Archivo de la etiqueta: Europe

@TheTroikaParty project. Looking at how the Troika threatens democracy

Troika? Never heard of it? Don’t worry! You will learn first hand when one unforgettable day the three inseparable friends (IMF, ECB & EC) visit your beautiful country, not for tourism but for a bailout! What? You are not in need of a bailout? That doesn’t matter, Troika offers its bailout policies at a competitive price. Besides, nobody asked you!

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Many people are unaware of the strong role the Troika plays in the EU policies; mainly with regard to the countries in the South and East of Europe but with growing influence also in the North. With the May 2014 European Parliament elections getting closer, the Troika Party campaign is conceived as a tool that aims at raising awarenessin citizens but also at dismantling the current neoliberal narrative and unpack the role of the Troika in European decision making. There is not a focus on who to vote or not voting; we aim at people rethinking the concept of Europe and democracy. Sigue leyendo →

3rd Newsletter from TroikaWatch

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Similar to the last few months, the European context is characterized by governments doing window dressing, while the situation for more and more people gets worse. After Ireland, Portugal is likeliest to be the second country to leave the umbrella of the Troika, in May. However, this is unlikely to better the living conditions for the people there, because austerity will continue for years and whether the level of debt can really get reduced without considerable debt relief is more than questionable.

In this newsletter you can read about: 

Overall situation, European level, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, From our side

Read the Newsletter: http://www.troikawatch.net/3rd-newsletter-from-troikawatch/

 

The Debt Crisis: From Europe to Where?

The editors have chosen an excellent title for this book “The Debt Crisis: From Europe to Where?” which incorporates a series of analyses written mainly in 2011 – 2012. The epicentre of the crisis that began in the United States in 2007 shifted to Europe in 2010 and it is necessary to ask the questions: where is this crisis leading to? How will the rest of the world be affected?

The combined effect of a crisis of overproduction in the real estate sector in the U.S., as well as the banking and financial crisis of great magnitude produced the economic and social disaster. The banking and financial crisis was itself caused by the deregulation of the financial sector launched by the successive governments in the U.S. and Europe starting from the widespread introduction of neo-liberal policies in the 1980s. This deregulation allowed large banks and major insurance companies to develop derivatives and structured products that are powerful weapons of mass destruction. These bombs began to explode in 2007 and the explosions are not yet over. The current crisis is clearly a major crisis of the capitalist system. The current governments benefit from it, since they can apply shock therapy. The policies they are developing will prolong and aggravate the crisis. Sigue leyendo →

Debt Versus Democracy: A Battle for the Future

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Strike Debt on Fifth Avenue for Global Noise Demo. (Photo: Marisa Holmes)

In the US and Europe, the movement of squares has responded to attacks on the social good by debt resistance and direct democracy. In assemblies, mic checks and self-organization, they demonstrated that another world is possible. Now the movement is articulating full-scale resistance. Sigue leyendo →