternative Economic Policy in Europe on the French (and Dutch) NO to the
"European Constitution".
Cheers,
John
-----Original Message-----
From: OPE-L [mailto:OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU] On Behalf Of glevy@PRATT.EDU
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 2:10 PM
To: OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU
Subject: [OPE-L] The New European Anti-Globalization Movement?
One of the premises of globalization theorists was that nation-states and
rivalry among nation-states are being replaced in a new 'global economy' by
international cooperation, de-territorialization, and eventually a single
world [capitalist] society.
The "No" votes against the EU Constitution by voters in France and the
Netherlands challenges this belief. The move towards international economic
and political integration has -- to put it mildly -- hit a bump in the road.
-- Does this development demonstrate the folly of believing that there was a
trend towards a single global empire?
-- Doesn't this show that nation-states and nationalism are at least as
strong a force today in the "North" as it was throughout the 20th Century?
Is there any reason to believe that nationalism is any lesser of a force
within the nations in the "South" than it was in the post-WW2 period?
-- There are many radicals who argue that the anti-globalization movement
is really an anti-capitalist movement. Yet, the French and Dutch citizens
who cast their votes against the EU Constitution weren't casting their votes
against capitalism. Indeed, many of those who opposed this move towards
globalization were reactionaries. A hot issue, for instance, that stirred
patriotic and racist voters was immigration. Another (racist) issue
concerned who would be allowed to join the EU with some fearing the possible
entry of Turkey into the EU.
And, of course, there were old nationalist fears and suspicions of the
motives of other European nations -- fears and suspicions which are a
long-standing part of the history, folk lore, and culture of some of these
nations. However, there were also legitimate reasons for workers to have
voted "No", e.g. the decline in real wages in the Netherlands after the
switch from the Guilder to the Euro. Under these circumstances, should
Marxists have supported a "Yes" or a "No" vote on the Constitution?
-- Assuming that this crisis -- at a minimum -- delays the prospect of
extending and strengthening the European Union, might this be seen as being
beneficial to "The Empire", i.e. the US? Would that be a reason to support
the formation of another capitalist "superpower" to challenge the US (Tony
Negri's position, apparently)?
-- there is another anti-globalization, but not anti-capitalist, movement:
the Islamic fundamentalist movement. With globalization then under attack in
--
o the South: e.g. the prospects for a regional trade association
in Latin America which would pursue an agenda quite different
from that which Neo-Liberalism wants to continue to impose upon
that region;
o an anti-globalization/anti-capitalist movement internationally
with activist networks of workers, students, and others;
o in Europe: increased national rivalry and divisions;
o in many areas of the Middle East and Asia: Islamic
fundamentalism growing in strength, militancy, and popularity;
will we see a move away from the 'globalist' Neo-Liberal model to some other
international strategy (a new 'mode of regulation'?) by capital?
-- How will China and Russia affect this process? China (i.e. Chinese
capital) might be seen as "benefiting" from globalization, but it is not
always so easy to predict what the Chinese government will do.
Russia, as well, is a wildcard. At any rate, nationalism is certainly as
strong today in Russia as it was at any point during the preceding century.
Wouldn't this tend to work in the direction of greater nationalist rivalries
and increased prospects for regional military intervention?
-- With divisions internally and opposition externally, will the
"globalizers" be forced into taking more and more desperate actions to "stay
the course"? How will the Empire Strike Back?
In solidarity, Jerry
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