20.11.2003

Global revolution

European Social Forum: Despite the presence of some prominent individuals from European organisations on the platform, the discussion and debate on ‘Europe within liberal globalisation - the role of the EU and responsibilities of European states in the architecture of world powers’ generally remained uninspiring

Despite the presence of some prominent individuals from European organisations on the platform, the discussion and debate on ‘Europe within liberal globalisation - the role of the EU and responsibilities of European states in the architecture of world powers’ generally remained uninspiring, with only a couple of speakers raising questions and views which had any potential of cutting to the heart of the issue.

Susan George, vice-president of Attac France, revealed her reformist credentials - not to say her anti-Americanism - with her conclusion that the “democratic means we have at our disposal end with the nation-state, so we must use and participate within these to make Europe a counterweight to the political, cultural and military hegemony of USA”.

Antonia Tricarico from the Campaign to Reform the World Bank (Italy) was content to utter platitudes: “Since the WTO in Cancun, politics are now back on the agenda. So we must seize this political opportunity to achieve our political means.” It was George Monbiot who, unless I misheard him, made the most profound comments, pointing out the “paradox” of the world government and elites who, while “fighting for their own interests, also create universal working class interests … which will sow the seeds of their own destruction and thus forge us into a political movement which will change the cause of history”.

His call for a “global democratic revolution” certainly caught the attention of many of those in the audience, but how serious Monbiot actually is remains to be seen.