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

1.3 One « internal democracy » disputed 

The militants who were interviewed frequently mention the problems of « democracy » intern 155(*). They seldom use it concerning the procedure of the local committee. The majority of surveyed refer to it to criticize the national direction. It is thus for example which Thomas qualifies the national operation of Attac of « caricature democracy », Luc considers it regrettable that Attac « claims to revitalize the democracy [but] has an operation which is absolutely not democratic ». The term of « democracy » returns, in their speeches, with several significances : with a collective operating mode, and in addition, with the refusal of a personalization of the leaders.

1.3. 1 questioning of « national directory »

1. 3. 1. 1 a collective operating mode

The term of « democracy » indicates before very for inquired operating mode which is collective. They thus privilege, in their speeches, the collective participation of the members (« elected representatives », « in the name of their local committee », « the mandate of expression ») with that which is done in an individual way (« on a purely individual basis »). The standpoint which is made in the name of the committee (and which is adopted in a collective way) is considered to be more legitimate than the individual positions. On this subject, Julie explains that the participation in the turnover or the A.G as a committee, makes it possible to the members to hold head with the direction. Luc observes that as a president, it exerts a work of « coordination » in order to « to find a consensus » between the members^156(*). Moreover, it notes that, when it was responsible trade-union for its company, it has « always worked with the whole of the workers and the whole of paid [and] the decisions were always taken collectively ». Moreover, it would also seem that the militants grant a great place to the vote. They qualify it as being the decisional mode most adequate. Luc regrets besides that there are not more votes at the time of AG main road.

Julie : What one wishes it is the recognition of the presence of the local committees within the Board of directors, as a representative of collectives, because that does not exist and the people who are over there which is people who are there on a purely individual basis [...] Bernard Cassen if there is a decision which obstructs it, it can say to him that it is there on a purely individual basis not if he is there as representatives of collectives one has more weight.

Luc : For me the role of the president is to try each time to find one agree between people who are there, I think that it is one of my principal objectives. All that I make in a group it is always as a simple executant, I do not seek to make another thing. On the problems of coordination, I try to find a compromise each time when there are internal brawls.

Inquired are very critical as for the operation of association. They first of all disapprove the decisions taken at the time of the general Assemblies. The mode of deliberation, is not, according to them, sufficiently collective. Inquired the debates and the votes qualify which take place of « undemocratic ». For example, at the time of the CNCL of December 6, 2000, the Members of the Commission of the statutes were designated. This nomination made by Cassen was connected, according to Thomas and Luc who represented the committee isérois, with one « caricature democracy ».

F.E: At the time of the first national conference of the local committees, there was a group of reform of the statutes which was created?

Luc: Ah yes! There too the way in which that occurred, that proceeded at the end of the day, at the time of the last fifteen minutes and in more it is Cassen, all alone, which decided in the way in which this group was constituted [...] Therefore, he said, one needs twelve representatives of the local committees. How one will find them? Who is voluntary? Me at the time, I put myself in the volunteers, one was to be a score. Thus all the volunteers go to the foot of the platform and in more on the level symbol that is not neutral because to be under Cassen which is above. À ce moment-là there is somebody in the room which had an intervention while saying :«It would be necessary nevertheless that there is the parity». I do not reproach him by for having said that, but what I reproach it is in Cassen to have returned in this play while saying «Go the six women are retained! », after there remains about fifteen people, how one them selected? All those which spoke in the front debate ! There are six of them which raised the hand and the six were retained. The debate related to the advisability of amending and it was a debate which was completely except subject because one took again the debate of the front French National Assembly, which spoke is necessary to amend or that is not important? I had not spoken in this debate and it is for that that one was not retained, whereas one was with the head of the dispute, and then the way in which that it is done, I would not want really any more to go there.

Thomas: The agenda was voted like that then [...] one spoke about the election of the representatives at the commission, what is called the commission of the statutes and that it is done in a straightforwardly caricatural way... And the appointment of the representatives was done in a at the very least riding way [...] It was Bernard Cassen who said one needs ten people, good me I propose that there is... And it was in the most total brouha, it was at the end of meeting, they were six hours minus the quarter, me I propose that there are ten people... Good then there is one which said that would be although it is Paris 13 there... Ah yes Paris 13 then among people, how much... Raise the right... Who wants?... Five women then yes five women and the others it will be so-and-so, so-and-so, everyone agrees go good! Me I was nauseated. One reacted thereafter, I sent a mail to Bernard Cassen and one answered me that not, it was not necessary that I see the things as that because I thought that it was a caricature of democracy and then good...

Inquired also regret that certain decision-makings do not take place in a public way and are carried out by the autonomous national of way. For example, at the time of AG of Saint-Brieuc the two wishes which were voted were presented with the agreement of the direction. Luc explains that the main part of the negotiations took place at the last minute, in an abstract way and that without that the wishes could not have been adopted.

Luc : Thus during the General meeting, the day before, one met in a semi-official way between local committees with the parachuted presence, because it was not awaited, of Pierre Khalfa [member of the office] who was sent by Cassen. It made proposals, while saying « here one can propose something but the weather is no question of making a motion, it is too late to be a motion. Impossible to make a motion in the statutes. There is only the Board of directors which can decide on a motion ». [...] One held this meeting with Pierre Khalfa, it said that one could propose a national conference of the local committees. Me I thought that one did not need a conference but a coordination, and especially one attended this meeting by saying that one needed also a commission on the statutes. It is necessary to amend. And the following day, during the General meeting, discussions in the corridors - I do not like this kind of things but one was obliged proposal to make pass two wishes, one on the creation of the national conference of the local committees, and another for the creation of a commission but Cassen agreed provided that one adds that it is about a commission to discuss the advisability of amending. That was negotiated in the corridors, in consideration of which it agreed to make vote wishes because it is him which carries out the General meeting, one voted these two wishes which were presented by Attac Isere. It is as that which that occurred [...] So that it is voted, it was necessary that the Board of directors gives his agreement because they was wishes and not motions. It was necessary that it is voted with the agreement of the office, since that negotiated front.

* ¹⁵⁵ One can note that inquired take, sometimes, a certain distance with the use which in is made. Julie specifies that it acts for her of a term «  galvaudé  », Lionel prefers speech of «  representative republic  : «  I think that it is an antidemocratic system, moreover our sums not in a democracy because there is not the participation of all. We are in a representative republic. I have reserves to as use the word of the citizens, it is galvaudé so much as it does not mean any more large-thing  ».

* ¹⁵⁶ One can observe that design of the direction (which is perceived like one «  coordination  ») developed by Luc and that of the national leaders is the same one.