Political Critique
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Ostolski: Young Poles outraged by ACTA
The previous reforms effectively deprived people of many entitlements, but they were consistent with the overall message of the present-day system: the state is not responsible for your well-being, no one has an automatic right right to a “good life”, you can only expect to be left alone. Like it or not, the internet policy is the ultimate test of this promise. Internet users, especially the youth, understand that with ACTA the “System” is breaking even this modest promise to leave people alone. Adam Ostolski comments on Polish ACTA protests. Continue reading
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For some time after reading these news I was ready to resign from the contempt to the Western stereotype entitled ‘Sooner or later Russia will get its own colour revolution’. At first the current events in Russia may really seem as a repetition of Ukrainan Orange revolution. Luckily, situation is a bit more complicated. Oleksiy Radynski comments on protests in Russia. Continue reading
Thousands of people protested around the UK in a public sector strike, which was ”the biggest strike in a generation” according to unions or “a damp squib” according to the prime minister.
Here we are all together in the Colourful Independent Fair, which did not emerge just today, but has been lasting for years and has come back in its new, even more beautiful form, said Kazimiera Szczuka opening the fair. Here we are all independent people.
“Love is more important than power”, yet the former-current Polish Prime Minister, the social anaesthesiologist, in the evening of the election, mentioned his PR person by name and thanked him for getting him to power. He knows who he should thank and what for. The weak government in Poland survived. Why does it make me happy? – Cezary Michalski.
OCCUPY LONDON: “We have occupied the forecourt of St Paul’s Cathedral, next to the London Stock Exchange. Reclaiming space in the face of the financial system and using it to voice ideas for how we can work towards a better future. A future free from austerity, growing inequality, unemployment, tax injustice and a political elite who ignores its citizens, and work towards concrete demands to be met.”
We asked a group of economists and publicists the following question:
Today, it seems obvious that private companies, like credit rating agencies, have a potentially greater influence on the state of society than democratically elected institutions. Capital globalised, democracy did not. Is it possible to change that and how? Will democracy survive a second wave of global economic crisis? - Jerzy Osiatynski
We asked a group of economists and publicists the following question:
Today, it seems obvious that private companies, like credit rating agencies, have a potentially greater influence on the state of society than democratically elected institutions. Capital globalised, democracy did not. Is it possible to change that and how? Will democracy survive a second wave of global economic crisis? - Dominika Wielowieyska
We asked a group of economists and publicists the following question:
Today, it seems obvious that private companies, like credit rating agencies, have a potentially greater influence on the state of society than democratically elected institutions. Capital globalised, democracy did not. Is it possible to change that and how? Will democracy survive a second wave of global economic crisis? - Ryszard Petru
After some moments of justified euphoria because of overthrowing a hideous regime the time comes to ask a couple of difficult questions. It is going to depend on the answers as to who is going to establish the rules of the new order and what is going to be the reality after the rebellion. And that is why we can’t sigh with relief just yet. - Jan Smoleński on situation in Libya after the fall of Gaddafi. Continue reading
The basic difference between the apocalypse and Euro 2012 is that after the latter’s end we shall actually have to somehow live in our countries. Oleksiy Radynski comments on Euro 2012: Continue reading
‘It’s like everyone is angry – they just don’t know why yet.’ This comment, from a man I met on Mare Street, Hackney, is probably the best explanation I’ve heard yet for the riots. – London riots report by Nick Hunt. Continue reading
The British riots will become more interesting only when we stop diagnosing them, analysing and segregating from over a cup of tea, when we drop our attempts to understand them from the angle of living rooms and instead we try to look at our living rooms from the angle of burning streets. Jędrek Malko comments on London Riots. Continue reading
The government should be grateful that there was nobody to show this crowd any direction to march, because probably this is the reason why the Tower is still in its place, Buckingham Palace remains unconquered and none of London’s districts proclaimed itself an independent republic. Szymon Grela comments on London riots. Continue reading
Following a peaceful demonstration in Tottenham demanding justice over the killing of Mark Duggan bythe police, the UK has experienced several days of violent riots. The government’s unwillingness to takea closer look at the real causes of the protests has left many dissatisfied. Prof. Philippe Marlière comments on the UK riots. Continue reading
It has already been said many times in the international media that right-wing extremism is a marginal phenomenon in Norway. On the face of it, this is true. However, if one looks slightly more closely, it soon becomes evident that virulent anti-Islamism and deep hatred of the political elite and cultural establishment of the country, who have “sold out” to foreign invaders (immigrants, especially Muslims), is very widespread. Indeed, not only dedicated websites, but also the mainstream media, often present views to this effect. Continue reading
It seems that the discussion over intervention in Libya and revolutions in Arab countries is over. In the midst of discussion over legality or righteousness of the intervention in Libya, the problem of the victims of the situation that lead to the intervention (and earlier to the uprising) seems to disappear. Smoleński for Critical Legal Thinking.
The Syrian regime is very efficient at suppressing the opponents; they don’t have oil, so they can’t just buy some rebels and suppress the others. For many years they had to be quick witted and work out their own ways of manoeuvring and absorbing the rebels into the political system. Magda Quandil in conversation with Jan Smoleński Continue reading
There are politicians whose incompetence is as deep and as causative an influence on the fortune of states and nations as other politicians’ talent or diligence. One of them is Nick Clegg Continue reading
The previous government thought that a policy allowing possession of small amounts of drugs and at the same time takes repressive steps in order to reduce production – I’m talking about destroying drug plantations– is inherently contradictory. It was one of the last decisions taken by the administration of Colombia’s former president Alvaro Uribe. The government decided to remove that contradiction by choosing a worse option. Jan Smoleński in conversation with Professor Daniel Mejia* Continue reading
We have to make elites and public opinion stop burying their heads in the sand, claiming that we had a rough time, but we overcame the crisis. They cannot say that banks work and business goes on, so we don’t need regulations and some carbon tax. Michał Sutowski in conversation with Stéphane Hessel. Continue reading
Usually the availability of choice, in areas where people are poorly informed, results with their losses. It’s really great that we may choose between various mobile phones, computers or clothes, but pensions are something completely different. Prof. Nicolas Barr in conversation with Jan Smoleński. Continue reading
Poland’s old anti-Russian prejudices are preventing it from finding its true place in Europe. Sławomir Sierakowski in „The Guardian” Continue reading
I believe the European Union will be the first to start thinking about a society, whose demographic structure will be completely different. A society where the definition of just order will be based on the access to health services rather than to work. Michał Sutowski in conversation with Ivan Krastev. Continue reading
