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

2.2.3.2.2 The risk of confusion

The second limit with the standpoint of association would be the risk of confusion with the other organizations which support Attac. Several inquired fear that Attac does not encroach on the role of other associations, in particular in the field of the women, racism or ecology^240(*). This risk, according to several people interviewed is solved owing to the fact that they take part on Grenoble in the actions launched by other associations, that they give their support there (unit signature, presence of stands and participation in the demonstrations), even if they do not play driving part there a « ». The second possible risk is the risk of confusion with the political parties. The distinction that some operate inquired, between the parties policy and Attac, is carried out because of the degree of opening, more or less large, of the claims supported by the organization. A party is constrained to hold a «total» speech and to carry claims on all the subjects. For them, if Attac came to too much widening its speech, it would be likely to be amalgamated with a party. Isabelle evokes the identity of Attac, which is not «touch all ».

The problem of the claims and their limits implies to think the identity of the movement, i.e. the representation which the members have of association in spite of the evolutions that she knows. It is first of all, according to them, the fight against the speculation and the markets financial which melt, in spite of the diversity of the claims, the unit of Attac. Each claim would carry the same objective. Thus, it would be possible to give an account of sexual, ecological and cultural problems^241(*) under the angle of the neoliberalism and the «financiarisation ». But more primarily, it is democratic project the « » and the call to «réapproprier the world » that Attac formula, which challenged certain members and who constitute, according to them, its identity. Lastly, the identity of association is represented in the speech of the people interviewed only compared to the other associative and political actors in question to be distinguished. An excessive widening of the field of claims, would deteriorate the identity of the movement.

François : One finds the ones the others, without knowing in same associations of a side or other of the Mediterranean. There are things like that and I think that Attac carries out combat of solidarity with other associations [...] On the debt of the Third World for example, there are campaigns which are made with other associations of course [...] Each one its specificity, its notoriety, its establishment and one is shared and one tries to advance. And then, of course, there are things to which Attac does not touch, and it is very well because good... It is necessary some for others and one cannot do everything.

Laurent : I do not know if the goal of the play is to have a total speech and to have something to say on all or if there is necessary to remain really specific on certain topics. Perhaps that one is mislaid. The political parties need necessarily to have a coherent and total speech thus a speech on the women's rights. It is their role. For me in a political party it is normal and inevitable that there are ' think tanks ' on all the fields. But for a movement of action as Attac it is certainly not a need. The goal of a political party is to control and thus that requires to have a position on each problem, that requires to have a total prospect. But the goal of the play for Attac is not to thus control that is not necessary.

François : It is that also, which is funny, people when they are in associations and that they do not have any other engagement do not see it and when one has a trade-union engagement or when you belong to others, one sees that there is a bond between the two because it is clean party to touch with all the fights. In any case, it is my design of the political party. It is to be present in all the fights, to support them, support them. To bring what one can, in order to make progress these fights, and then here... And one manages to establish links [...] And it is this organization, the party, which establishes the link between all these various fights and which with the claim, perhaps a little strong, to make some one moment the synthesis and to give a direct political sight. There is a direction to give to our engagement on completely different grounds [...] It is not more than that a political party, it is not... It is the synthesis of the fights in some share.

Isabelle : I think that the fact of touching with all, there is nevertheless risk. Quite simply, because it has of them others which do it, there are some who are specialized in ecology, there are some who are specialized on other thing, there are other people who are there for that. I think that Attac, if he wants to continue to keep a certain identity he is not necessary that it touches with all. For a political party it is normal, it is a little the characteristic of the policy to have an opinion on all the fields whereas it is not the characteristic of a movement. It is one of the great differences there, then after if they start to touch with all, that is not more one movement but that becomes a party.

The engagement of the militants of Attac appears indissociable associative form of the movement. Inquired seem to be attached there for two reasons. First of all, they confer on association a whole of virtues « democratic ». Association would be perceived for the majority like a field of freedom. Contrary to the strongly centralized and hierarchical organizations, it would make it possible each member to be expressed. Association would make possible the expression of the differences. Adhesion is not perceived besides by the militants as being a constraining process. Adhesion, would be a compartmental agreement that the member reserves the right to revoke at every moment. Consequently, the mobilizations become specific. Some inquired do not hesitate besides to call into question their engagement within Attac.

The adhesion of the militants was based on a specific claim which is very targeted. However, and it is there the second asset of the associative form, this precise engagement leads to a total whole of claims. Those which had adhered before to Attac starting from the Tobin tax, militate from now on against the ratification of the European treaty of Nice, against the Plan of assistance to the return to employment (AVOIDS), against « marchandisation of the culture »... but they also militate in favor of the income of existence, the respect of nature or of the parity men/women. These widenings were generally perceived by the militants isérois as being in continuity with the starting point of association, i.e., the fight against the financial markets. Engagement with Attac constitutes T it a new associative engagement ?

There remains anchored in a republican tradition (associative form, popular movement of education) but seems registers towards « modernity ». It would renew the traditional forms of the participation while making possible to reconcile the associative virtues with a total engagement which was previously the prerogative (before becoming the defect about it) organizations partisanes.

However, this revival does not seem to be equipped with spontaneousness that one allotted to him previously. Attac are connected as much with a company of mobilization that to an association of citizens. The launching of association reveals a whole of preparations and strategies (the leading article of Ramonet, the swelling of manpower, on-mediatization of the movement) which made possible to it fast success of Attac. What before perceived as spontaneous becomes the sign of a setting in scene in which the chance does not seem to have its place. The organization of association is not then perhaps also « original » that the leaders of Attac proclaim it. It seems equipped with a strong hierarchy which leaves only little place to the room. The virtues which were allotted to him remain of « fine wordss ». The committee isérois seems taken in contradictions similar to those of the leaders. It proves that the structuring of Attac approaches more a centralized and hierarchical organization that of an association « flexible ». The preceding representations which we had taken as starting points were above all of constructions. They translate the way in which the leaders present Attac within space public.

It proves that the launching of Attac would be an illusion. Its organization, in spite of the associative form, would be close to operation to « apparatuses » traditional. On the other hand, what happenhappens participation of the militants ? In spite of its origin and its organization the militants of Attac testify to a renewal to the forms to the militancy. It would be about a militancy fitting as well in the reflection in the action. That does not testify T it not to the emergence of a new fashion of participation ? Moreover, Attac falls under triple « terrioriality » of the protest. With the articulation of the room and national, is added again the international dimension of which was born Attac^242(*). This widening of the collective action cannot be without consequences on the modes of protest of the militants. Which are the repercussions ?

Part 2 To take part differently ?

* ²⁴⁰ The local committee isérois maintains the relationships to many associations, the MRAP for the question of racism, the country confederation for the problem of ecology, the Center of Cancellation of the Debt of the Third World (C.ADTM). We will specify these relations in the continuation of our work.

* ²⁴¹ One of inquired (Thomas) spontaneously tackled the problem of the «marchandisation of the culture  » in the course of maintenance in order to assemble in what it is about a problem on which Attac a right to speak has  : «There is a culture group in Attac which was set up and that moves [...] One wants a culture for any world and one refuses the marchandisation of the works of art that they are paintings, musical sculptures, works. I think that that can have its importance in the periphery of the economic problems, i.e. the individual is also, it is an individual who has vital needs, fundamental needs [and] for the needs for creation. It is a creator and on all the levels [...] It is necessary to pass à ce moment-là by schools, even if one needs a training for a certain level, today this training is intended for elites and so that it is profitable. I think that Attac of something with saying because that belonged to the basic rights».

* ²⁴² Attac had been conceived initially by Ramonet like an ONG.