Monday, October 25, 2010

The Revolt Shaking France

from the Socialist Project

There is widespread support in France for the protests against the latest cutbacks against working people.
...the idea is that democracy from below is more important than the institutions of formal democracy. Of course, all of the mainstream parties and the media say that real democracy is what happens in parliament. But the strike movement has raised the question: Where is the power? Who decides? Is it only in the central apparatuses of the government, in parliament or the presidency? This is utterly decisive about the current situation.
See also the latest report from Al Jazerra entitled, "French fuel blockades lifted".
"I think that this is what Sarkozy is banking on. That workers all over France may be suffering from demo fatigue, and that the whole movement will be losing some of its momentum.

"The real day of reckoning for the unions will be this Thursday. They have called a day of national mobilisation. The real question will be in what sort of numbers people will respond to their call."