1989: The wall falls, capitalism triumphs.
1999: Protesters stop the World Trade Organisation meeting in Seattle, but globalisation continues to deregulate everything and carve up the world for the global economy.
2008: Folks, its all gone pear shaped!
Recession has hit. America first, Ireland now, Britain next. Prices continue to rise, food, homes and energy begin to slip out of reach. Wages have stagnated for years, now we all face the chop. The government is getting ready for millions more unemployed over the next five years, and they’ll face the harshest forced-work programs since Victorian times – just to get the pittance of the dole. It is no longer cost effective to employ you. You are not buying anything anymore. The banks have fucked it up, they won't lend because the cash flow has dried up, so now they crash. Northern Rock, Lehman Brothers, Bradford & Bingley.
First priority of the politicians who claim to be in control of the market? Bail out our banker buddies! That’s $700 billion of US workers' money, to be given to the speculators so they can start playing roulette with our lives again. The millions of us who didn’t actually cause this crisis are told to accept ‘wage restraint’. Down here everyone waits, and works, and worries. We can call for more state intervention, we can moan about how this particular crash is the fault of this particular policy by this particular party or this particular Plc. – or we can accept it's not the players, it’s the game.
Capitalism isn’t in crisis; capitalism IS crisis!
Now is our time, if we are brave enough to seize it, to say that as long as capitalism continues, we can never be secure. But now, for once, they are insecure like us. We say let them suffer their own crimes, no bailouts for the bosses! So, we won't beg for ‘no repossessions’, we will join our neighbours and resist, and the bailiffs won’t dare tread on our streets! We won't accept ‘wage restraint’, we will organise in workplaces and unions to win what we need! More than this, one day we will seize control of our own economy, so their system can do no more damage. But for now, we will take to the streets.
On Friday 10th October, we call all anarchists, radicals and people who have their eyes on the ball to join us to pay a visit to the bank manager. We will take more than anger, we will take a clear threat, and one that cannot be soothed. The bankers are our enemies, the bosses are our enemies. Today we will suffer this crisis as we suffer their crimes, but we also see their weakness and in that we find hope. Bankers, bosses, politicians listen up: Your time is soon over, our time is now!
1999: Protesters stop the World Trade Organisation meeting in Seattle, but globalisation continues to deregulate everything and carve up the world for the global economy.
2008: Folks, its all gone pear shaped!
Recession has hit. America first, Ireland now, Britain next. Prices continue to rise, food, homes and energy begin to slip out of reach. Wages have stagnated for years, now we all face the chop. The government is getting ready for millions more unemployed over the next five years, and they’ll face the harshest forced-work programs since Victorian times – just to get the pittance of the dole. It is no longer cost effective to employ you. You are not buying anything anymore. The banks have fucked it up, they won't lend because the cash flow has dried up, so now they crash. Northern Rock, Lehman Brothers, Bradford & Bingley.
First priority of the politicians who claim to be in control of the market? Bail out our banker buddies! That’s $700 billion of US workers' money, to be given to the speculators so they can start playing roulette with our lives again. The millions of us who didn’t actually cause this crisis are told to accept ‘wage restraint’. Down here everyone waits, and works, and worries. We can call for more state intervention, we can moan about how this particular crash is the fault of this particular policy by this particular party or this particular Plc. – or we can accept it's not the players, it’s the game.
Capitalism isn’t in crisis; capitalism IS crisis!
Now is our time, if we are brave enough to seize it, to say that as long as capitalism continues, we can never be secure. But now, for once, they are insecure like us. We say let them suffer their own crimes, no bailouts for the bosses! So, we won't beg for ‘no repossessions’, we will join our neighbours and resist, and the bailiffs won’t dare tread on our streets! We won't accept ‘wage restraint’, we will organise in workplaces and unions to win what we need! More than this, one day we will seize control of our own economy, so their system can do no more damage. But for now, we will take to the streets.
On Friday 10th October, we call all anarchists, radicals and people who have their eyes on the ball to join us to pay a visit to the bank manager. We will take more than anger, we will take a clear threat, and one that cannot be soothed. The bankers are our enemies, the bosses are our enemies. Today we will suffer this crisis as we suffer their crimes, but we also see their weakness and in that we find hope. Bankers, bosses, politicians listen up: Your time is soon over, our time is now!
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Hey some of us have got bank accounts unlike you dole living activists
09.10.2008 11:40
Working man
Agree, working-man, was tounge in cheek...
09.10.2008 14:55
I'd just like to say, we agree with you entirely. We are all working-people, mostly very insecure and low-waged (I'm minimum wage and can only just keep up rent payments...). The title of the protest was supposed to come across as a tounge in cheek statement about capitalism itself, not about the banks per se, as yes, a faster collapse would fuck all of us over very much! This was probably just misjundged use of language, sorry for any confusion!
This protest is about the very fact that we, ordinary working people, are overwhelmingly paying the cost of the bankers/bosses/politicians total fuck-ups. And now to add insult to injury the gov are giving £500billion (!?!) of our money to the same eejits who've stuffed it up!
So, maybe if yer not at work, you can join the protest (personally, Ill be stuck at work, making a rich man richer).
But more importantly, maybe you can help us in contributing to helping re-organise the labour and community movements, to defend ourselves from these attacks?
Cheers and solidarity,
Reading L&S.
Reading L&S
Homepage:
http://www.libertyandsolidarity.org
what for?
09.10.2008 20:23
What is the aim of this event?
I agree that "Capitalism isn’t in crisis; capitalism IS crisis!", but surely the best response to this is to sieze the opportunities it presents, rather than have a publicity stunt could make leftists and anarchists look stupid, with a slogan like "Collapse Faster".
It appears like it could easily be a disappointing first action for a group that seemed sensible and wanting to approach real issues that ordinary people are having in a pragmatic way.
I hope that you drop the "Collapse Faster" slogan, and choose rhetoric more sensible, emphasising that we need democracy and socialism for the economy, and the importance of grassroots organisations in our communities and workplaces - as your very good position documents state.
We need rhetoric that ordinary people will respond well to, and "Collapse Faster", while intended as 'tongue-in-cheek' will probably alienate ordinary people, who might otherwise be interested in an anti-capitalist perspective on the economic crisis. The proletariat will end up paying dearly for the collapse and bailout - and most people dont realise this yet.
Embra Jon
Almost afraid to comment
10.10.2008 08:45
Perhaps people in huge numbers will refuse to leave their homes or will squat the empty offices, seize land from livestock farmers to grow food, do meaningful work instead of pointless toil, share resources, make their own sustainable energy. Perhaps...perhaps...
Silent rejoicer
What's in a name
10.10.2008 10:48
Anyway, see you there tonight!
Pond
Get a Grip
10.10.2008 23:27
If you don't have a job I guess you can say what you like. But many people who come here work, save money and just want a fairer future. We dont want social collapse.
Posts like this make me despair about any form of social justice. When posts are made that make activists look like misinformed children playing games to 'smash the system', it does none of us any good.
Please....read and understand what caused this, try to find out what is happening and work for a better future....dont play publicity games that make pressure groups look like headline grabbing egomaniacs.
Wuffa
Solution to capitalist crisis-Economic Democracy!
17.10.2008 14:48
Let's replace the fascist global casino with Economic Democracy!
No Corps
Homepage:
http://www.prout.org/