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The Forum > Article Comments > After the Melbourne crackdown: rebuilding the ‘We are the 99 per cent’ movement > Comments

After the Melbourne crackdown: rebuilding the ‘We are the 99 per cent’ movement : Comments

By Tristan Ewins, published 27/10/2011

Social movement against neo-liberalism need to be broad and tolerant.

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Doug Chalmers over at 'Australian Social Liberals' (a Facebook group I am a member of) accuses me of a "xenophobic delusional rant" for saying the rise of China and India will create more competition for a finite world market and so increase the risk of war. To make my position clear - the following:

I'm not meaning to say China and/or India would be to blame for a future war; I am saying competition in a finite world market could lead to war. This competition would involve all the great powers - so to this I could add Europe and Japan; And certainly you would have to add the United States - which has engaged in proxy wars in the past to defend economic spheres of influence..

Imperialism in the past has involved competition for colonies; for Great Powers to dump excess produce upon; and from which to extract raw commodities cheaply; In the past control of industrialised territory was deemed even more valuable as the markets involved were bigger. This helped lead to War in 1914. Over 10 million people were killed. The war included the Ottomon Empire. (non-Caucasian) Am I (quote) "Xenophobic" to mention this?

Today the United States and China are beginning to face off economically. There is competition for markets in Africa. China could potentially be a competitor with the US in the sense of competing world economic systems based on core-periphery economic relations. (see; Immanuel Wallerstein) This could cost the United States share in the global market. When economies fully develop they potentially become 'competitors' and 'rivals'. Hence the so-called "Project for a New American Century". And yes one day it could lead to war.

From a democratic socialist perspective the ideal would be full development of all economies - rather than exploitative 'core-periphery' economic relations. But world economic relations are about power as well, and keeping peripheral economies in a dependent position serves the ends of political power.
Posted by Tristan Ewins, Thursday, 27 October 2011 7:48:18 PM
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I am unsurprised by the condescending tone of the replies to this article. It seems anyone who dares voice support for the international 'Occupy' movement is naive and uninformed. Yet the protests represent a genuine yearning for change. American protestors have a stronger case than their Australian counterparts. The consequences of unregulated capitalism in a country with hopeless tax, health and education systems are now apparent. There are Middle class people living in tent cities due to the financial meltdown in that country. Blame is laid squarely at the feet of what the movement refers to as the 1% (an excellent film "Inside Job" analyses this). There are concerns in Australia also. Kerry Packer was an example of an exceedingly wealthy man who did everything he could to avoid paying taxes. He was never successfully prosecuted for this. I have happily paid my 40% tax, and had I wanted to could not have afforded lawyers to avoid paying it. These kind of stories motivate the occupation. The spectacle of mining companies preventing an elected government from increasing the mining tax demonstrated to me that large corporations are more powerful than governments. Their ability to manipulate public opinion was deeply concerning. That money could have improved our public infrastructure. This is exactly why the Occupy Movement must exist – it attempts to re-establish democracy that is based on fairness. It concerns me that Victorians are willing to support the actions of the police. They were excessively violent towards what was in fact a peaceful gathering. The police numbered 400 to the 100 protestors. There are friendly and peaceful ways the issue could have been resolved. There was no dialogue, no negotiation – just muscle, and aggression. The Hearld-Sun’s reporting on this issue has been partisan and biased. The Age and the The Australian, while both critical of the unclear objectives of Occupy Melbourne, both expressed outrage at the violent actions of the police and condemned it. We should demand that our police force treats us all with humanity, regardless of our beliefs and opinions. It is fundamental to a healthy democracy.
Posted by jord, Thursday, 27 October 2011 8:13:07 PM
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Something should be done about so-called "Captains of Industry" giving themselves huge bonuses whilst at the same time sacking staff.
What about us bank customers being charged exhorbitant bank fees whilst the Banks rake in Billions!
These anomolies should be fixed by governments, but they fail to act.
Why?
Posted by Raise the Dust, Thursday, 27 October 2011 9:36:36 PM
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jord/tristan

In America the occupy movement is essential pointless but understandable, given what's happened. In Australia it is both pointless and stupid. The problem that led to the GFC occured in the US system not in the Australian. We had our financial meltdown in the late 80s early 90s, and that resulted in a major shake up of the financial system, as well drastic tightening of regulation in everything from the issuing of prospectuses to bank oversight. As a result the systems in Aus held up well - a point that drew international comment - although we had a major advantage in that our property market remained flat (fewer temptations to be greedy).

In other words, we're in the most advanced, western country for judicious restraint of capitalism. The occupy people in Melbourne were simply copying the US protests without realising that the legal and regulatory systems here are completely different. I have no comment to make about the protest itself, but don't let sympathy for the way it was broken up delude you.

They are completely clueless.

Tristan mentions Denmark. Sure the Danish system is completely different, and it works for the Danish, but can you import it into Aus? Doubt it. For one thing the interaction between trade unions and the government is quite different, from memory - and that's just for starters. For that matter, does it produce a better result, and by what measure?
Posted by Curmudgeon, Thursday, 27 October 2011 10:42:19 PM
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The problem exists here too.Only the flogging off of resources and energy is saving us.The problem is the banking system that creates from nothing,the money to equal increases in your productivity as debt.Hence the more productive you are,the more debt you incur.

It is world wide and it is destroying the world economy.
Posted by Arjay, Thursday, 27 October 2011 11:02:34 PM
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Tristan,

Even Sweden, Holland and Denmark have had to wind back the socialist experiment, such as company tax which is lower than here, with VAT at 25%, the lowest paid are more highly taxed than here, while top tax rates have continually declined, and are still set to do so.

If you have been there, like I have, the cost of living is higher than in Sydney.

Overall, in Europe the socialist trend is in reverse.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Friday, 28 October 2011 4:22:30 AM
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