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

2.1.3.2 The personal investment

The personal implication is a process of valorization of the individual. The associative militancy, like highlighted it Eric Agrilolansky, contributes to the regard of oneself^433(*). This phenomenon is more prégnant in the humane militancy in which the individual is erased behind the cause which it defends. This benefit is less visible within Attac. Indeed, the cause in the name of which they justify their engagement is not recognized like legitimate by all the actors of the company. Contrary, the mobilizing ideology of ONG carries out a consensus within the population. Among inquired, the speech of satisfying is rather not very present. On the other hand, Eric Agriloanski also notes that the militant acquires by his investment one « good conscience » towards itself. Several inquired evoke this benefit which it is possible to withdraw from the militancy. However each person interviewed does not use it in connection with oneself but in connection with the others.

Lionel recognizes that there is one « emotional dimension » in the militancy which is expressed by « a will to invest itself to smell itself well ». However, it adds that that does not apply to him. In the same way, Isabelle explains that the personal investment « is a form of deculpabilisation »^434(*). Laurent, on the other hand, estimates, after having explained that the investment meets a personal need, that its engagement obeys the same logic. Moreover, it puts in comparison its engagement within Attac with the contribution which it makes to a reception center for SDF. It describes the culpability which it tests vis-a-vis the misery of those that it meets. The fact of bringing its support enables him to return « more acceptable » this misery. It explains why its participation in Attac raises, inter alia, of the same reasoning. As a militant in Attac, Laurent estimates that it contributes so that « people live better », one can then suppose that its engagement returns « more acceptable » the economic inequalities against which it fights.

The personal investment thus makes it possible to develop the individual by the image that it gets to him and that it diffuses outside association. However, of the processes of valorization also exist within association. Daniel Gaxie noticed for example that the existence of a hierarchy within the political parties constituted one « remuneration symbolic system » of the militant investment^435(*). There does not exist within Attac a hierarchy as developed as in the organizations partisanes. However, other processes of valorization of the person are present. For example, Julie evokes the very great quality of listening to which the militants during meetings testify. It is not rare that an individual having prepared a working paper is congratulated by the unit on the militants^436(*). The public speeches at the time of the actions held by association are as many occasions to be recognized and developed^437(*). These internal processes highlight the fact that associations are above all of the places of sociability to which to share the militants take.

Lionel : But that it is in all associations or there is an emotional dimension, there are many people who militate because that fills also their existence, it is not all the time for intellectual dimension, it is also for emotional dimension. It is always of emotional but sometimes it is more one will to invest itself to smell itself well. Me I cannot say that. I understand that I find that interesting because it is the social life !

Isabelle : To invest itself, it is of course something of good, but I do not think that it is essential. It is essential, if the person has the need for it, then why not? It is a very personal step. I think that it relative to is lived of the person. I do not think that it is necessary to be satisfied with a intellectual engagement, but it is already not badly ! It is well to invest itself. A intellectual engagement, it is also a first step... After I say also people who have the time and which needs they do it, they are invested. After when one is student, it is the true that one has also other things to live, simply fact of adhering... I think that it is a first step. There is, it is something which brings to them personally in terms of wellbeing, in terms also of deculpabilisation, with respect to the external events, it is a form of deculpabilisation.

Laurent : But in any event I believe that people who invest themselves do not put the question of the utility, I think that the spring of the implication in a movement as that they are more interior they concern the personality and the fact of effectiveness I do not believe that it is a true reality which that is to say presents on their premises, it does not seem to me. If people they invest themselves it is that they need to do it, and that it is effective or not they do it. Perhaps that some say that it is effective but at the bottom of it is not what is essential to them, be before a whole individual engagement. Me I believe that people they justify themselves and it is rather them which take something and which have a satisfaction. It is like the fact of the gift at the Abbot Pierre or mother Teresa, it is a clean satisfaction and they even and it is for that they do it, they make it because they find something there. And springs of political engagement on the level like mien, not as others which perhaps have career-advancement opportunities, but for the grass-roots militants, it is not a question of career and perhaps that the springs of the investment are not on the level of the effectiveness but just the need to engage [...]I am sure in sociology the profile of the militants had to be studied and that they is people who open out through the fact of involving others and Thomas it is true that it is whatever one which is well for that because it is involving [...] And then I am pleased to invest me [...] Let us say, I think that one is carried out as one acts as anybody and as an individual. One is carried out in the action and the fact of investing that brings a satisfaction to me.

Laurent : The misery of the others that obstructs me much [...] because when I meet a SDF in the street that returns to me sick. I intervene at Water Point, it is a reception center for the SDF, one proposes services of immediacy, i.e. showers, people can leave the luggage and can take there businesses, one proposes to them the telephone, the washing machine and a service of small infirmary and orientation. The team that I meet over there is not to help them because I think that I of it am not able, which I do what I try to meet them because it is a reality which is so distant from savors that one can know. And there it is similar, it is as for the poor in Africa, that disturbs me much. Me that brings something to me... That enables me to be less sick when I see a SDF bus for me it are not more from abroad, I recognize them as individuals. The fact of crossing them on a precise place where there are a concrete reality and an action, it is a very pragmatic help but beyond that I cannot help them [...] They do not leave there and it is not me which will help them to leave there, I have a very precise help on them, that enables them to be presentable. But they are nevertheless in the shit [...] This misery it obstructs me also much. You see when I said that when one adheres there are interior springs, it is beyond the idea even, it is the need to imply itself so that it is acceptable. Because if ever I do not imply myself, in extreme cases, I cannot look myself in an ice. That disturbs me and I feel responsible. I think that that returns in account in my adhesion in Attac because the ultimate goal is to make so that people live better and that one finds a system more effective.

Julie : It is perhaps completely utopian but I think that the advantage of Attac it is that it is something which begins and which is built from day to day with sympathetic things super, a quality for example on the level of Attac Isere in the working groups, a quality of listening which I find very impressive, a recognition...

F.E : Did this recognition within the commissions that astonish you?

Julie: Astonished, I do not know... Yes, in any case I liked it.

* ⁴³³ «  Engagement represents a determining dimension of the image that they [militants] even perceive them and that they return to others others  [thus] the participation, even very indirect, with a political activity constitutes a practice necessary to the regard of oneself  » Agrilolansky (Eric), the League of the humans right (1947-1990). Perpetuation and transformation of a company of defense of the civic causes, thesis of political sciences for doctorate, IEP Paris, Favre (Pierre), 1997.

* ⁴³⁴ We suppose that the speech held by Isabelle aimed at justifying the fact that it is not very implied in association.

* ⁴³⁵ Op.cit., Gaxie (Daniel), pp. 131-132.

* ⁴³⁶ One can evoke, for example, the presentation of the Tobin tax which was made by militant, which in addition is a professor of economy, during the full session of the 22/05/2001, or the presentation of the mechanism of the AGCS by a militant during the meeting of the ' think tank ' devoted to «  Service public  ».

* ⁴³⁷ For example, at the time of the turnover of the 7/04/2001, Luc, the president of Attac Isere, proposed to present the conference made by at the time of the next living room of the naturalness which will take place in Albenc in September 2001. Thomas insisted that it is «  one  injury  » which does it.