South East Region Resist G8 meeting. Saturday 22nd January 2005
Introduction to the G8
The G8, or Group of Eight, is a group of the seven most economically powerful countries: France, United States, Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada, (known collectively as the G7), plus Russia. The current President of the European Union also participates. The G8 was established to re-align national social structures in accordance with the growth & dominance of global capital.
The group has met every year since the six largest economies first met in 1975 in Rambouillet, France to discuss the economic crisis created when the United States abandoned the gold standard, resulting in floating currencies. Canada joined in 1976, the European Union in 1977, and the participation of Russia was included over a period of time starting informally in 1994 and concluding with formal inclusion in 1997 at the Summit of the Eight in Denver.
While initially focused on macroeconomic and trade issues, political issues, such as security, development, nuclear safety, and terrorism have over the years become more important. The G7 continues to meet without Russia before each G8 Summit to discuss economic issues. The G8 has also created a series of ministerial E-Groups which meet at the Summit and throughout the year on specific topics, including Trade Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Finance Ministers, Environment Ministers, and Labour Ministers.
The G8 considers itself a discussion E-Group only. However, nothing happens in formal international organisations (such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank) without the prior consent or active support of the G8. The overall direction of policy which comes out of the G8 also has a significant impact on these organisations.
The G7 countries control the most powerful international financial institutions. Voting power at the World Bank and IMF is determined by the level of a nation's financial contribution (one dollar, one vote) and the G7 holds a total of 45% which results in an effective veto on decisions. The true power at the World Trade Organisation lies with the informal “Quad Countries” of the United States, Canada, Japan, and the European Union.
The G8 meets every summer in advance of the September meetings of the World Bank/IMF and the November Ministerial of the World Trade Organization, so that decisions made at the G8 impact the policies set at these meetings. The G8 is essentially a means in which the power of a few individuals can be maintained with the consent & collaboration of both capitalism & state institutions, & that power used to control, manipulate & ultimately govern as a global authority.
A brief history of anti-G8 summits
Birmingham (UK) 15-17 May 1998.
Despite G8 leaders meeting since 1975 this was the first time a mass mobilisation occurred against the G8. Some 70,000 people (mostly organised by Jubilee 2000) formed a human chain around the summit. Another 8,000 people took part in a robust RTS street party (as part of the Global Street Party against the G8). Many consider this the beginning of the ‘anti globalisation’ movement.
Köln (Germany) 18-20 June 1999.
The infamous ‘J18’ where the City of London financial centre was closed down & people ran riot (literally) through the streets. Billed as ‘An International day of action, protest and carnival aimed at the heart of the global economy’ it was one of hundreds of planned actions in 43 countries around the world.
Okinawa (Japan) 21-23 July 2000.
An altogether subdued affair from Europe although 27,000 people surrounded U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.
Genoa (Italy) 20-22 July 2001
Probably the biggest, most successful & most violent mass demonstration Europe has ever seen. Hundreds of thousands, from every country, from every political background took to the streets of Genoa. The Italian police responded with absolute brutality. Whole demonstrations were attacked, over 570 people were injured, there were hundreds of arrests & Carlo Giuliani was assassinated by Italian police (20/7/01). A reminder the state will always be willing to use whatever force it can to protect the interest of the few.
Kananaskis (Canada) 26-27 June 2002.
Given the aftershock of Genoa & ‘9/11’ & the remoteness of this summit little impact was made by protestors around the world.
Evian (France) 1-3 June 2003.
A return to mass demonstrations on the streets of Europe. Despite the best efforts of the G8 leaders to hide in an isolated fortress in the middle of no-where, new tactical approaches were employed by protestors & largely successful, with protest camps & being set up as co-ordination points. Lessons to be learned for Gleneagles.
Sea Island, Georgia (USA) 8-10 June 2004.
Again heavy police repression before the summit & the remoteness of the venue meant mass mobilisations were ineffective. A call put out for solidarity actions at a local level went largely unheeded.
nearest towns to Gleneagles
Stirling: 20 miles south of Gleneagles via A9 road
Perth: 20 miles north of Gleneagles via A9 road (15 min by train)
Glasgow: 45 miles south west of Gleneagles via M80 road (1hr by bus)
Edinburgh: 50 miles south east of Gleneagles via M9 (1hr 15 by train)
the G8 how it affects us
To maintain social order, these decision-makers rely on coercion & compliance & ultimately the use of state forces to retain their control. Under the cover of the war against terrorism, the group of 8 will take the opportunity to prescribe a powerful police force in order to keep its stranglehold around the borders of the ‘free world’. It is not often that the notions of political asylum and freedom of movement are allowed to circulate around the corridors of power.
Anti-immigration politics have been responsible for several hundred deaths of all ages and serve the mafia networks which feed the traffic of individuals and maintain a state of tension The G8 leaders also can be found at the UN Security Council or at the heart of NATO whose role is to organise the militarization of the world, and to defend the economic interests of the multinationals. And so the G8 fulfils a tripartite mission of organising the economy, the police and the military, allowing them to maintain their hold over entire populations. The mobilisation of organised masses outside the summits of this world government makes it necessary to alter ‘our’ communication network. ‘They’ need to disarm their critics by integrating the least radical fringe of the movement and criminalising the actions of the most subversive elements. All the major powers fear popular direct action, the autonomy of social movement, the means of functioning at odds with the logic of power.
G8 events leading up to the summit in July
February 1-3, 2005 – Scientific Conference on Climate Change, Exeter, UK
February 4-5, 2005 – G7 Finance Ministers, London
March 10-11, 2005 – G8 Employment Ministers Meet Meeting, London
March 15-16, 2005 – International Energy/Environment Ministers Roundtable, London
March 17-18, 2005 – G8 Environment and Development Ministers Meeting, Derbyshire, UK
June 11-11, 2005 – G7 Finance Ministers Meeting, London
June 16-17, 2005 – G8 Justice and Interior Ministers - Meeting, Sheffield, UK
July 6-8, 2005 – Gleneagles Summit
This south east region meeting was initiated & hosted by groups & individuals who describe themselves as ‘anti-authoritarian’. Essentially this means we reject the notion of hierarchy & leaders. We emphasise collective decision making based on consensus, self-organisation & autonomy with a commitment in taking direct action against the G8 and what it represents. This initiative is part of an ongoing social struggle for all of us to take our lives back into our own hands.
MAP: http://www.perthshireg8.com/images/maps/perthshiremap_01.jpg
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