Jasmine​ ​Ali

Prof.​ ​Kevin​ ​Surprise

12/7/2017
Alter-Globalization

The​ ​‘alter-globalization’​ ​is​ ​a​ ​global​ ​movement​ ​against​ ​neoliberal​ ​globalisation,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​made

up​ ​of​ ​actors​ ​from​ ​diverse​ ​backgrounds​ ​and​ ​with​ ​different​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​engaging​ ​in​ ​it.

A​ ​main​ ​source​ ​of​ ​inspiration​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Mexican​ ​Zapatista​ ​movement,​ ​which​ ​seeks​ ​to

implement​ ​long-term​ ​cultural​ ​and​ ​social​ ​transformation​ ​by​ ​creating​ ​new​ ​forms​ ​of

agreements,​ ​and​ ​by​ ​creating​ ​autonomy​ ​and​ ​dignity​ ​for​ ​its​ ​members.​ ​The​ ​claim​ ​made​ ​by

the​ ​activists​ ​was​ ​that​ ​a​ ​small​ ​transnational​ ​political​ ​elite​ ​are​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​imposing

market​ ​forces​ ​on​ ​a​ ​global​ ​scale​ ​with​ ​the​ ​justification​ ​of​ ​a​ ​neoliberal​ ​ideology.​ ​The

economies​ ​by​ ​neoliberal​ ​globalization​ ​was​ ​not​ ​serving​ ​the​ ​people,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​people​ ​were

serving​ ​these​ ​large,​ ​transnational​ ​corporations.

The​ ​protestors​ ​also​ ​brought​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​and​ ​demanded​ ​reforms​ ​to​ ​global​ ​inequalities​ ​in

health,​ ​opportunity​ ​and​ ​wealth,​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​individual​ ​human​ ​rights,​ ​the​ ​pollution​ ​and​ ​use

of​ ​the​ ​earth’s​ ​resources;​ ​and​ ​decline​ ​of​ ​people’s​ ​participation​ ​nationally​ ​and

internationally.​ ​The​ ​language​ ​often​ ​used​ ​to​ ​describe​ ​the​ ​protesters​ ​inappropriately

portrays​ ​them​ ​as​ ​a​ ​single​ ​movement,​ ​and​ ​one​ ​that​ ​is​ ​inherently​ ​antiglobal​ ​governance.

A​ ​more​ ​accurate​ ​description​ ​of​ ​the​ ​protesters,​ ​as​ ​seen​ ​at​ ​Seattle,​ ​acknowledges​ ​the

many​ ​diverse​ ​social​ ​movements,​ ​civil​ ​society​ ​groups​ ​and​ ​NGOs​ ​that​ ​were​ ​present​ ​from

all​ ​over​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​Within​ ​this​ ​plethora​ ​of​ ​groups​ ​a​ ​distinction​ ​can​ ​then​ ​be​ ​drawn

between​ ​those​ ​that​ ​reject​ ​global​ ​institutions​ ​and​ ​policies,​ ​and​ ​those​ ​that​ ​assert​ ​a

positive​ ​and​ ​constructive​ ​attitude​ ​to​ ​the​ ​integration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​The​ ​latter​ ​can​ ​be

described​ ​as​ ​the​ ​‘alter-globalization​ ​movement’​ ​because​ ​it​ ​demands​ ​a​ ​reform​ ​of​ ​the
global​ ​system​ ​so​ ​that​ ​the​ ​values​ ​of​ ​democracy,​ ​economic​ ​justice,​ ​environmental

protection​ ​and​ ​human​ ​rights​ ​take​ ​precedence​ ​over​ ​dogmatic​ ​economic​ ​theory.​ ​Although

these​ ​movements​ ​are​ ​uncoordinated,​ ​they​ ​all​ ​share​ ​a​ ​mission​ ​for​ ​global​ ​integration​ ​and

a​ ​call​ ​for​ ​a​ ​shared​ ​identity​ ​among​ ​these​ ​groups,​ ​to​ ​help​ ​reinforce​ ​this​ ​project.

An​ ​important​ ​of​ ​global​ ​justice​ ​activists​ ​is​ ​the​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​“unity​ ​in​ ​diversity”,​ ​as​ ​it​ ​points​ ​out

to​ ​those​ ​involved​ ​globally​ ​that​ ​although​ ​all​ ​aim​ ​for​ ​a​ ​similar​ ​vision,​ ​their​ ​differences​ ​are

crucial​ ​to​ ​the​ ​movement’s​ ​energy​ ​and​ ​power.​ ​Reforming​ ​the​ ​existing​ ​institutions​ ​of

global​ ​governance,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​WTO,​ ​to​ ​embrace​ ​the​ ​values​ ​of​ ​this​ ​movement​ ​are

activities​ ​directed​ ​towards​ ​the​ ​creation​ ​of​ ​this​ ​better​ ​world.​ ​Together​ ​these​ ​social

movements​ ​and​ ​NGOs​ ​have​ ​engaged​ ​in​ ​campaigns​ ​to​ ​place​ ​pressure​ ​on​ ​governments

to​ ​alter​ ​the​ ​agenda​ ​and​ ​principles​ ​of​ ​the​ ​current​ ​world​ ​order.

The​ ​author,​ ​Jackie​ ​Smith,​ ​suggests​ ​that​ ​in​ ​order​ ​for​ ​alter-globalisation​ ​movements​ ​such

as​ ​Occupy​ ​Wall​ ​street,​ ​to​ ​tackle​ ​capitalism​ ​and​ ​neoliberal​ ​globalisation,​ ​it​ ​must​ ​topple

hirerchies​ ​and​ ​to​ ​do​ ​so​ ​must​ ​form​ ​alliances​ ​with​ ​other​ ​sectors​ ​that​ ​are​ ​not​ ​privileging

from​ ​the​ ​current​ ​order.​ ​They​ ​must​ ​come​ ​together​ ​to​ ​find​ ​alternatives,​ ​and​ ​more

importantly,​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​more​ ​people​ ​in​ ​these​ ​social​ ​and​ ​political​ ​reformations.