protectionism against the poore countries. European cereal producers become ecologists and defend restrictions to the importation of cereals from Southeast Asia, arguing that long distance transport com sumes fossil fuels and is therefore incompatible with the environment. A similar argument has been mustered by French groups to support the burning of Spanish trucks carrying apricots. They have even produced a novel variation, that of the "climactic clause", which attacks imports from more benig climates because they destroy the markets for local products.
In all these cases the defence of economic interests, which may in some cases be perfectly legitimate, ceases to be legitimate when they are not formulated clearly. The least one can ask from those who are defending their economic interests is that they stop camouflaging or attempting to hide them with reference to the health of the working children of the poor countries or the deterioration of the planet.
What is certain is that the levels of consumption and production of the North cannot be exported to the South, and on the other hand, that the crisis of the market economies — in their actual dynamic — social regres- BUY sion in the CHILDREN'S DON T developed countries. Are we for reform and regulation to better the social conditions and reduce the negative effects of the ecological crisis? Perhaps, as an
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* Social clauses immediate demand. That is, to attempt to transform the foundations of international commerce in the capitalist sphere through the establishment of more equitable exchange and the regulation of commercial relations taking into account social and ecological impact (environmental norms and social clauses in agreement with the recommendations of the WLO) is merely basic politics
It is not possible to solve the social and ecological crisis without questioning the market economies (capitalism, to be precise). Internationalisation and globalization are the models of capital, where competitiveness acquires its true dimension. Internationalised capital desires full liberalisation—of capital flows — to be able to operate with maximum freedom at the world level. What we criticise is the GATT-WT, the Europe of Maastricht and the way in which economic relations are organised at a world level. What is our model?
Faced with the liberalisation of world commerce, it is necessary to demand autonomous projects, stressing the importance of internal demand in relation to exports. To sustain the pulse of internal demand is essential for economic stability, development and employment. It is not a matter of eliminating foreign trade, but a matter of focusing production towards internal needs and having the exports finance the necessary imports for the consumption pattern chosen by the economic model. Of course, we are thinking about a model of consumption with powerful collective demand: housing, health, education, environment, public transport... In sum, it is a matter of placing the external sector at the service of internal demand and not the other way around.
which affect the survival of all of humanity.
It seems convenient not to forget a simple rule: think globally, and act locally. For example, competitiveness, the increase of international trade and production destined for export, require the unstoppable growth of motorised mobility and therefore, massive consumption of non-renewable energy sources, which are cheap in cash prices but extremely expensive in social and ecological costs, and great networks of transportation. Obviously, the goddess of competitiveness also needs — in the interest of coherence — profound structural reforms (liberalisation of economic sectors, privatisation, gradual erosion of collective gains, reduced taxation for capital...) and absolute mobility for capital (which unleashes financial bubbles and speculation).
In addition, in an increasingly petitive world the "solution" to the problems of employment in Europe requires the elimination of the "rigidities" of the so called welfare state (working conditions, wages, and social benefits) or the deepening of important function in the organisation of our economic and social structures. The Madrid Declaration of the Alternative Forum, "The Other Voices of the Planet, "(October, 1994) stated: "economic globalization and ecological globalization appear as two faces of the same coin, inseparable from the new configuration of the capitalist system(...) in consequence, it is necessary to oppose this process returning to the community the full capacity of decision over the responsible utilisation of its natural resources." In the face of globalization the defence of the local economy is part of the struggle for a socially and ecologically sustainable economy.
Contrary to appearances, value systems and ethical systems are not peripheral or collateral to science and technology — in spite of the aseptic way in which they are presented to society -but are rather its foundation and its motor force. In large measure, hard technologies (centralised, capital intensive, with high consumption of raw materials and energy, and high production of residues) from the age of development are precisely
French President Jacques Chirac en tour in Africa
At the same time, the idea of a nation-state no longer serves as an efficient unit of government: it is too large to take care of the problems of local citizens and, simultaneously, it is limited by concepts that are too partial to tackle the problems of global interdependence. Today, centralised governments can neither act locally nor think on a global scale. Therefore, political decentralisation and local development have become an urgent necessity: the local options which we now face are no longer exclusively social — more roads, schools or hospitals — which affect only a small part of the population; it is a matter of choosing between principles of self-organisation - centralisation or decentralisation, intensive use of capital or human resources, hard or soft technologies... 18 International Viewpoint super-exploitation in the peripheral countries.
The dominant paradigm of neoliberal economics requires greater investments in infrastructure of high volume transport, as supports to competitiveness and economic growth, at the same time that it promotes processes of private accumulation of capital. It aims to promote communication between the great centres of finance, consumption and production, rather than balancing the territory, guaranteeing access or creating employment.
For all these reasons, and given the fact that our situation of imbalance is in great measure the consequence of indiscriminate growth, the choice of scale will fulfil an those which spark environmental crises and massive unemployment. They are the cause of the irresponsible environmental mortgage we impose on future generations. They and their organisational- productive form, are the paradise of the ideals of productive and reproductive capital. We should judge technologies and economic activities in terms of their thermodynamic efficiency instead of their profitability, and social aspects can never be considered marginal when it comes to choosing between technologies.
Priorities should be set on activism in the field of consumption and production of energy, promoting vigorously energy efficiency and the utilisation of renewable sources
Committee for a Different Europe, c/o A SEED Europe, P.O. Box 92066, 1090 AB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
E-mail: ander.europa@aseed.antenna.nl, Tel: (+31) 20/66.82.23.6 of energy. It is necessary also to consider a new industrial strategy which bets on democratisation, a transition to clean production, and moves toward the disappearance, reduction, reconversion, expansion or creation of industrial sectors.
High-priority elements for local sustainable development include clean production of non-toxic, useful goods which are lasting, repairable, recyclable, and require minimal packaging, and soft technologies produced on a decentralised and small scale, which are human-factor intensive and have reduced environmental impact because they are based on the use of renewable resources and on the constant recovery of materials which are easy to control socially. This is what we must research, if we are to advance towards a more democratic and free society. What we research and develop today will determine the life of future generations.
On the other hand, concerning employment, in present day societies work is for the great majority of the population a means of access to a wage, housing, some independence, and in places where such things exist, to social benefits. The right to a job formula for recovering the surplus for the employers, for increasing surplus value and the rate of exploitation.
Nevertheless, we all know that it is not the same to work calculating the profitability of financial investments, "placing" securities or selling endless products of dubious utility, than to work co-operatively on projects of solidarity, recovering the forests or lending assistance to marginalised collectives.
Therefore, it is necessary to promote socially useful and environmentally sustainable occupations in local activities, which will allow the improvement of the quality of life of the community. As G. Lunghini arg ued, in a paper presented at a seminar on unemployment and the spreading of work organised by the Fundación de Investigaciones Marxistas, in April of 1994, : "to search for the solution to the problem of unemployment, not in the market sphere of production of exchange values, but in the production of use values. There are many socially useful jobs which can produce things which are never found in the market but
Social clauses which nevertheless are in urgent demand... Allocating more resources to education, health, social assistance and the care of nature(...) to pay the unemployed a salary not through the market, in exchange for jobs not of the market, although useful to society. One could recover then, in a world dominated by exchange value, the category of use value."
In summary, it is necessary to promote a more local economy in which economic activity is territorially linked, promoting the development of internal resources and therefore local jobs, and on the other hand, the countries of the North should select in a positive fashion their trade with the underdeveloped countries to set the foundation for harmonious economic development which will seek the preservation of the soils and forests, energy efficient technologies, housing, food, potable water, education and public health.
There will be no sustainable development allowing the survival of all of humanity in the global village, without a new value system. This is a challenge which cannot be postponed. *
Towards a different Europe!
determines the right to a dignified life if not to life itself. In the Spanish economy, for example, unemployment hovers around 24%
Aternative conterence, demonstrations of the economically active population, the highest of any country of the OECD. In the face of this situation it is argued that all stratana omer actva egies aimed at reducing unemployment The Dutch Committee for a Different Europe invites you to take part in debates and actions for a require significantly greater rates of growth (Delors' White Book, EU Commission, • preparations for the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) are leading to the dismantling of 1993). Instead, it should be recognised that public services and social security and rising unemployment in almost every EU member state. the main goal propelling development is not • the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) has begun: the fifteen member states are negotiating the reduction of unemployment, but greater to revise the Maastricht Treaty, the treaty that has propelled the European Union into its current profits. crediblity crisis. According to plan, these negotiations are supposed to end with the signing of a
Accordingly, in tune with the demands of new treaty by the heads of government during their June 1997 Amsterdam summit. this script, of this mode of production, in Together the EMU and IG will largely determine the character of the European Union and thus Europe and in Spain in particular there is a the daily lives of Europe's citizens. But discussion of these developments is going on mainly among tendency to copy the characteristics of the American labour market, which is precarious For the moment there is no broad debate under way about the threats posed by European and deregulated, cheap, unqualified, and integration, like the plans for an EU defense bloc, with the "Europeanisation" of the nuclear arsenals lacking in social benefits. of France and the United Kingdom. Our Europe must be a Europe that carries out a strong social and
To treat the problem exclusively within environmental policy, creates jobs, eliminates the democratic deficit, offers equal opportunities to the limits of the market, of the capitalist women and men, safeguards the rule of law, is hospitable to refugees, is open to the East and in environment itself, within the framework of solidarity with the South, disarms in order to contribute to peace, and promotes sustainable the production, sale and consumption of commodities, places us under direct Parallel to the June 1997 Amsterdam Summit, there will be an alternative conference, dependence on the system, side-stepping real demonstrations and other activities. We invite all progressive parties, groups, NGO's and others to social needs. The market does not generate social integration, nor do the production processes removed from the decisions of the workers themselves eliminate exploitation and pauperisation, nor does work in the market sector overcome the alienation of a productivist and consumerist value system. The cult of work is also a ruthless and perfect social, green, democratic and teminist Europe.
politicians.
development both inside and outside Europe.
take part in this Summit for a Different Europe.
Get in touch!
#280, September 1996 19
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