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

2.2.2.2 logics of these widenings

The first proposal of Attac was the Tobin tax but its field of claims since widened considerably. It is possible to distinguish four logics which took part in this widening. First of all because of a reflection on the consequences of the «liberal universalization» which led association to discuss the problem of the debt, of the funds of pension, the tax havens, the economic and commercial negotiations international. These claims rise from the principle which the movement left, namely the refusal of the speculation and the drifts of the financial markets. During the talks, of surveyed much evoke this widening like «self-explanatory » or as being «inevitable ». As it is a member who militated forever like Fabien or a militant very implied like Thomas, both regard as «logic » and as self evident that Attac supports other claims that those which were initially defended. For them, the Tobin tax is not sufficient, it represents only one measurement among others. Consequently a widening is necessary. The Tobin tax would constitute only one « carry of teaching entry » towards the financial markets^231(*).

Fabien: « Yes, I think that that would have been a little reducing to speak that Tobin tax. And then, I believe that it is inevitable. Because the Tobin tax was ressuscitée under the impulse of universalization, of the deregulation of the movements of capital. Since in fact events saw other types of consequences, one can disregard remainder with difficulty. Me that does not obstruct me that Attac supports other claims. »

Thomas: « And one can start with the Tobin tax. But there is not only that! One had started with the tax Tobin and very quickly the founder members of Attac said « It is not possible ». While stopping with the Tobin tax any more that is not, because the tax havens and the bleaching of the money of the Maffia and the corruption also take part in financial flows and the debt ! All the money which returns from the debt servicing of the Third World countries is reinvested in purchase of currencies and also takes part in the financial speculation. One opened compared to that [...] As soon as you start to put the finger in the gears in it, eh well you realize that all rises from that... All rises ! »

François : And it is broader nevertheless than the starting idea which was the Tobin tax, it left primarily on top and today it is much broader and it is very well like that. Because people also they included/understood, and I spoke about dynamics a few moments ago, that there is a bond between these things, it does not have there tax havens like that randomly, it does not have there an absence of financial taxation randomly.

Cecile : At the beginning it was the Tobin tax and inevitably when you do something on the Tobin tax, you are brought to reflect on the debt and if you reflect on the debt you are brought to think of another thing because all is dependant. Attac even if he does not say it he attacks with financial capitalism and these more wild drifts. Blow it is super General compared to that.

This widening is also due to the positioning of the leaders of association on the topics of topicality. Thus of many claims were formulated at the time of events which defrayed the chronicle. It is for example at the time of the shipwreck of Erika or the plan of dismissal of Danone that the office was brought to discuss subjects opposite which Attac remained until there in withdrawal. Several inquired consider that this widening is legitimate. They see there an enrichment of the movement (Julie, Cécile, Laurent). On the other hand Isabelle rather negatively judges this mode of widening. She regrets that the movement «clings » with each event in a precipitated way and would like that Attac remains more centered on the financial speculation. It evokes for example the action of the boycott of Danone which we mentioned where the reaction of Attac too was according to it immediate, not considered enough approaching more the action of a trade union or a political party that of that of an association.

Laurent : Already the claims increase according to the topicality, they position according to the problems. And as they are against absolute liberal logic when there is a fact topicality which is caused by this logic, then it is not a question to break it but to exceed it and integrate it. For Erika it is a typical example where it would be necessary international rules, because it is nevertheless an enormous problem. That seems to me coherent that Attac positions compared to that.

Isabelle : There for example, the Danone boycott, I have the impression that it was a little a hot reaction! Danone laid off, one is a little with flock but it is necessary that one boycotts! It was a little the reaction of a trade union or a party. It is a too spontaneous reaction. Ideas were not really discussed [...] I think that Attac precipitated too much on top, a movement it is made to have basic reflections [...] The drift is risked, since one touches a little with all the fields, it is a risk to disperse. Times is well to center themselves and to put the question «Which they are our priorities?».

The opening of the movement to new claims is also explained by operation in network of association. The fact that various associations and trade unions are members of Attac made it possible to take into account other topics that those which had developed initially. Thus, each founder member tried to put forward his specific problem. For example, the country Confederation incited association to position with respect to the GMO. In the same way, Attac was brought, as we saw, to intervene in the field of education whereas it is apparently about a topic without direct relationship with association. This is explained, according to Francois, by the presence of many teaching trade unions among the founder members who « push » leaders to be engaged.

François: For example on education... It is a will of marchandisation and to transform education into goods, it is what they call a universal case. Attac could say, one fout it is education, except that in the founder members of Attac it there in FSU thus inevitably, immediately... Connection is made immediately because people who are there, they push and they say it is not possible [...] I do not think that they defend simply the side of Profs, same on the contrary, it is the impact which that will have on the company and the children and the generations future, like one says [...] On top I think that Attac rightly... would be right to propose. And if they do it it is because FSU pushes behind. It is a trade union of teachers and they are confronted directly with this trick and thus they know what it acts and they can nourish the reflection within the collective and of the Attac committee and then here.

Lastly, one can evoke a fourth type of widening which develops in a sufficiently significant way in association so that one can indicate it. It is about the catch in consideration of the claims carried by the local committees which we mentioned. For example, if the national office discussed a question of education it is because a local committee had engaged on the question and it was decided to launch this action at the national level. In the same way for the question of the women as we evoked in Attac 38, the committee Attac Paris 14th obtained a group «Women and universalization»^232(*). Shortly after the summer school of Ciotat, the idea was launched by several local committees (of which Attac 14th) to carry out «a sexuée analysis of liberal universalization and to found an equal democracy in the operation even of Attac »^233(*) (Board of directors, the scientific Council). For this purpose a standard letter was proposed to the members in order to make pressure on the national desk and to establish a national network. This regrouping of committees also worked out a platform of claims while being made visible in Attac. Recently, a document was sent to the scientific council so that it takes into account the «kind » in their analyzes^234(*). There is thus, in the definition of the claims, dialectical of the national and room, one enriching the other.

Widening that Attac known in its claims is considerable and yet it is considered by the members legitimate. That raises a certain number of questions : which limits pose with association ? How through this diversity of claims they perceive the unit of Attac ?

* ²³¹ «  The Tobin tax appears as a «door of entry» teaching, accessible and serious on the stakes of the financial crisis and the international financial order; by laying down the objective to reduce the inequalities and the room for maneuver of logics of which they proceed, it draws the possibility of a «other world»  ». Aumeran (Chantal), Tartakowsky (Pierre), «  Management report  », General meeting of Attac, Ciotat, October 23, 1999.

* ²³² Its vocation  «is not to bring together only the women of Attac 14th nor to create a pole which functions in a peripheral and marginal way thus exempting totality of the militants of the reflection on the subject. The goal is contrary to carrying inside the Attac committee, for all the tackled subjects, the dimension of the women, by showing that a sexuée analysis could be made on topics like the economic reports/ratios, violence or health.  » In Group «women and universalization» of Attac 14th, http://www.local.attac.org/attac14groupe01.htmhttp://www.local.attac.org/paris14/FM/Archives/attac14groupefm07.htm

consulted the 30/07/2001.

* ²³³Cf, Attac 14th, For a mixed Attac plural and, http://www.local.attac.org/paris14/FM/Archives/[e-mail] consulted the 30/07/2001.

* ²³⁴ «  The topic «Women and Universalization  » mobilized several members of Attac in a national ' think tank ' of which the ambition is to convince of the need for integrating the kind in all the analyzes. The analysis of kind is a transverse dimension with all the grounds occupied by Attac, and not an adjacent field of action.  » In Problems of the set of themes group «Women and universalization» of Attac, exposed to the scientific Council, June 2000, http://www.local.attac.org/paris14/FM/Archives/attac14groupefm17.htmhttp://www.local.attac.org/paris14/FM/Archives/attac14groupefm17.htm consulted the 30/07/2001.