(en) i-f-a.org: Greece - We say no - We are taking our lives
in our hands by Libertarian communists' initiative
The referendum on the 5th of July is an important milestone for our country but also for
the current developments on the European continent. An old continent which is used to
eating the flesh of its own people through wars of states and through ethnic cleansing. A
continent which tends to lose all its youthfulness and dynamic, locked behind its borders
and fences, determined to protect nothing but the treasury of its banks. ---- The
SYRIZA-ANEL coalition attempted through diplomatic channels of the dominant European
institutions to change power relationships. We never had the illusion that this coalition
would make the "three institutions" to agree to "humanize" their claims: It was expected
not to succeed. The Governments of the member States of the European Union are creeping
behind the hegemony of the German State, while men like Hollande and Renzi stutter without
daring to take a step forward, in fear of disturbing these balances.
For us, next Sunday's referendum is a small station -by no means the most important- in
the daily struggle of defending and restoring the dignity of people in work or
unemployment, of offering a new, creative and open life in miserable city neighborhoods or
abandoned villages.
The real issue is not the Euro or Drachma dilemma, as there is no progressive or
non-currency. The real issue is to find out who holds and take advantage of the generated
wealth: the people who produce it or the exploiters and usurers?
For us, a clear NO to the proposals of usurer bankers, foreign and local, is just one step
in the struggle for the emancipation of society from the state plans, government
operations, legal chicanery and financial mazes. The debt issue is a monstrosity of the
capitalist system, of state and supranational patrons, which is cured only by opposing
those causes in a straightforward way. Against state diplomacy, which is a game (as they
call it) in their "own court", the only road we know is solidarity.
It should be noted as well that we must not underestimate or ignore that political
developments in Greece have a strong impact on the international competitive movement.
Let's not overlook the importance for us of social movements, rebellions, even internal
balances of authoritarian institutions (such as government coalitions, parliamentary
compositions etc.) in other countries, as influential or less influential benchmarks.
We have to set right now the basis for our liberation from the grip of the Market Economy.
Against the economies of growth, it's about time to push towards the perspective of a
stable economy, of an everyday life economy and not of an economy which is the pillar of
banks, companies or the state itself. In other words, a community-controlled economy.
Community savings banks, mutual banks and an economy which evolves based on the
communities, regions or confederations is our answer to the ATMs' and sinking funds' terror.
Against the bloodthirsty nation-state and the supranational mechanisms which tend to grow
into new empires, it's about time to lay the foundations for the libertarian confederalism
by establishing confederations of free municipalities and regions.
Against the "democracy" of secret councils behind closed doors of the palaces of Herodes
Atticus or Brussels, it's about time to lay new, truly democratic institutions, based on
the idea of direct democracy. After all, we live in the cradle of (direct) democracy and
this must be an example for us. An example to follow, not to replicate in a bad way.
The old, well-known anarchist slogan "to take our lives in our hands", it's about time
this slogan took shape in the form of social ownership. Besides, all the great explorers
travelled in "uncharted waters".
Libertarian communists' initiative.
http://i-f-a.org/index.php/communique-d-autres-organisations-10/692-we-say-no-we-are-taking-our-lives-in-our-hands
