Anti-Neoliberalism Protests in 1998-2013 - Essay Example

1998 anti-neoliberalism protests Introduction Neo-liberalism has dominated the economics for years and has resulted in rich growing to be richerand poor becoming poorer. This set of economic policies is presented and propagated as progressive, advocating the abolition of intervention of governmental powers in matter related to economics. There are no restrictions on manufacturing and free trade, individualism are practiced enabling the capitalist making profits as big as they want. After the Great Depression of 1930s, Neoliberalism emerged as a new economic liberalism spread all across the corporate world and further. With rapid globalization, neoliberalism was seen on a global scale. Neoliberalism is structured upon the rule of the free markets, cut down of public expenditure for social services, deregulation of profits, privatization of enterprises, goods and all services and elimination of the theory of common good from the society. According to David Harvey (2005), neoliberalism apparently is a theory of collective economic and political practices with the purpose of human well-being through “liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights, free markets and free trade”. He further explains the role of the state in creating and preserving such institutional frameworks which are appropriate for such a economic and political order. For example, the state must guarantee “quality and integrity of money” and must collaborate all machinery of political administration of the state to secure private ownership rights and even use coercion to if markets don’t function properly and independently. He also adds that if markets don’t exist in any polluted areas then the state must take action and build them but beyond this, state must not meddle with the markets. State intervention must be minimal in order to prevent corruption. (Harvey 2005) Neoliberalism is globally imposed by strong financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Rajesh Makwana writes that "the World Bank and IMF, are major exponents of the neoliberal agenda" promoting corporate interests (Makwana, 2006). Free market economist Richard M. further criticizes IMP which according to him “is a destructive, crisis-generating global welfare agency that should be abolished” (Richard, 2012). The effects of neoliberalism have been uncontrollable, powerful and appalling. This concept was seen to rage allover Latin America and resulted in decline of wages, tremendous increase in cost of living, failure of thousands of small and medium businesses and privatization of a large number of state-owned enterprises. It was rightly identified as the neocolonization of Latin America by one scholar. Supporters of neoliberalism deny protection to youth and children, tricking the common man to accept this ideology by saying how approval and living according to neoliberalism would get government of their backs. It is right to say that a very small minority of elite benefits from this system whereas for the majority it brings only suffering without any end. Neoliberalism is the ruling ideology of the developed countries enabling them to exploit and benefit from the developing nations at large. It is seen how the economics of these developing countries are monopolized by neoliberals and believers of free enterprises capitalists’ ideologies. Anti-globalization sponsors the preservation of the natural environment, human rights especially the rights of workers and conditions of workers. Also preservation of the democratic institutions is also the priority of anti-globalization and anti-neoliberalism. The term "globalization" has been appropriated by the powerful to refer to a specific form of international economic integration, one based on investor rights, with the interests of people incidental. That is why the business press, in its more honest moments, refers to the "free trade agreements" as "free investment agreements" (Deji, 2012). Accordingly, advocates of other forms of globalization are described as "anti-globalization"; and some, unfortunately, even accept this term, though it is a term of propaganda that should be dismissed with ridicule. No sane person is opposed to globalization, that is, international integration. Surely not the left and the workers movements, which were founded on the principle of international solidarity—that is, globalization in a form that attends to the rights of people, not private power systems (Chomsky, 2002). Social movements have effectively worked to counter the growing influence and devastating effects of neoliberalism in the current globalised world. These are a series of controversial performances, displays and campaigns with the purpose of claiming collectively. Other than that a protest which is an expression of rejection or objection of policies has been used in anti neoliberal schemes. Social movement involves constant dealings between challengers and power holders. (Giugni 1999). These movements share some rudiments with other forms of political conflicts such as coups, strikes, protests, revolutions and lobby or interest groups politics, yet have their own distinct features too. (Tilly 2006). One of such movements is against globalization and neoliberalism. Activists of these social movements call for reforms in global economics and its integration with democracy, human rights, policies of fair trade and continuous development. Anti-neoliberalism is the study of anti-neoliberal protests through reports of media, street demonstrations against international organizations and also the activists which include both the organizers of these demonstrations or common protestors (Silva, 2009). The purpose of research is to focus on the actions of protestors again neoliberalism since 1998. While neoliberalism has effected people from all walks of life, the research focuses on attitudes of people from various backgrounds who participate in different forms of anti-neoliberalism protests which are not targeted only against the global players of neoliberalism; International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization or World Bank, but also against the regional or local firms that are observed to treat their laborers badly or against mounting prices etc. The research is based on the protests against neoliberalism keeping in view the reason of disapproval, the level of contention or protests and the scale of participation in the demonstrations. Also the public attitude is to be determined which will help in observing the reasons and manner of participation of protestors. Role of media is studied since it is essential in carrying out public protests and propagate further. Since 1998 numerous protests and demonstrations have been initiated against neoliberalism especially in Latin American states and many European nations. Although both these areas of the world belong to not just different continents, but also constitute of diverse and unique features. However what was common among them is the shared contempt against neoliberalism which resulted in series of protests. Neoliberalism led to creation of vast riches for a few and poverty for majority in most of the developing nations especially in South America. This is the reason why major outbreaks of protest against neoliberalism and its capitalistic agendas have occurred here. Throughout the 1990s those in power were benefitting greatly from neoliberalism and the outward manifestation of macroeconomic growth strengthened and promoted neoliberalism. This led to increase in poverty, unemployment, less wages and also undemocratic processes by political authorities to ratify neoliberal reforms which may have been unpopular. Since a lot of neoliberal reforms were against the common interests of the majority, presidents used non democratic processes to enact and implement these reforms. Decrees or executive orders were used numerously. To prevent criticism or reaction, powers of opposition was reduced in legislature. Judiciary was stacked with sympathetic judges and political parties were weakened. Such a form of socioeconomic and political collaboration created policies and laws which drove the people out on the streets to protest against neoliberalism which they believed was the only way to force a revolution and change. The purpose of the project is to examine these protests which arose in South America and other regions of the world. All these regions have experienced the best and worst aspects of neoliberalism. It was observed during the 1990s and 2000s that the most effective and frequent protests against neoliberalism were housed in South American regions such as Chili, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia etc (Grugel et al, 2009). Although protest was occurring globally against IMP and WTO, It was seen how local anti-neoliberal social movements was bringing political revolution leading to resignations, overthrowing of important heads of states or causing electoral defeats to supporters of neoliberalism. These protests had a great impact and forced politicians to listen to demands and grievances of the masses to ensure political and social stability and also prevent risking their own political life. The social movements in Latin American states proved to be extremely powerful and successful, bringing out a political overturn from neoliberal attitudes to an anti-neoliberal ideology. These political executives have rejected neoliberalism and favored a more humane form of capitalist ideology. The project analyses these protests and demonstrations against neoliberalism all over the world during the end of 21st century. The financial crisis of 2008 also resulted in spread of protests against neoliberalism in various western nations. Mass Anti-Neoliberal protests emerged in Turkey in 2013 which were brutally repressed (Crass, 2013). These uprisings were sparked by soaring poverty, injustice and tyranny. Many of the Turkish Labor organizations supported these protests and the major cause of these massive protests was the government’s neoliberal economic policies which were unacceptable by the masses. The growth of the protest movements against neoliberal globalization symbolizes the most important illustrations of social conflicts and corrupted political behaviors which have been prevalent for quite some time. Active mobilization against analysis of neoliberal policies has helped bring anti-globalization into effect. The numerous protest events in the past decades, against neoliberal globalization provide the evidence of discontent which spreads from Seattle, Chiang Mai, Prague and Quebec City. Protestors gained representations domestically and internationally, enabling them to develop unity and collectively challenge neoliberal institutions and policies. Bibliography Ayres, J. (2004). Framing Collective Action Against Neoliberalism: The Case of the “Anti- Globalization” Movement. The journal of world- systems research, X (1), Available at: http://www.jwsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jwsr-v10n1-ayres.pdf [Accessed: 5 Apr 2014]. Chomsky, N. (2002) Znet / The Croatian Feral Tribune[ Accessed : 5 Apr 2014] Crass, C. (2013). Towards collective liberation: Anti-racist organizing, feminist praxis, and movement building strategy. Oakland, CA: PM Press. Deji, O. F. (2012). Gender and rural development: Volume 2. Berlin: Lit. Giugni, M. (1999). How social movements matter. Minneapolis. Minn. [u.a.: Univ. of Minnesota Press. Grugel, J., Riggirozzi, P., & Palgrave Connect (Online service). (2009). Governance after neoliberalism in Latin America. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Harvey, D.(2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Makwana, R. (2006). Neoliberalism and Economic Globalization, STWR, [Accessed : 5 Apr 2014] Martinez, E. (2014). CorpWatch : What is Neoliberalism?. [online] Available at: http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=376 [Accessed: 5 Apr 2014]. Richard, M. S. (1998), Paying More Blood Money to the IMF, Ayn R and Center for Individual Rights, [Accessed : 5 Apr 2014] Silva, E. (2009). Challenging neoliberalism in Latin America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More