UN RENOUVEAU DE LA PARTICIPATION ASSOCIATIVE ? L'engagement et le militantisme au sein du comité Attac Isère

1.2.1 Statutes and the organization of Attac

1.2.1.1 The charter founder

Six months after the publication of the leading article, a whole of organizations and personalities were joined together in order to ensure the launching of association. At the time of the General meeting constitutive of June 3, 1998, the founder members signed the charter and deposited the statutes of association. Each organization brought a sum ranging between 5.000 and 35.000 frs in order to cover the expenses of launching^109(*). Bernard Cassen^110(*), general manager of the Diplomatic World, was elected president of association, while Igniacio Ramonet, director of the Diplomatic World became honorary president. The charter of association is the text by which the signatories agree on a whole of common objectives^111(*). It presents, first of all, the conditions under which association appeared : an aggravation of « L `insecurity economic and [of] social inequalities [...] progression of the antidemocratic parties [...] the total freedom of circulation of capital [...] the permanent increase in the incomes of the capital to the detriment of those of work, the generalization of precariousness and extension of poverty ". The charter evokes, then, the possibility of setting up « alternatives » such as the Tobin tax which « sand in the wheels of the speculation would put ». A whole of precise claims and intentions broader appear in the charter. These objectives were taken again besides for the constitution of the international movement Attac. Lastly, the signatories commit themselves «creating the Attac association, which will enable them to produce and disseminate information to act jointly, so much in their respective countries, which at the European and international level ». This charter, which was signed by the 58 founder members, served later on as « declaration of intent » with the whole of the local committees which constituted themselves.

During talks, it appeared that the militants isérois seemed very attached to the charter of association. Indeed, whereas only the most militant members refer to the statutes of association, the charter seems a reference common to the members. It acts, according to Thomas, of a document which makes it possible all the members of association to have « the same base ». According to Julie, it makes it possible to give to Attac « a certain coherence ». The national structure of Attac is thus perceived by the militants isérois like something of legitimate. It would be even, according to them, the only possibility of operation of association.

Thomas: Me I think that it is well, because already on the level of information and the level of the charter and the base of adhesion, one has all the same base. It is a base which is given by the national and on which, in extreme cases one could act by saying that that is not appropriate. That was done for example in the tariffs, on the level of the pensioners. Thus already, by adhering all under the same charter with [...] the founder members. Everyone has same information and if people adhere, they adhere to that. Because after that can bring drifts within small local committees which... For heaps of reason...

Julie : Attac is an association national and international there is thus a certain coherence to have, it is necessary that there are common authorities of decision. Already it there with the charter which ensures a common base, knowing that in certain cities there are three local committees.

Luc : Attac it is a little the same thing, except that one defends something which called forever into question by anybody and that seems important to me, it is the initial charter of Attac. For me the initial charter of Attac called forever into question to my knowledge by anybody. That seems to me paramount.

* ¹⁰⁹ Meadows of 300.000 francs were thus collected. Cf Denis Pingaud, left of the left, op.cit, p. 97.

* ¹¹⁰ Bernard Cassen is also an academic. He was aggregate of English in 1961. He took part in the creation of the free faculty of Vincennes in May 68, with Hélénes Cixous and Pierre Domergues, who was during several years a platform and a window of the extreme left. He started a collaboration with the Diplomatic World. In 1981, the shortly after the victory of François Mitterrand, Jean-Pierre Chevènement the direction of Mission of the industrial, scientific and technical information entrusted to him (MIDIST). Then it decided to be devoted exclusively to monthly magazine. In addition, it occupies a European pulpit Jean Monnet at the university Paris VIII. Ibid, p. 99.

* ¹¹¹ Cf. «  Charter of Attac association. Text adopted on June 3, 1998  », appendix n°7, p. 19.