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T H E · P A V I N G · S T O N E
=================================
*Summary of the STAMP process & discussions for organizing the PGA Europe summer encounters in 2006*
*Last update: May 29th 2006*
*Le Pavé is available in french:* http://stamp.poivron.org/LePav%C3%A9
-----------------
Table of Contents
-----------------
.. contents::
*Notes*:
- C: point of consensus within STAMP
- D: point of debate/discussion within STAMP
-----------------------------------------------------------
A: European PGA conference, summer 2006: dates and contacts
-----------------------------------------------------------
A-1: Reminder: the pga hallmarks
--------------------------------
The objective of PGA meetings and the PGA network is to link up with
local groups who are in agreement with PGA hallmarks. These are:
1. A clear rejection of feudalism, capitalism, imperialism, along with
all businesses, institutions and governments who promote destructive
globalisation.
2. A clear rejection of all forms and systems of domination and
discrimination including patriarchism, racism and religious
fundamentalism. We recognise the basic dignity of all human beings.
3. An attitude of confrontation, because we do not believe that lobbying
can have a major impact on either partially or anti-democratic
organisations, for whom international capital is the only real factor in
determining their politics.
4. A call for direct action and civil disobedience, support for social
movements and their struggles, emphasising forms of resistance that
maximise respect for life and the rights of oppressed peoples, as well
as the building of alternatives to global capitalism.
5. A philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy. PGA is a tool
for co-ordination, not an organisation.
PGA has no members and no legal representation. No organisation and no
person can represent the PGA.
A-2: Conference dates
---------------------
The conference will take place from August 19th till September 3rd.
(9+2+4+1)
These dates take into account school holidays and other events already
arranged for next summer such as camps, meetings and rallies, (for
instance the preparatory camp for the 2007 German anti-g8 summit, a
Rostock camp planned for August 2006, mobilisations planned in England
and the French Alps...).
- 9 days of decentralised conferences : from saturday the 19th to sunday the 27th
- 2 second days of cleaning and travelling towards the ce,tralised place : monday the 28th and tuesday the 29th
- 4 days of centralised conference : from wednesday the 30th to saturday the 2nd of september
- 1 day of cleaning : sunday the 3rd
A-3: The next international meeting
-----------------------------------
- It will take place in "Les Tanneries" in Dijon, on July 14th, 15th, 16th. It will be preceded and followed by days of collective work to set up the necessary structures for the centralized moment of the PGA conference this summer. It is very important as many people as possible come, and stay as long as possible, to make this happen. We need your help!
- Please get in touch: stamp-dijon@pgaconference.org
A-4: The next STAMP meeting
---------------------------
- It will take place in "La Friche" in Lyon, from June 2nd to June 5th.
- Contact: stamp-lyon@pgaconference.org
A-5: Contacts
-------------
A-5-1: Available resources
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Mailing-list for internal process discussion, and public contact:
stamp@poivron.org.
- A wiki (collaborative website) for grouping meeting reports and
facilitating collective work on texts: http://stamp.poivron.org/ (to
join and use it, register your nickname and then send a mail to
stamp-www@pgaconference.org).
- A public website, with succinct & practical up-to-date information about the conference: http://pgaconference.org/ (contact: stamp-www@pgaconference.org).
- Internet discussion list PGA Europe wherein we try as much as possible
to translate/communicate important announcements and discussions
concerning the organisational process to the European list:
pga_process_europe@squat.net
- an annoucement list called pga-annouce@pgaconference.org for people
who are not on the pga_process list but to have regular informations
about the conference. To subscribe: http://pgaconference.org/mailman/listinfo/pga-announce
- a rotating secretary, dealing with outside requests for information: stamp@poivron.org
A-5-2: Resources soon available
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- phone contact for secretary
- D: A good degree of transparency and visibility was achieved during the
lead up to the 2004 Belgrade conference regarding the ongoing organising process.
This was disseminated to the European lists, via the pga_process list and enabled
positive international input. Presently we are communicating mainly via the
internal STAMP list. Unfortunately this has the effect of minimising
interaction with other European collectives. So we really need to find
urgent solutions for that.
A-6: Documentation
------------------
General remark: we still have a great deal of work to do: translation,
photocopying, distribution of information to info-points, etc., putting
info on-line. Any help is appreciated.
A-6-1: "Plaquette"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? "Plaquette" is an "ad" for the next PGA encounters; a synthetic
text to catch people's attention, and direct those interested towards
other more in-depth documents. It should be an A4 page folded in
three, with a two-color layout.
- Translations: it is available in english, italian, german, spanish, russian, and hungarian.
- Distribution: while thousands have been printed and disseminated already, text-mode versions, viewable versions as well as printable versions are available for download at http://stamp.poivron.org/Plaquette
- Perspectives: a second and definite version will be available and spread soon. It will contain practical information on the conferences, its topics and its decentralised locations.
- Coordinators
- layout: culcul@no-log.org
- coordination: darkveggy@squat.net
- printing: cafard@no-log.org
A-6-2: "Plaisantation"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? "Plaisantation" is a more in-depth presentation of the
initiative than "Plaquette", containing introductions to PGA,
Sans-Titre, and STAMP.
- Distribution: it is available in plain-text on http://stamp.poivron.org/Plaisantation - laid-out versions will soon be downloadable, printed and distributed.
- Coordinators: nicolu@poivron.org & culcul@no-log.org (layout)
A-6-3: the "Paving Stone" ("Le Pavé")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? "Paving Stone" is the what you're currently looking at! It
aims at being a reference document, compiling all decisions taken
within the conference organisation process, in a synthetic fashion. It
should allow newcomers to jump in, and optimise information search for
all of us.
- Perspectives: "Paving Stone" could serve as a basis for writing the
PGA reader for the conference (see section on PGA reader below).
- Distribution: the last up-to-date version can always be found on the
STAMP wiki (http://stamp.poivron.org/); it is being sent to mailing
lists after each major upgrade (following meetings).
- Translations:
- english: kerstinrodgers@hotmail.com, darkveggy@squat.net and nicolu@poivron.org.
- castillan: marcelo@no-log.org
- russe: anya@globenet.org
- How?
- each report writer inserts the tenor within the "Paving Stone"
through the wiki;
- a reports' coordinator makes sure reports are integrated within the
"Paving Stone", revives writers & fills out if required.
- translations are kept up to date thanks to "page subscribing
system" on the wiki, which allows each translator to be notified by
mail for each change to the text;
A-6-4: the "tool text" ("texte-outil")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? it's an evolving reference document, collectively written,
compiling meeting summaries, thoughts & stories on the organisation
process, as well as knowledge sheets, pictures, etc. It aims at being:
- a internal diary on the conference organisation process;
- a testimony, targetted at a wider audience, like other collectives
which could benefit from this experience;
- a tool for thought, allowing reflection during the process;
- a material that could serve as the basis for putting together a book
after the conference, among other things;
- How?
- cut/paste in between the Paving Stone and the "tool text", to avoid
cross-writing; writers can ask for contributions & integrate bits
from the preparation work;
- relative autonomy of writers, who submit their production to the
group only in case of a problem/question;
- writing shall probably be stopped right after decentralised
moments start - to be further discussed;
A-6-5: the radio program
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? it is a pre-recorded radio program introducing the next PGA
conference through interviews, among others things. It is to be sent
to various radio stations.
- Status: it is currently available in french, and downloadable at
http://acarien.nokods.org/creations/radio/
- Perspectives: to be done in other languages?
- Coordinator: absurde@no-log.org
A-6-6: the "tool movie" ("film outil")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? it is a movie documenting the STAMP process before & during the
european conference. It is being directed collectively, with regular
skill-shares.
- Status: work in progress.
- Contact: stampfilm@poivron.org
A-6-7: text collection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? a collection of texts refering to the PGA organisation process.
- Coordinator: culcul@no-log.org
A-6-8: "Caillasse"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? it is a compact introduction to the conference, targetted at
(alternative) press, focused on demanding financial support.
- Status: its utility is being discussed, some proposing to drop it.
A-6-9: information leaflet on the global PGA process
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? it is a description of the current state of the PGA network
throughout the world, and an overview of the debates around the next
global conference, the role and future of the PGA network.
- Status: available as a photocopied leaflet in french.
A-6-10: PGA Reader
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What? it is a booklet introducing the conference, which should
contain detailed information on logistics, contents, as well as
introductions to the themes discussed. It is to be distributed to
participants during the encounters (in the spirit of guides produced
for the Belgrade PGA conference in 2004, or for the No Border Camp in
2002).
- Status: conference organisation is in a too early stage to start
working on the reader, since some important decisions (like theme
distribution among decentralised locations) have yet to be taken. The
"Paving Stone" is most likely to serve as a primary source for the
making of this document.
A-7: Communication
------------------
- A reference communication group has been set: darkveggy@squat.net,
nicolu@no-log.org, lipjo@no-log.org, collaps@no-log.org & culcul@no-log.org
- Benefit nights, discussions, video-screenings, information tables are regularly organised or planned in various places, to spread the information about the project. If you're interested, please organise one!
--------------------------------------
B: General structure of the conference
--------------------------------------
We have decided to construct a conference split into two parts, the
first spread out over several locations, and the second part, (which
follows the usual format) where everyone gathers together in one place.
B-1: Towards a new concept
--------------------------
B-1-1: Difficulties encountered in previous conferences
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The idea of geographical decentralisation comes from previous
conferences being experienced as too dense, too crowded with people and
activities, rendering navigation and full participation difficult.
- It was felt that a large heavily attended meeting was not terribly
conducive to meeting other people and making contacts. Especially as
in previous years, the length of the conference has been quite short.
Whereas smaller gatherings of say, 100 people,
might lead to stronger bonding between participants.
- The large choice of discussions and workshops, while beneficial, often
leads to a situation where the average attendee doesn't really know
what is going on, and can end up consuming rather than fully
participating in the conference. This attitude, along with the general
confusion caused by the enormity of the conference, does not encourage
people to participate in the PGA process. All of which serves to
reinforce the perceived distinction between a small coterie of
'insiders' linked to the PGA and the rest of the people. Clearly this
is not helpful in combating vertical hierarchies within the PGA.
- The huge quantities of food and equipment necessary for a large
conference means that usual methods of restocking supplies (skipping,
local and home-produced goods) have to be abandoned. The host
collective is obliged to resort to another kind of economy, buying in
services and goods from further afield and in large quantities.
B-1-2: Good reasons to decentralise and prolong the conference
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By doing the above we hope to achieve the following:
- improve the quality of contacts between people as there will only be
30 to 200 people in each place, plus they will stay for the longer
time of 9 days (plus 4 days for the final centralised part);
- give ourselves space to explore discussions in depth;
- favour skill sharing and to give ourselves the time to work on
concrete projects which are also a good opportunity to build links and
develop team work;
- gives ourselves the necessary time to meet the local collectives
and understand local issues and problems;
- inspire reflection on the structure of each local network;
- to dilute and diminish hierarchy by better sharing chores and
interests as well as discover better methods of decision making;
- decrease the need to supply food and equipment from external sources,
working with the scale and possibilities of the local collective,
permitting them to use their usual sources and methods. This will
avoid a situation in which the host collective feels both materially
and energetically exhausted by the demands of the conference.
B-2: Initial decisions on which type of decentralised locations
---------------------------------------------------------------
- C: The locations will be partly based in rural areas and partly in
urban areas.
- C: It will not necessarily include places where people involved in
stamp actually live. The locations/collectives must however be
interested in hosting a decentralised conference and will create local
with people already involved in stamp.
- C: Faced with the difficulty of finding, in the same region,
sufficient suitable places, we have decided to choose places that are
both available and motivated rather than on a basis of geographical
convenience
- D: Moving from the decentralised locations to the final central
location must be worked out (prepare collective and individual
transport options such as busses, bikes, hitch hiking, car sharing,
coaches, lorries....)
B-3: Duration: decisions concerning length of conference
--------------------------------------------------------
- C: Possibility of the practical projects starting before or continuing
after the conference. A decision which will be finalised in each
location.
- D: The duration must be sufficient for debates and practical projects,
but not too demanding of people who have less time.
- D: If the overall length of the conference is too long, one risks
conference fatigue. One must also take into account the ongoing
specific activities throughout the summer season of some collective such as
agricultural work...
B-4: The locations: how and where?
----------------------------------
B-4-1: Definite decentralised locations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lyon, South-Eastern France: la Friche
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Description: huge abandoned car factory which was originally squatted
by lyonnaise artist collectives. It quickly became legal. Within,
there are overtly politically motivated collectives (collective of the
festival of resistance, computer collective, collective rezo) along
with individuals involved with Sans-Titres and STAMP. Could be joined
by other people/collectives from Lyon as well as from Saint-Etienne and Grenoble.
- Capacity: can host 100 people or more, in camping
- Topics:
- feminism, antipatriarchy, anti-heterosexism & gender issues.
- necrotechnologies (biotech, nanotech, pharmaceutical industry, technopoles...)
- control societies (videosurveillance, biometry, cross-filing, police repression)
- racism, post-colonialism, struggles around immigration, the abolition of borders;
- Practical activities:
- battukada workshops with Rythms of Resistance (to be confirmed)
- poster workshops: reflexion, creation and screen-printing of posters on various themes to be discussed (necrotechnologies?) in the perspective of one or more european visual campaigns.
- Contact: stamp-lyon@pgaconference.org
Toulouse, South-Western France: squat the city
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Description: occupation of site & structure building against speculation
- Capacity: 200 people or more, camping
- Themes:
- autonomy: the Toulouse PGA gathering is focused around autonomy: energy autonomy, and housing autonomy in particular. It aims at exploring the idea of building DIY housing structures, with equipment found in urban environments.
- access to land: how to ease access to land, in a collective and self-managed manner?
- urbanisation: housing problems, gentrification, architecture and social link.
- Site project: self-build/direct action to protest against the lack of
affordable housing and evictions from squats; this implies a degree of
confrontation against the authorities (risk of identity control,
questioning). This location is therefore not advisable for people who,
for whatever reason, do not wish to have legal problems with the
authorities, and they should probably choose other "safer" locations.
- Contact: stamp-toulouse@pgaconference.org
Dijon, North-Eastern France: Les Tanneries
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Description: self-managed urban anarchist living and activity space.
Its existence is fairly stable after several years battling against
eviction. Various militant activities take place here while
frequently holding meetings and hosting projects for collectives and
networks.
- Accomodation:
- for the decentralised moment: around 100 people, camping.
- for the centralised moment: in between 500-700 people, camping.
- Currently planned issues:
- development & preservation of autonomous spaces (squats, self-managed spaces,
collective projects in cities and in the countryside);
- digital struggles: Indymedia & the movement; defense of activist servers & autonomous communication structures; digital resistances (P2P, free software, etc.).
- when streets are burning: accounts & perspectives on unrest in France, spring 2006; how does it relate to other situations in Europe?
- Site project:
- construction of an meeting space, office and library.
- finish setting up structures for the centralized moment of the conference.
- Contact: stamp-dijon@pgaconference.org
Limousin, central France: Bellevue
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Description: a collective rural project set up recently by a group of
people. They are attempting to develop contacts with the
aim of starting up politically militant projects alongside rural and
agricultural activities. They hope by hosting the conference that they
may share the potential of this area with others, add dynamism to
their project and create links between activist networks and local people
and activists.
- Accomodation: 30 people, camping.
- Topics: how to gain in practical, political and social autonomy through exchanges, ressource-sharing, mutualisation and community building?
- Practical activities: participation to the site activities: bread baking, gardening, markets, construction, neighbour welcoming & visiting...
- Contact:
- Phone: +33-(0)5-55-679-526
- E-mail: stamp-bellevue@pgaconference.org
Aveyron, Southern-France: Frayssinous
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Description: Frayssinous is a rural hamlet. It is inhabited since 1971, and collectively managed since 1988. People share daily life and gather around various activities tending towards autonomy, while maintaining other personal projects (music, video, sound, handcraft, construction).
- Accomodation: 80 people, camping.
- Topics:
- Kids, education, ageism: with kids & adults experimenting these fields altogether.
- Social control and anti-industrial struggles: addressing practical aspects and general strategy, with both rural & urban groups.
- Practical activities:
- Wood, mansonry, physical work to be defined on site.
- Gravure workshop
- Radio workshop
- construction for a playing space for the kids, with the kids
- Contact:
- Phone: +33-(0)5-65-998-672
- E-mail: stamp-frayssinous@pgaconference.org
B-4-3: The final central gathering of the conference
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The centralised part of the conference will take place in les tanneries in dijon.
A big working session will be organised there in july to prepare spaces and logistic.
People are needed.
B-5: The number of participants
-------------------------------
B-5-1: The decentralised part
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
D: At each decentralised location there will be between 50 and 100
people. If we can count on having 5 places, that means we can
accommodate between 250 and 500 people.
B-5-2: The final gathering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We need to accommodate around 500 people.
B-5-3: Quotas and exceeding them
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONSENSUS: We feel it is necessary to have a somewhat formal system of
enrolment because certain locations simply cannot accommodate above a
certain number of people. However this all depends on the working
capacity and preferences of each place which is yet to be defined.
UP FOR DEBATE: We need to find a system which will co-ordinate all the
different collectives. We also need to decide what to do if people turn
up without advance booking or if more people than realised wish to come.
We could make clear that accommodation in each place is limited and then
send them to another location or tell them to piss off....
We could also decide upon "quotas" that are under-estimated, so in the
case of more people turning up, we can accommodate them.
Also should we give priority to people who wish to come for the entirety
of the mini-conferences rather than to people who just want to come for
a bit?
-----------------------------
C: Contents of the conference
-----------------------------
C-1: General ideas
------------------
C-1-1: Decentralised part
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- C: The decentralised conferences will contain debates based on themes
and theories, skill sharing, concrete projects (constructions on
sites, actions, project creation...), communal life, discussions
leading to decisions on the structure and goals of the European PGA
process etc.
- C: We want to make clear that these decentralised conferences will
propose various debates and theoretical discussions not only
practical projects.
- C: Some time should be reserved at each decentralised location to talk
about local struggles and also to set up meetings with local people
involved in theses struggles .
C-1-2: The central gathering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- C: feedback everyone about what took place at the decentralised
conferences in terms of themes discussed/on site projects and network
structures/actions decided upon
- D: We still have to decide how these feedbacks shall be given..
- C: To make decisions about the pga process : structures of the network and
coming initiatives. We have not yet fixed upon what form of decision making
process to use (should we use the 'spokes' council used in Belgrade or
another form?)
- C: Pursue cross themes discussions or theme based workshops and skills
sharing
- C: An on-site project? (lasting the 4/5 days of the central
gathering). While it would be good to continue to emphasise the
practical side of things.... the logistics necessary to host 500 -700
people will entail an enormous practical task in itself. Perhaps it
would be better to ensure that the practical workshop is that people
actively contribute to hosting the conference (i.e. shift their
little anarchist bums and do something).
C-2: Concrete projects
----------------------
- C: This time, we would like people to have the possibility to get involved
with practical project that could help to strenghten communal projects
and local protest issues.
- C: This could take the form of a construction project, direct local
actions, preparation of various concrete projects "caravan", camp or
PGA protest campaigns
- C: Ideally the practical projects will link up with the needs and
desires of the local host groups
- C: Furthermore it would also be ideal if the onsite practical project
is linked to one the political theme chosen by the decentralised location.
- D: In previous PGA conferences, direct action tended to be avoided
during the actual conference in order to evade oppression and
disruption to the programme. The implications of a direct action
project must therefore be discussed previously.The ideas emerging from
the Belgrade meeting were more to propose actions beforehand,
afterwards or parallel to the conference but distinct and separate
from the conference. This time we would like to have actions in some
of the locations but not all. Clearly 'safe' locations are also needed
for those participants who don't want legal problems with the
authorities. There will not be any direct action protests during the
centralised part of the conference.
C-3: The themes to be discussed
-------------------------------
C-3-1: General direction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- D: Each decentralised location will have two or three specific themes
(either linked, complementary, or opposing each other... there are no
strict rules)
- D: The theme based discussions could follow a gradual progression
during the 9/10 days of decentralised conferences:
- an initial session introducing each group present and their
activities;
- then a presentation of the set of problems around which the
discussions should be based;
- next will be debates and discussion
- D: There will also be in every places more general strategical
discussions : our relationship to radical social change, autonomy,
others. struggle and how we place those aims within the context of a
revolutionnary movement. (see the strategical issue part below)
- D: For each theme adopted, somebody will write a short introductory
text then a working group will be formed which decides upon its
content relevant to that theme including; which collectives to invite,
ideas for practical workshops, debates, skill sharing
- Its also possible that subsequently there will be written intro's that
go into each subject more deeply, plus various texts reflecting upon
each theme.
- D: In an ideal world, we will produce and compile documents for all of
the themes prior to the conference
C-3-2 : about the creation of working groups linked with locations or issues
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- we need to start more specific working groups to prepare the contente
of the conference
Debate about the method of working groups creation
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- There are various opinions : some prefer to constitute workings groups
linked with locations and other who want to start working groups on
specific issues whatever will be the place where these issues will be
discussed.
- we want to take care of not having "abstract" issues that would have no
links with existing people/places/struggles/needs. One of the
important aim for us with this conference was to enroot issues
discussed into local realities.
- But we shouldn't forget that pga is not the stamp's thing and reality
and is a lot wider. Inside the pag network there may be people who
want to bring various issues to be discussed, but that might have no
links with local struggles of locations welcoming the conference. If
people want to start working on such issues, it should be possible.
Decisions about the creation of working groups
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- C : the various local working groups preparing a decentralised
conference will be free to choose the issues they want to work on
and to formulate the issues as they wish.
- C: We'll try to find locations as quick as possible for homeless
issues
- C: there will be open times in every decentralised conference agendas
for last minute initiatives and extra-issues.
- C: we need to fin a coordination system for this last
minute-extra-content between the various decentralised locations
- C: people who want to work on the content based directly on the locations
or who want to work on issues that dont have locations yet should be able
to do so.
- there might be a gap between local realities of people we're going to work
with but who dont know so much about pga
- all people involved in stamp seem to be already working either on a
location or an issue or both. So everybody will make contact, meet and
we should be able to be more accurate on the content at the next stamp
meeting.
C-3-3: Initial specific themes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are themes to be tackled around within the PGA encounters, some of which
are rooted in decentralized locations already, some not. This list aims at
opening perspectives, so that each participant can bring contents, workshops,
texts... in the months preceding the conference. We really need people around
europe to show quickly their interest on these issues and to bring content for
the conference.
Specific themes (shared among decentralised locations):
- development & preservation of autonomous spaces (squats, self-managed spaces,
collective projects in cities and in the countryside);
- gender issues, struggles against male domination & patriarchy;
a lits has been created to work on this one :
stamp-feminisms@pgaconference.org
- industrial society, its relationship with space and the transformation of the
social environment; the effect of industrial technology of human relationships;
- social control, security and its politics, militarism and repression of protest;
- digital struggles: Indymedia & the movement; alternative servers (riseup.net, squat.net),
users' responsability & solidarity facing new repressions;
- adult/child relationships, parenthood, education, ageism;
- rejection of the State: experiences of self-management & direct democracy;
- market economy & consumerism versus alternative non market based economies;
- struggles of workers and welfare claimants; anti-wage slavery;
- the fight against capitalism and its institutions (WTO, IMF, WB, EU, etc.); state of
European capitalism (free exchange agreements, privatisation, etc.);
- the current dead-end regarding anti-racism in our anti-capitalist/anti-establishment
sphere. Post-colonialism, struggles around immigration, the abolition of borders;
- capitalist management of resources and energy, impending environmental catastrophes,
foreseenable alternatives and practical ecology;
- the anarchist ghetto: militant politics & elitism; how to escape its insularity?
- anti-essentialism and critique of the religious relation to « nature », as a shaper for
our perception of age, gender, race; anti-speciesm & animal liberation.
Transversal themes (decentralised & centralised locations)
"towards a new round of global struggles"
- Confrontational direct action tactics and/or autonomy & practical alternatives building?
- Co-habitation or divorce with institutions, unions, NGO's and The Left
- Our techniques and methods of organisation, actions and debates.
- The question of class, gender and racism at the heart of our struggle
- Links with other protests within a global across the board strategy
C-4: Discussions about the pga process
--------------------------------------
- C: During the decentralised part of the conference, we could institute
regular meetings aimed at improving the PGA process
- D: Each location could take a particular theme (as happened in
Belgrade where 5 groups worked in parallel for 2 hours each day: 1 on
the European network structure; 1 on the initiatives/actions supported
by the network; 1 on the link with the global process; 1 on the
links/conflicts with political parties, unions and NGO's; 1 on gender
questions within the network)
- C: Ideally each location could end up with a list of propositions for
the final central gathering to consider.
C-5: On the PGA process decision making structure
-------------------------------------------------
C-5-1: Problems/fears
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- We've already seen in the past that its often the same people who get
involved in the overall structure and decision process while other
people are either not interested, completely unaware, don't understand
or do not dare to participate.
- Fear that people who already have quite alot of influence in the PGA
network only turn up for the decisive moments and big meetings and
then dominate. Whereas if people give each other a way of gradual
participation with a slower more horizontal decision process, people
other than the usual suspects might get involved.
- The experience at the Milan PGA conference showed that we are not
immune to trotskyist groups and other troublemakers turn up at
decisive moments with the intention of sabotage.
- Fear that our role as conference organiser also gives us too much
influence on the network. While its cool that we get the opportunity
to urge some of our practical ideas onto the network, we need to be
careful of the power that goes along with all that.
C-5-2: Initial guidelines
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- D: We think that people who have participated in the whole of the
conference, that is, have attended the decentralised meetings,
should have more say in the taking of
decisions at the central gathering: as opposed to people who turn up
at the last minute without having participated in the preliminary
discussions. But there will bbe no official reprensentative powers or
whatever.
- D: People who worked in the decentralised part of the conference will
bring the list of discussion propositions which already gives a direction,
framework and therefore quite a lot of influence on the discussions about
the pga process during the centralised part.
- C: Although it is preferable that people who are able to, attend the
decentralised part of the conference, we will not make it obligatory
to have attended in order to come to the centralised meeting and to
participate to any discussions.
- C: We should think about how to prevent sabotage by people who only
come to bugger things up when we come to take decisions. As an
anti-authoritarian, open and horizontal network we are particularly
vulnerable to sabotage.
--------------------------
D) International relations
--------------------------
- C: Seeing as one of the main concerns of this conference is
decentralisation it is absolutely necessary that we involve other
people.
D-1: Links between the STAMP process and international meetings
---------------------------------------------------------------
- C: From Belgrade came the idea that its a good thing to have an
international group organizing the conference in order to: keep the
process open and representative of the diversity of European PGA; pass
on experience; compensate for the differences of logistical resources
of organising groups. Even if a big part of the technicalities will be
dealt with by stamp, we wish to consult people outside of STAMP
regarding important decisions.
- C: There is no line of demarcation or fundamental difference between
the STAMP group and international meetings. Obviously there will be
more STAMP meetings than international meetings, due to basic
logistics. International meetings will be open; we will advance the
process of organising the conference, focusing particularly on
whatever needs collaboration on a larger scale, as well as on the main
political thrust of the conference.
- C: The things to emphasise in the international meetings are: content
of the conference, the decision process, general facilities and
logistics, making contacts and choosing who to invite, finance,
particular logistical requests, the world-wide and European process.
- C: The organisational process has a history. We will endeavour to
inform people of what is going on and we expect them to try to be
informed when they come to meetings. (For instance, read documents
like this!)
D-2: General questions on the relationship between individuals and organisations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Is it possible for the PGA to encourage more participation from
individuals rather than organisations? Can we organise things so that
people come as themselves rather than as representatives?
- In the STAMP framework, can associations/organisations participate in
the process or only individuals? Do we want to encourage individuals
to speak up rather than groups?
- How do we spread the network? how can people outside the radical
ghetto get involved ?(e.g. the day when unions protesting against
privatisation came during the Belgrade conference)
- In STAMP and Sans-titres, we are not all critical of more traditionnal
organisations that have a clear mandate, decision making process and
position. In fact some individuals in STAMP already represent
collectives who are involved with mainstream organisations.
- In specific questions allow use/abuse of power during the
organising process, we need to be aware that things such as the
reimbursement of travel is in itself a power. Transparency of
qualifying criteria is essential.
- How can we deal with politically dodgy people and presence during the conference.
How to decide, if such people ask for travell reimboursement ? we should
at least try every time to find advices from comrades and collectives from
other countries that might know more.
D-3: Contact between groups/individuals within french speaking countries
------------------------------------------------------------------------
- D: There will be international meetings to which people other than
STAMP members will be coming. Do we want to keep STAMP meetings within
our affinity group and invite other French speaking groups to the
'international' meetings ? Or do we want to extend an open invitation
to French speaking groups to attend STAMP meetings even if that might
cause divisions and delays because of more differing pooint of view with
new people ?
- D: The sooner the place(s) are chosen , the easier it will be
to attract people who wish to help out with one particular aspect of
the conference but not get involved with the whole shebang.
- C: On one hand, it's cool if more people come to the next stamp meetings.
On the other, meeting new people and opening the process will be mainly done
through the creation of local groups organising the decentralised conferences.
- C: need to make a list of all contacts of french-speaking people and
organisations.
- C: Another way of involving people would be by organising a tour of
talks and debates, evenings which would also provide financial
support. This worked very well with last years' "permanent caravan".
D-4: Strengthening ties with eastern and central european collectives
---------------------------------------------------------------------
D-4-1: Tour of eastern european contacts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The aim is to maintain and develop contact with the east partly by
actually going to see them.
- After the late spring international meeting (April), various small
groups from STAMP will go to visit Eastern Europe.
- Dmitri has volunteered to help this process along with
marcelo@no-log.org
- nicolu@poivron.org has contacts for the contacts. He volunteers to
talk to people who dealt with registration at Belgrade in order to
reissue invitations.
- people interested for eastern european tours : iann@no-log.org,
anusso@no-log.org, marcelo@no-log.org, raoule@no-log.org,
nicolu@poivron.org, num-@voila.fr, cbertaud@yahoo.com
- greggal2@hotmail.com has offered a truck for this tour.
- dimitri fron russia and marcelo@no-log.org will help with eastern
european contacts
D-4-2: Other contacts to make
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reminder :
There are three types of contacts :
- some made through the pga_europe_process@squat.net
- some with people that are not on this list. We create both a international
secratariat to answer to mails and questions and announcement list to send
regular news about the conference process. We need people send us email adresses
of people and collectives that we can subscribe on this list. The people presently
involved with the international secratariat are nicolu@poivron.org, raoule@no-log.org
and iann@no-log.org.
- some contacts that will be made aroud each local working groups working on
decentralised conferences.
More specifically :
- Within the STAMP process, we would like to prepare the way for
involving a group ideally from the East who following the conference,
would be ready to take-over the convenor ship.
- We would like to establish contacts with people who are preparing the
anti-G8 summit this year at St. Petersburg ( which will be done via
Dmitri)
- We would like to make contact with the Ecotopia camp which will take
place in Slovakia this year at the end of July or beginning of August.
- we would like to establish more direct contacts with people involved in
dissent network
D-5: Logistical tasks linked to international relations
-------------------------------------------------------
D-5-1: Translation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- we need help on this issue. A group has started with someone from the
babel network as well with political issues around language. For now there will
be also greggal2@hotmail.com coordinating the translation work.
You can imagine how much work this will entail...
- Russian translation: zilonis@mail.ru/anya@globenet.org
- English translation: kerstinrodgers@hotmail.com, darkveggy@squat.net and nicolu@poivron.org
- Spanish translation: marcelo@no-log.org
- German translation: through longo with cbertaud@yahoo.com
D-5-2: Visas
~~~~~~~~~~~~
- For people from outside the schengen area, we need to make sure that
we don't have too many applying to be in one location in order to
facilitate visa requests and accommodation confirmation letters.
- The association "Echanges et Mouvements" (Exchange and Movement) could
be useful because it already has a bank account although we would have
to renew its public liability insurance. nicolu@poivron.org will check
it out. The associations "les petites hommes" and "le forum civique européen"
can alos be used.
- In the future, cbertaud@yahoo.com is happy to handle this matter.
D-6: The role of the info-points
--------------------------------
- C: We have to start distributing information on the conference and
spread the word to our local info-points. This is important as the PGA
network is not terribly well known in French speaking countries. We
must also ask our local info-kiosques and collectives if they would
like to act as info-points for the PGA. The ZIL (Zone d'Information
Libre - http://izmir.squat.net/) at St-Etienne have already confirmed
that they are happy to do this.
----------
E: Finance
----------
- C: We have to keep in mind keeping costs down within a budget.
E-1: Various anticipated costs
------------------------------
E-1-1: Transport/travel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Help for people who come from far away or for people who aren't well
off, either for the actual conference or for the preparatory meetings,
especially for people from Eastern Europe.
- Also help for lone mothers/fathers/parents with children.
- There will also be visa costs, for preparatory meetings and the
conference.
E-1-2: Food
~~~~~~~~~~~
- Administration of food for the conference
- Apart from skipping food, other suggestions include: arrange with
local small farmers to say, help them with their work for a week or
two, in exchange for vegetables
E-1-3: Office/secretarial
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Need telephone, internet
- Photocopies, printing costs
- Postal costs
E-2: Finance ideas
------------------
- C: Returning to a consensus already discussed within the PGA network: it
is possible to obtain money by various means as long as we don't offer
anything in return or allow them to change the content or form of the
conference.
- there are 2000 euros from the belgrade conference.
E-2-1: PUBLIC FUNDING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Public subsidies: iann@no-log.org; lipjo@no-log.org;
triranosaure@no-log.org
- European subsidies: joviale@no-log.org
- Finance VVV: lipjo@no-log.org
- "interreg" (grants for across border exchanges): no volunteer yet
- Ask foreign collectives (Escanda, Larc, Eurodisney, Freiburg) if they
have any finance plans: iann@no-log.org will ask
For now nothing has been done and we still dont know if it will be.
E-2-2: OTHER WAYS OF RAISING MONEY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Support concerts/events: cafes, film nights, PGA info nights. To be
organised locally and managed by whoever sets them up.
- Street theatre/busking: ask our mates, send them info and see if they
are up for it.
- A travelling road show, or music tour (raoule@no-log.org). Contact
groups/samba bands/clowns, mime artists ( aargh!)... -possibility of
a concert or a 'soiree' at the Usine (iann@no-log.org but he doesn't
want to do it on his own)
- A big concert will be done in l'usine in geneva early july (iann@no-log.org
and raoule@no-log.org)
- Make a compilation CD from these shows and events highlighting the PGA
conference (or get the bands to donate tracks). This could also have
written info as well as being a music CD
- "Fuck for the PGA" (FFP) proposed by an enthusiastic sub-committee
inspired by a Swedish initiative to finance activism to save forests.
This took the form of short alter'porn films sold on the net.
E-2-3: APPEALS FOR INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- C: The appeal for financial support must be unseparable from support
for the aims of the conference.
- We can send out calls for aid by email (to lists or individuals)or
post to people who we know are sympathetic and able/wish to give:
jocelyne.renard@no-log.org has started to write up an appeal
- We can also send articles/ short introductory texts of appeal for aid
to leftist magazines such as: Silence, Politis, L'age de faire, CQFD,
Offensive, Passerelle Eco, No Pasaran, Longo Mai magazines.
num-@voila.fr will do a certain number; cbertaud@yahoo.com will try
too.
- Idea to make one or several radio programmes and distribute them to
all the free radio stations ( the experience of NoBorders shows that
you don't make alot of money but its a possibility plus it publicises
the conference). absurde@no-log.org and jocelyne.renard@no-log.org.
- In Switzerland, are there specific networks? radio zone, le courrier
de Geneve, megaphone.
E-3: Strategies and action plans
--------------------------------
- the conference money management group is iann@no-log.org and
tamagotchis@yahoo.fr. But we have no money research group for now
and this part of the preparation goes really slowly. We need help !
-----------------------------------------------
F: Fundamental discussions on the stamp process
-----------------------------------------------
F-1: The fundamentals in question
---------------------------------
- The very wish to organise a PGA conference opens up fundamental
questions regarding ourselves and our relationship to politics and
social change...
- What common philosophic values motivate us? What makes us want to
invest our time and energy into organising this conference? Do we have
any values in common? This is the kind of philosophical introspection
that should guide us during the organisational process.
- We think it's important not to forget our intrinsic values in the rush
to organise the conference. We have already had meetings to explore
the extent of common feeling on some issues (i.e.: the first PGA
hallmarks on anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism). As a result we've
listed certain questions that we believe are important to ask
ourselves whilst simultaneously reflecting on ways to ensure that we
will have the proper time to delve into these issues during the
conference.
F-1-1: The identity of sans-titre/STAMP/the PGA
-----------------------------------------------
- The very act of creating the group identity 'Sans-titre' or 'STAMP',
the fact of identifying actions, texts, ideas, forms of organisation,
under one banner (so to speak) can be worrying if it leads to 'a
closing down' either of the group, of ideology, of organisation
- The feeling of identifying ourselves with a group lends strength and
cohesion in the lonely fight against the status quo. Diversity is
valued but at the same time ideas, thoughts and political positions in
common are sought...
- We swing between two schools of thought: on the one hand saying,
"Sans-titre doesn't exist" while on the other, having meetings, a
charter, a political stance in common, which points to a "Sans-titre"
existence Some people involved with STAMP find this fuzzy logic
unsatisfactory and would like to re-discuss the issue of
identification.
F-1-2: Creating a blueprint for a new society?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
F-1-3: Link with social change
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What do we understand by social movement, social change, the
constitution of force and power struggles
- How do we win on the battleground of ideas? How do we move beyond
activism?
F-1-4: Individual, group and collective expectations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- What practical benefit will we get out of this conference?
F-2: How to find the time and resources to discuss this
-------------------------------------------------------
- C: Desire to take time to discuss basic questions at each meeting,
even though we are aware that the closer to the conference we get, the
more urgent it will be that we deal with logistical and technical
problems.
- In fact, during Sans-titre meetings, we have had discussions on
fundamental issues which coincides nicely with the basic subjects that
we want to explore at the conference.
- C: Idea of exchanging texts that discuss these issues on the STAMP
list.
- Desirability (probably even necessity) of creating work groups that
will explore certain themes in detail, outside of the organisational
meetings, as was done with the gender group in Belgrade.
- Furthermore, each time the general group meets, the specialised work
groups can meet again and discuss progress on their themes.
- Proposal to use http://stamp.poivron.org/ site for disseminating
texts, archives etc...
- proposal to take a half day out of the two day STAMP meetings to
discuss fundamental questions within small groups.
- It would be good to list, document and write about the fundamental questions
regarding the organisation of the conference that we have discussed so
that we know what we are talking about.
- Desire that there will be enough time in the decentralised conferences
to discuss the hallmarks...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
G: On the global process (see adjoining document on the global process)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
G-1: On the involvement of stamp in the global process
------------------------------------------------------
- Initially we preferred to not get involved and just concentrate on the
European process and conference but as a result of reading the current
writings and discussions, we were inspired (some of us more than
others) to take an interest. We are not going to take on the entire
global network but we realised that there are certain issues which, as
convenors, we must be aware of and perhaps have to deal with
eventually.
- We did a booklet in french presenting the global process.
- We will rediscuss at each STAMP meeting what's going on with the
global process, in order to keep up to date and exchange views.
- We will try to advance bit by bit on issues linked to the global
process (see list below)
- We will send an article to the Global Action list which will present
STAMP and our project
- We must regularly send updates to the global list regarding our
debates and fundamental issues
G-2: Other questions regarding the global process
-------------------------------------------------
G-2-1: Practical questions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Should we as European convenors take decisions concerning the distribution of
finance of the global process ? reply to Mark (a bloke from London who
emailed these questions) regarding money/ do we have to find money for the
global process?
- We haven't discussed this but a priori we'll not be able to find money
for the global process as we alreay lack quite a lot of money for
the european conference.
- Implications for the caravan/individual tour proposed during the Haridwar
meeting :
We have contacted the European pga process list (and global action?) and said
that for the moment we were interested but we don't yet know in what way we
could get involved
----------
APPENDICES
----------
1: INTRODUCTORY TEXTS TO THE THEMES
-----------------------------------
1-i: RACISM AND POST-COLONIALISM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How do we fight against racism and the effects of colonialism? What are
the effects of colonialism in a world that claims to be
'decolonialised'?
And racism in our movement? Racism persists, even in countries where its
morally and legally forbidden, even in officially anti-racist movements,
and even, unconsciously or not, in our personal relations.
Continually and repeatedly we must ask ourselves these questions: how to
move forward ? how to discuss this delicate issue?
One hopes that it will be enlightening to discuss this with people of
differing views and regions, coming out of movements of struggle
(feminist struggle, anti-racist movements, anti-'security' movements,
struggles against immigration policies and border policies). It would be
of mutual benefit to exchange practical and concrete information(which
collectives do what and how?)as well as ideas, and perhaps create new
projects?
All these issues are relevant inevitably to questions of domination
within the PGA network.
1-ii: THE PRESERVATION OF AUTONOMOUS SPACES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Autonomous spaces, either rural or urban, are where we can practice
self-management, production of goods(concrete or virtual, that is say,
food, wood, clothes, computer literacy), and plan actions. Social
centres are crucial to us, whether we are individuals or part of a
movement for social change.
These places permit : agricultural activities, the production of written
texts, distribution resources and independent media, recycling and
construction, the creation and distribution of subversive culture, the
non-monetary based exchange of goods, resources and knowledge,
experimentation with new ways of living and collective debate, a base
for meetings and projects...
Whether one speaks of urban squats, or of purchased land, negotiated or
re-appropriated rural land, of restored or self-built buildings or
factories, these spaces are refuges. These spaces are, at least in
Europe, at the very heart of inspiring ideas and people dedicated to
continuing the struggle, on every level, practical, radical and
anti-capitalist, over the recent decades.
In certain countries, determined attacks by the state have already
strongly compromised the existence of autonomous political spaces. Right
now in France, these spaces are threatened. In the city, the state has
been instrumental in starting death-trap fires in order to evict
squatters from buildings(last summer, in Paris, at least 100 people
died). These squatters are often without legal papers, poor or from
collectives that have created activities, resources and workshops for
the community.
In rural communities, access to funds is becoming harder and communes
find themselves hamstrung by legislation on hygiene, security and
gentrification by the bourgeoisie and tourists.
This PGA conference should:
- be a debating chamber on what we expect from and understand by
autonomous spaces and where they stand, that is, in the scale ranging
from 'alternative' to 'confrontational', in the pursuit of radical
social change.
- become informed as to the scope and detail of activities that take
place in autonomous social spaces; question productivity and
production of goods and services; and encourage exchanges of knowledge
particularly between the town and the countryside.
- be a place where we can share experiences, inspire each other, find
out what others do in terms of collective life, activities,
alternative economic exchange systems...
- discuss different ways of acquiring land and buildings, to
collectivise or construct them: squats, legal (negotiated) squats,
buying property, loans...
- share practical resources and a feeling of solidarity between:
- different types of autonomous space users (either current or
potential): co-operatives, people without papers, activists,
travellers, immigrants, urbanites, rural dwellers, small farms
- different ways of using the autonomous space; activities for the
community, meeting area for groups and living space
- enable the forming of common strategies when faced with suppression by
the state and eviction
1-iii: THE RADICAL 'GHETTO' AND WAYS OF OPENING UP TO OTHERS...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two remarks with regard to the 'ghetto':
- Marginalisation of the activist tendency: how to leave the ghetto
without possible conflicts of interest through involvement with NGO's
etc, in other words, reformists?
- Destruction of militantism and the development of a way of life
without conflicts between: private life/political activities/work
life.
And other common activist ills. Is there a more satisfactory way of
going about things?
These two questions are slightly different, but both deal with the same
problem: how to keep and develop our political identity without being
isolated from other people - or from certain aspects of our lives?
The "ghetto", its identifying group and its militant practices, permit
us to get together, resist, exist in the face of pressure of society's
norms and dominant practices. Its probably impossible for a social group
to differentiate itself from others without developing its own customs,
values, language, even musical tastes, ways of dressing (black clothes!)
etc. This gives us strength. We like it. Its all good.
The problem is that our actions and values are aimed at changing the
outside world. Not just at creating a cozy hermetically sealed little
alternative world for ourselves. We will only succeed if we link up with
and make ourselves understood by others who are also people disgusted by
this society! At its worst radicalism becomes a sort of inverse elite of
anti-capitalists, anarchists, etc. who consider themselves more evolved,
purer, and braver. They believe they know everything, and therefore
stick to each other because others cannot understand... great for the
ego but not very efficient. And often, in fact, this leads slowly but
surely towards a corporate way of acting. Each person fights primarily
for their own interests and, while this can be good, if, at the end of
the day, we are only interested in defending our own way of life (i.e.:
squats) what is the difference between ourselves and the corporate
unions that we criticise (unions, in their turn, believe that squatters
just want a free place to live)? Worse, with time, this attitude could
end up drifting towards a kind of alternative cocoon or towards
right-wing cynicism.
Its not that we are doing it on purpose! But how to break down divisions
and media-created stereotypes? In our society we aren't that used to
talking directly with people. Its via TV that we know whats going on.
Our posters, leaflets, demonstrations are somewhat efficient in
regrouping our 'band' (such that it is) but what effect on passers-by,
our fellow city dwellers?
Its got to the point that often there is nobody who will try to
distribute leaflets or chat to people because ultimately they don't know
how. In reality, demonstrations truly exist only if covered by the
media. Therefore its the media that formulates (or reformulates more to
the point) our message!
At the European PGA conference at Leiden there was a guy from Attac (a
French organisation fighting for distribution of stock exchange profits)
who came. It was incredibly interesting to see the difficulty we had in
explaining to him our criticisms of his organisation. It was as if we
simply weren't used to interacting with someone with a differing
political viewpoint.
Our attitude is a little schizophrenic because most of us are not full
time activists (happily!). In our 'full-time' existence, in our work
lives and private lives, we are naturally obliged to live by more
conventional rules.
There are obviously plenty of people who both dream of and put into
practice an overall life goal; who avoid compartmentalisation by
organising their entire life (private life, work etc) in a way that is
consistent with their political ideas. Cool if you can manage that, but
obviously that once again poses the question of ghettoisation and
relations with the outside world.
Seeking escape from this impasse, however, there are interesting
experiments: autonomous social spaces (Geneva), theatre happenings,
different street (or shop) events, stories such as the first person to
start "Precarias la deriva"(a Madrid organisation fighting for women
without job security: http://www.sindominio.net/karakola/precarias.htm).
And each one of us, at work, for example, do we not talk about politics?
The problem is that our actions and values are aimed at changing the
outside world. Not just at creating a cozy hermetically sealed little
alternative world for ourselves. We will only succeed if we link up with
and make ourselves understood by others who are also people disgusted by
this society! At its worst radicalism becomes a sort of inverse elite of
anti-capitalists, anarchists, etc. who consider themselves more evolved,
purer, and braver. They believe they know everything, and therefore
stick to each other because others cannot understand... great for the
ego but not very efficient. And often, in fact, this leads slowly but
surely towards a corporate way of acting. Each person fights primarily
for their own interests and, while this can be good, if, at the end of
the day, we are only interested in defending our own way of life (i.e.:
squats) what is the difference between ourselves and the corporate
unions that we criticise (unions, in their turn, believe that squatters
just want a free place to live)? Worse, with time, this attitude could
end up drifting towards a kind of alternative cocoon or towards
right-wing cynicism.
Its not that we are doing it on purpose! But how to break down divisions
and media-created stereotypes? In our society we aren't that used to
talking directly with people. Its via TV that we know whats going on.
Our posters, leaflets, demonstrations are somewhat efficient in
regrouping our 'band' (such that it is) but what effect on passers-by,
our fellow city dwellers?
Its got to the point that often there is nobody who will try to
distribute leaflets or chat to people because ultimately they don't know
how. In reality, demonstrations truly exist only if covered by the
media. Therefore its the media that formulates (or reformulates more to
the point) our message!
At the European PGA conference at Leiden there was a guy from Attac (a
French organisation fighting for distribution of stock exchange profits)
who came. It was incredibly interesting to see the difficulty we had in
explaining to him our criticisms of his organisation. It was as if we
simply weren't used to interacting with someone with a differing
political viewpoint.
Our attitude is a little schizophrenic because most of us are not full
time activists (happily!). In our 'full-time' existence, in our work
lives and private lives, we are naturally obliged to live by more
conventional rules.
There are obviously plenty of people who both dream of and put into
practice an overall life goal; who avoid compartmentalisation by
organising their entire life (private life, work etc) in a way that is
consistent with their political ideas. Cool if you can manage that, but
obviously that once again poses the question of ghettoisation and
relations with the outside world.
Seeking escape from this impasse, however, there are interesting
experiments: autonomous social spaces (Geneva), theatre happenings,
different street (or shop) events, stories such as the first person to
start "Precarias la deriva"(a Madrid organisation fighting for women
without job security: http://www.sindominio.net/karakola/precarias.htm).
And each one of us, at work, for example, do we not talk about politics?
Yes, there's lots to talk about ...and act upon!
