7/31/2019 International Assembly: Global May Manifesto

1/4

InternationalAssembly:GlobalMayManifestoAshundredsofthousandsofpeoplearoundtheworldpreparetota

etothestreetsthiswee

endaspartofaglobalcallforchange,theInternationalGlobalSpringAssemblyaninternationalandinter-movementassemblyformedofsupportersofOccupy,Ta

etheSquareandLatinAmerican,African,AsianandMiddleEasternsocialmovementshasreleaseditsfirststatementdescribingconcretesuggestionsforaglobalchange.

ThestatementtheGlobalMayManifestocallsforsystemicchangeintheglobaleconomy:theradicaldemocratisationofinternationalinstitutionsli

etheIMF,BISandUN;thereplacementoftheG8/20withademocraticUNassembly;asystemofglobaltaxationonfinancialtransactions;andfortheabolitionoftaxhavens.Itdoesnotrepresentthepositionofanylocalorcityassembly;ratheritisofferedfortheirconsideration.

Endorsedbyconsensuson4May2012bytheInternationalAssembly,thisstatementhasbeenindevelopmentsinceJanuary2012.Itwasaprocessthathasseenthousandsofpeoplefromsixcontinentsandhundredsofcitiesparticipatinginthediscussionandplanningfortheinternationaldaysofproteststhismonthparticularlyfocusingonthe1,12,15and18May.TheseInternationalAssemblymeetingshavebeenconvenedinbi-wee

lyassemblies,overanonlineVoIPplatform(calledMumble,whichenablesmassconferencecallsandgivetheassemblyitsformalnametheInternationalGeneralAssemblyonMumble).

Theprocessfordevelopingthisglobalmanifestowhichisawor

inprogressstartedbycollectingstatementsfromthedifferentlocalandcityassemblies,thenmergingtheseintoacommonstatement.Individualsweretheninvitedtoma

enewproposalsthroughapublicwebsiteandanumberofmailingliststhatareusedforinternationalinter-movementcommunication.

AlvaroRodriguez,31,oftheIndignadosmovementinSpain,whoparticipatedintheprocessofwritingthestatement,said:Thisisthebeginningofanewglobalprocessofbringingtheopinionsofmanypeoplearoundtheworldtogether.Itrepresentsthebeginningsofaformofglobaldemocracyinitsinfancywhichisdirectandparticipatoryofthepeople,bythepeopleandforthepeople.Whilethestatementdoesnotrepresentthepositionoflocalandcityassemblies,thenextstepistopresentittoassembliesaroundtheworldforconsideration,discu

ssionandrevisions,aspartofadialogueoftheGlobalSpringmovementsta

ingplaceacrosssixcontinents.

NextstepsforinternationalcoordinationIndividualsaroundtheworldareinvitedtoparticipateinthisprocessoffurtherdevelopingthisglobalmanifestothroughtheirlocalandcityassemblies,throughthefaceboo

groupandthroughthewebsite.

GlobalMayManifesto

Thestatementbelowdoesnotspea

,orclaimtospea

,onbehalfofeveryoneintheglobalspring/Occupy/Ta

etheSquaremovements.Thisisanattemptbysomeinsidethemovementstoreconcilestatementswrittenandendorsedinthedifferen

tassembliesaroundtheworld.Theprocessofwritingthestatementwasconsensusbased,opentoall,andregularlyannouncedonourinternationalcommunicationsplatforms,thatarealsoopentoall(e.g.thesquaresmailinglist,thewee

lyglobalroundtablesandtheinternationalfaceboo

group).Itwasalonganddifficultprocess,fullofcompromises.Thisstatementisofferedtopeoplesassembliesaroundtheworldfordiscussions,revisionsandendorsements.

Therewillbeaprocessofaglobaldialogue,andthisstatementispartofit,awor

-in-progress.Wedonotma

edemandsfromgovernments,corporationsorparliamentmembers,whichsomeofusseeasillegitimate,unaccountableorcorrupt.

7/31/2019 International Assembly: Global May Manifesto

2/4

Wespea

tothepeopleoftheworld,bothinsideandoutsideourmovements.Wewantanotherworld,andsuchaworldispossible:

[1.]Theeconomymustbeputtotheserviceofpeopleswelfare,andtosupportandservetheenvironment,notprivateprofit.Wewantasystemwherelabourisappreciatedbyitssocialutility,notitsfinancialorcommercialprofit.Therefore,wedemand:Freeanduniversalaccesstohealth,educationfromprimaryschoolthroughhighereducationandhousingforallhumanbeings,throughappropriatepoliciestogetthis.Werejectoutrighttheprivatizationofpublicservicesmanagement,andtheuseoftheseessentialservicesforprivateprofit.Fullrespectforchildrensrights,includingfreechildcareforeveryone.Retirementpensionssowemayhavedignityatallages.Mandatoryuniversalsic

leaveandholidaypay.Everyhumanbeingshouldhaveaccesstoanadequateincomefortheirlivelihood,soweas

forwor

or,alternatively,universalbasicincomeguarantee.Corporationsshouldbeheldaccountablefortheiractions.Forexample,corporatesubsidiesandtaxcutsshouldbedoneawaywithifacompanyoutsourcesjobstodecreasesalaries,harmstheenvironmentortherightsofwor

ers.Apartfrombread,wewantroses.Everyonehastherighttoenjoyculture,participateinacreativeandenrichingleisureinserviceoftheprogressofhuman

ind.Therefore,wedemandtheprogressivereductionofwor

inghours,withoutreducingincome.Foodsovereigntythroughsustainablefarmingshouldbepromotedasaninstrument

offoodsecurityforthebenefitofall.Thisshouldincludeanindefinitemoratoriumontheproductionandmar

etingofGMOsandimmediatereductionofagrochemicaluse.Wedemandpoliciesthatfunctionundertheunderstandingthatourchangingpatternsoflifeshouldeitherbeorganic/ecologicalorelsenotoccur.Thesepoliciesshouldbebasedonasimplerule:oneshouldnotspoilthebalanceofecosystemsforprofit.Violationsofthispolicyshouldbeprosecutedaroundtheworldasanenvironmentalcrime,withseveresanctionsforconvicted.Policiestopromotethechangefromfossilfuelstorenewableenergy,throughmassiveinvestmentwhichshouldhelptochangetheproductionmodel.Wedemandthecreationofinternationalenvironmentalstandards,mandatoryforcountries,companies,corporations,andindividuals.Ecocide(willfuldamagetotheenvironment,ecosystems,biodiversity)shouldbeinternationallyrecogniseda

sacrimeofthegreatestmagnitude.[2.]Toachievetheseobjectives,webelievethattheeconomyshouldberundemocraticallyatalllevels,fromlocaltoglobal.Peoplemustgetdemocraticcontroloverfinancialinstitutions,transnationalcorporationsandtheirlobbies.Tothisend,wedemand:

Controlandregulationoffinancialspeculationbyabolishingtaxhavens,andestablishingaFinancialTransactionTax(FTT).Aslongastheyexist,theIMF,WorldBan

andtheBaselCommitteeonBan

ingRegulationmustberadicallydemocratised.Theirdutyfromnowonshouldbefosteringeconomicdevelopmentbasedondemocraticdecisionma

ing.Richgovernmentscannothavemorevotesbecausetheyarerich.InternationalinstitutionsmustbecontrolledontheprinciplethateachhumanisequaltoallotherhumansAfrican,ArgentineanorAmerican;Gree

o

rGerman.Aslongastheyexist,radicalreformanddemocratisationoftheglobaltradingsystemandtheWorldTradeOrganizationmustta

eplace.Commercializationoflifeandresources,aswellaswageandtradedumpingbetweencountriesmuststop.Wewantdemocraticcontroloftheglobalcommons,definedasthenaturalresourcesandeconomicinstitutionsessentialforpropereconomicmanagement.Thesecommonsare:water,energy,air,telecommunicationsandafairandstableeconomicsystem.Inallthesecases,decisionsmustbeaccountabletocitizensandensuretheirinterests,nottheinterestsofasmallminorityorfinancialelite.Aslongassocialinequalitiesexist,taxationatalllevelsshouldmaintainthe

7/31/2019 International Assembly: Global May Manifesto

3/4

principleofsolidarity.Thosewhohavemoreshouldcontributetomaintainservicesforcollectivewelfare.Maximumincomeshouldbelimited,andminimumincomesettoreducetheoutrageoussocialdivisionsinoursocietiesandtheirsocialpoliticalandeconomiceffects.Nomoremoneytorescueban

s.Aslongasdebtexists,followingtheexamplesofEcuadorandIceland,wedemandasocialauditofthedebtsowedbycountries.Illegitimatedebtowedtofinancialinstitutionsshouldnotbepaid.Anabsoluteendtofiscalausteritypoliciesthatbenefitonlyaminority,andcausegreatsufferingtothemajority.Aslongasban

sexist,separationofcommercialandfinancialban

s,avoidingban

stoobigtofail.Endofthelegalpersonhoodofcorporations.Companiescannotbeelevatedtothesamelevelofrightsaspeople.Thepublicsrighttoprotectwor

ers,citizensandtheenvironmentshouldprevailoverprotectionofprivatepropertyorinvestment.[3.]Webelievethatpoliticalsystemsmustbefullydemocratic.Wethereforedemandfulldemocratizationofinternationalinstitutions,andtheeliminationofthevetopowerofafewgovernments.Wewantapoliticalsystemwhichreallyrepresentsthevarietyanddiversityofoursocieties:Alldecisionsaffectingallman

indshouldbeta

enindemocraticforumsli

eaparticipatoryanddirectUNParliamentaryAssemblyoraUNpeoplesassembly,notrichclubssuchasG20orG8.Atalllevelsweas forthedevelopmentofademocracythatisasparticipatory

aspossible,includingnonrepresentativedirectdemocracy.Aslongastheyarepracticed,electoralsystemsshouldbeasfairandrepresentativeaspossible,avoidingbiasesthatdistorttheprincipleofproportionality.Wecallforthedemocratizationofaccesstoandmanagementofmedia(MSM).Theseshouldservetoeducatethepublic,asopposedtothecreationofanartificialconsensusaboutunjustpolicies.Weas fordemocracyincompaniesandcorporations.Wor ers,regardlessofwagelevelorgender,shouldhaverealdecision-ma

ingpowerinthecompaniesandcorporationstheywor

in.Wewanttopromotecooperativecompaniesandcorporations,asrealdemocraticeconomicinstitutions.Zerotoleranceofcorruptionineconomicpolicy.Wemuststoptheexcessiveinfluenceofbigbusinessinpolitics,whichistodayamajorthreattotruedemocra

cy.Wedemandcompletefreedomofexpression,assemblyanddemonstration,aswellasthecessationofattemptstocensortheInternet.Wedemandrespectforprivacyrightsonandofftheinternet.Companiesandthegovernmentshouldnotengageindatamining.Webelievethatmilitaryspendingispoliticallycounterproductivetoasocietysadvance,sowedemanditsreductiontoaminimum.Ethnic,culturalandsexualminoritiesshouldhavetheircivil,cultural,politicalandeconomicrightsfullyrecognized.SomeofusbelieveanewUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,fitforthe21stcentury,writteninaparticipatory,directanddemocraticway,needstobewritten.AslongasthecurrentDeclarationofHumanRightsdefinesourrights,itmustbeenforcedinrelationtoallinbothrichandpoorcountries.Implementin

ginstitutionsthatforcecomplianceandpenalizeviolatorsneedtobeestablished,suchasaGlobalCourttoprosecutesocial,economicandenvironmentalcrimesperpetratedbygovernments,corporationsandindividuals.Atalllevelslocal,national,regionalandglobalnewconstitutionsforpoliticalinstitutionsneedtobeconsidered,li

einIcelandorinsomeLatinAmericancountries.Justiceandlawmustwor

forall,otherwisejusticeisnotjustice,andlawisnotlaw.ThisisaworldwideGlobalSpring.WewillbethereinMay2012;wewillfightuntilwewin.Wewillnotstopbeingpeople.Wearenotnumbers.Wearefreewomenandmen.

7/31/2019 International Assembly: Global May Manifesto

4/4

ForaGlobalSpring!Forglobaldemocracyandsocialjustice!Ta

etothestreetsonMay2012!