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

1 a renewed associative form?

The national direction defines before any Attac like one « association of citizens ». The expression returns to a legal form instituted since July 1, 1901 and whose organization spread^53(*). But an association, it is before a a whole meeting of interests and wills common. It is the same for Attac which before being a legal being composed of statutes and payments translates the expression of a common will. One can underline spontaneousness besides that the movement knew during its creation. Thus, this association, before being an organization, would have been born from a whole of citizens who testified to the same desire to engage. The Diplomatic World would have played only one part of catalyst of the individual wills. However, the constitution of Attac it would have concerned other wills only of those of its members ? Behind the apparent spontaneousness of the movement, it is not not possible to highlight strategies of setting in scene ?

1.1 The setting in scene of the movement

« For us, modern, the myth is only myth because we cannot connect this time any more to that of the history such as we write it according to the critical method, nor to either connect the places of the myth to the space of our geography ; this is why the myth cannot be one explanation any more ; to exclude its etiologic intention, it is the topic of very necessary demythologisation. But by losing its explanatory claims the myth reveals its exploratory and understanding range, which we will further call his function symbolic system, i.e. its capacity to discover, to reveal the bond of the man with his crowned. As paradoxical as it appears, the myth thus demythologized in contact with the scientific history and raised to the dignity of symbol, is a dimension of the modern thought »

Paul Ricoeur, « Finitude and culpability » in Philosophy of the will

1.1.1 The «call» of the Diplomatic World

The first factor of setting in scene of association is, according to us, the Diplomatic World which is at the origin of the launching of Attac. The article of Ramonet, published in December 1997, is considered besides by the militants a text founder. However, it is necessary to wonder about the processes by which this leading article was made up like a reference symbol. But, before that, it is necessary to briefly analyze the nature of monthly magazine in order to include/understand in which intellectual background was born association.

1.1.1.1 An associative cultural reference

The Diplomatic World is a monthly magazine devoted to the international problems. It was created in 1954 per Hubert Beuve-Méry, who is also the founder of the daily newspaper the World. It was replaced by Claude Julien, then by Ignacio Ramonet who is the current president. « Diplo world », as its readers call it, is a publication which always arised like « independent » and « critical » concerning the topicality and the evolutions of the contemporary world. It knew a strong progression of its sales, 200.000 specimens in France. In addition, there is ten editions abroad which enable him to add up 500.000 specimens. One can observe certain similarities between monthly magazine and Attac. First of all, the journalists of the Diplomatic World often occupy of the stations in the structures of association such as the scientific council or the board of directors^54(*). Moreover, the subjects which are tackled by association and monthly magazine recut to a significant degree. The Diplomatic World develops very critical theses on the topic of the financial globalisation whose Attac made its war-horse; it in particular took part against the neoliberalism. The articles stigmatize the consequences with liberalization and liberal universalization : the impoverishment of the Third World countries^55(*), the economic hegemony of the United States^56(*), it « marchandisation » of education^57(*), the international^58(*) multinationals, financial organizations^59(*), etc All these topics are found, as we will see it, among the claims defended by Attac.

The Diplomatic World seems to constitute a common intellectual reference within association. The near total of surveyed affirm to know and read this monthly magazine. Only one person interviewed is not a reader of the Diplomatic World. She in particular expresses, in her answer, a feeling of embarrassment which can let imply that she is not integrated into this common culture. Moreover, Isabelle adhered in order to better know association but it felt in shift with the militants that it met. During maintenance, it states not to feel integrated into the world militant of Attacants.

This common reference exceeds the militant circles, because it is divided by certain members who are not engaged in the local committee. For example, for Fabien, which is a professor of economy in faculty, the reading of the Diplomatic World is « stimulative ». She brings a speech in shift to him with « the conformism of the economic thinking ». The monthly magazine traces consequently a bond (symbolic system) between the simple members, like Fabien, and the militants. On the other hand, the militants of the committee isérois develop another use of this publication. They present the reading of this monthly magazine like belonging to their «formation ». That allows them réapproprier an economic culture which is missing to them. They do not read, moreover, that the articles having a relationship with the topics defended by Attac. The reading of the Diplomatic World represents in their eyes a tool militant with the help of which they «sharpen » their sales leaflet. For example, during debates in public meetings, it is not rare that a militant refers in an article which it read recently.

Thus, the Diplomatic World fulfills two functions distinct with the glance from association. It constitutes, first of all, a intellectual reference which makes it possible to be attached to a group of sympathies. In addition, some use it like a tool for formation and integrate the reading of monthly magazine in their militancy. These two uses are not, of course, contradictory but complementary.

These observations call a remark : the presence of a common culture within Attac returns to the first significance of « adhesion ». To adhere^60(*), it is before very being identified with a whole of cultural referents and symbolic systems that allots a grouping. Jacques Ion notes that this representation of adhesion is not any more setting in the most recent organizations^61(*). On the other hand, it was particularly present in the French Communist Party. Marie-clear Lavabre, in a work devoted to the sociology of the communist memory, could note that PCF set up an intermediate group equipped with a specific culture^62(*). Adhesion with the party meant integration at a community of individuals. Maurice Halbwachs speaks about « emotional community ».^63(*) The spring of engagement was the similarity. The reading of the diplomatic World does not constitute of course a vector of integration as important as the reading of Humanity. However, one can suppose that the monthly magazine contributes to the definition of a collective identity.

F.E : They are rather related to the Diplomatic World, you read it?

Isabelle: Not, I do not read it! [Laughter and expression of embarrassment]

F.E : It is the proof of a culpability?

Isabelle: Not whole! [Laughter]

Fabien: I do not read it regularly bus if I read it regularly it would irritate me, therefore I read it from time to time, it comforts me in certain connections. One finds there a speech a little different from all that one is overpowered, it is a refreshing speech, especially for the economists because one lives nevertheless in a kind of conformism of the economic thinking which is very strong. And when one can find ideas a little bit different, they are can be stimulative.

Luc: In the Diplomatic World, the articles which are in our mobility I read them. [...] I it course and if I find things interesting, all the articles which enable me to sharpen my sales leaflet in the discussions on universalization.

François: The diplomatic World, it is read per many people. There are some who make a purely intellectual use of it, [...] and then you have of them others which make use of it like a tool for the militancy, and me it is rather on this side that I am located [...] But it is a tool of militancy, intellectual formation, exchange...

Thomas: I think that it is a monthly magazine of reflection which gives well us the arguments, which poses many basic problems and which makes the turn of the subjects.

The militants relate, however, a glance very different to nature from the newspaper which they sometimes- consider with regret too «intellectual ». Several inquired consider that the Diplomatic World is located from the critical point of view without this one being accompanied by a whole of counter-proposals on the topics approached. Moreover, they estimate that it is about a too pessimistic newspaper, giving a vision of the man and world which appears sometimes very dark. Some also observe that the analyzes which are developed there are too manichéennes and are connected too much with denunciations. It would seem that one can bind this critic to the lack of proposals formulated in monthly magazine.

Thomas : They are not either militant in the direction where there is not at the end of the paragraph, to avoid doing that, you see... It is each one which makes what wants with that. But the general conclusions go in the direction of saying «That cannot then last because one goes towards the catastrophe», that it is a little serious and there are subjects which they tackle, you see that at the philosophical level they say that the human being it is not pretty, pretty and that, that undermines me a little the moral one and you say yourself, it crowned bastards there [...] The human being is really stupid at times.

Fabien : I recognize that Bernard Cassen expresses itself in a very negative way [.] It gives itself a little the beautiful play and the diplomatic World is a little like that. They say «It is not as that which should be done» but they are rather not very explicit on the proposals. This known as ? it is often, which people are well in the critical part but are disappointing in the proposals part.

Luc: I read the Diplomatic World, but that did not lead to nothing the whole... I regularly bought it during two or three years, it is in 1974 [...] The Diplomatic World, it did not lead to nothing, because one made analyzes and it did not launch anything behind to change something. I did not feel the possibility of changing something on top [...].

Cecile: I think that it is a very good newspaper. I agree overall with the articles [...] After there are things with which I agree less, for example Serge Halimi it irritates me, he has a side denunciation which irritates me, he gives goods and bad points to everyone. It is a side a little, here are the impure ones of the ground!

One can notice that no inquired a regular reading of monthly magazine has^64(*). This is partly explained by criticisms formulated previously but also by the fact why the Diplomatic World constitutes a difficult reading of access. Thus certain militants make the point that the articles are very dense and that it is necessary to carry out several second readings in order to be able to assimilate the contents of it. Moreover, of the people interviewed, such Fabien, consider it regrettable that the articles are too repetitive and that universalization became it « goodwill » of monthly magazine.

However, it is after having adhered to association that certain readers are fidélisés. For example, Luc read the Diplomatic World in the middle of the Seventies. He decided to stop, at the end of a few years, because « that did not lead to nothing the whole ». Since its adhesion with Attac, it reads it regularly. This observation confirms our assumption^65(*). Adhesion requires the adoption of certain values and certain referents. This process constitutes the condition of the integration of the member to association, as a human grouping. Identification with this group, i.e. the feeling to be member for it, thus seems more a construction like one given immediate^66(*).

The reading of the Diplomatic World thus concerns as well a personal training of a phenomenon symbolic system; it fits in the cultural field of the members^67(*). It traces between them a common intellectual reference. The reading of monthly magazine preexists for many people interviewed to their adhesion. Several found besides their bulletin of adhesion in the pages of the newspaper as it is the case for Fabien, Luc, Laurent and Julie. For others, on the other hand, the reading of the newspaper followed their adhesion. The reading of the Diplomatic World seems an initiatory rite of entry or fastening to association as a group of membership. Jacques Ion, who studies the evolutions of the militant structures, accounts for the integration of the individuals in a collective structure by the constitution of an abstracted entity, it « Us »^68(*), which is characterized by a very strong proximity between the members. A whole of practices organizes this sociability and brings a naturality to the group by equipping it with a «common repertory »^69(*). The reading of the Diplomatic World belongs to this whole of rites which integrate each individual into Attac as a intellectual grouping and militant. Its reading constitutes a manifest sign of engagement in the grouping.

It is within this ideological and cultural screen that will appear the birth certificate symbolic system of association.

Fabien: I do not read it regularly bus if I read it regularly it would irritate me, therefore I read it from time to time [...] In this moment I did not read it, I read it in an intermittent way. I have my periods «Diplomatic World» and then after I drop during a certain time. I should not have read it since three or four months. It speaks much about the claims and of the international movements but it is normal because they is a little their goodwill [...] But I have an impression of repetition nevertheless, because in fact often the same topics return. Thus one can stop during a certain time and when one begins again to find oneself immediately in mobility.

Thomas: It is a newspaper which I buy from time to time, every two months, because to digest all that there is inside and then that does not give me the moral one !

Julie : Maintaining the World Diplomatic I read very regularly since I adhered to Attac. I entirely do not read it bus already that it is necessary that I read 3 to 4 times an article for integrating well and thus it takes time.

Luc : Then I read nevertheless during step badly time the Diplomatic World, and then I gave up the reading of the Diplomatic World because I was fed up to read articles which appeared very supposed to me but which made an analysis from what occurred in all the countries and the world and which was always similar... And then I had some enough because that did not lead to nothing the whole and thus I was fed up!

* ⁵³ Associative rise is, as recalled by Stanislas Varennes, very difficult to quantify in a precise way. One evaluates however the figure of associations in France between 300.000 and 500.000. Varennes (Stanislas), associative militancy  : to take part differently, Memory for the DEA of the IEP, Grenoble, Refusal (Bruno) directed by, 1990, p. 12.

* ⁵⁴ Among the members of the turnover one can quote Susan George, Gisele Halimi, Bernard Cassen.

* ⁵⁵ Cf, Eric All Saints' day, «  To break the spiral of the debt  », The Diplomatic World, September 1999, p. 23.

* ⁵⁶ Cf, Frederic Clairmont, «  Threats on the world economy  », The Diplomatic World, May 2001, p. 3.

* ⁵⁷ Cf, Ricardo Petrella, «  Five traps tended to education  », The Diplomatic World, October, 2000, p. 5.

* ⁵⁸ Cf, Frederic Clairmont, «  These giant firms which are played of the States  », The Diplomatic World, December 1999, p.19.

* ⁵⁹ Cf, Susan George, «  How OMC was put in failure  », The Diplomatic World, January 2000, p. 4.

* ⁶⁰ To adhere means «  to agree  », «  to accept  » but also «  to hold  », «  to stick  », «  to apply  », «  to weld  », «  to attach  ».

* ⁶¹ Ion (Jacques), end of the militants, op.cit, p. 81.

* ⁶² Lavabre (Marie-Claire), the red wire. Sociology of the communist memory, Paris, Presses of the FNSP, 1994, pp. 267-277.

* ⁶³ Halbwachs (Maurice), «  Require of an emotional community  », in the collective memory, Paris, PUF, 1968, p. 204. City in Lavabre (Marie-Claire), op.cit, p. 269.

* ⁶⁴ For example, one little to note that none the people interviewed is subscribed in the Diplomatic World

* ⁶⁵ This observation is of course not an isolated case but is used here like an example in order to facilitate the demonstration of the matter.

* ⁶⁶ It is possible to put in parallel this remark with the observations of Marie-Claire Lavabre. According to it, the communist identity is a construction which requires a whole of unceasingly renewed processes  : «The communist identity is not given like the east the family or national identity  : one is born communist only by metaphor and no one is not communist before to have chosen to be it, null does not remain it which does not make the choice renewed or transformed to persevere in its communist being  ». Lavabre (Marie-Claire), op.cit, p.264.

* ⁶⁷ The concept of field belongs to the specific register of the sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. We will adopt for the moment a more general meaning by defining it as a whole of references common to a group.

* ⁶⁸ «This «  us  » all at the same time Community and member, are guaranteed by a whole of rites of entry and confirmation of the collective identity (charts and stamps of adhesion, annual ceremonies of renewal of adhesion, demonstrations external, distinguished, etc...) authenticating the specific quality of the associate members compared to «  they  » non-aligned of the outside of the grouping [...]  ». Ion (Jacques), op.cit, p.29.

* ⁶⁹ Idem., p.82.