Facing a New Globalization Model – Altermondialisation Perspectives

• Main Author: Mircea Dutu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: General Association of Economists from Romania 2006-05-01
• Series: Theoretical and Applied Economics
• Subjects: Altermondialism; sustainable development; world social forums; globalization; altermondialist movement; neo-liberal mondialization
• Online Access: http://www.ectap.ro/articole/64.pdf

Born also as a reaction, with a pronounced contestatory character and as an alternative to the actual mondialization of the “total capitalism”, the altermondialism has succeeded to impose itself in the last decade as a social movement with transcontinental dimensions and as a theoretical position in full development. By denouncing the essential drawbacks of the international order of finance and commerce – the multiplication of the discrepancies between North and South, the amplification of the inequalities between rich and poor or the emphasis of the ecological insecurity, which demonstrates the incapacity of the occidental economic model in offering a sustainable future for the entire humanity – the altermondialist project proposes a global model of development, multidimensional, in which the factors: economy, society, ecology and culture are combining in a viable way. The neo-liberal dogma of absolute free change and of the pre-eminence of private is replaced with values, such as: solidarity, democracy and social justice. If the diversity of elements and its nature of “movement of movements” prove to be efficient as a front of contesting and denouncing of the existing mondialism, the lack of homogeneity impedes building a clear and coherent strategic program and, consequently, canalizing the efforts of the altermondialist militants towards a unique direction. Nevertheless, a common direction is affirming on general themes, such as: promoting a sustainable development, respecting fundamental rights, protecting the environment, peace and democracy. With an often idealist speech, marching towards a “contestant utopia”, the movement designated as its main ideological adversary, the neo-liberalism and wants to become a “theoretical engine” of social struggle. Until now, the performance of confrontations between the supporters of the two mondialisms – the one still in force and, respectively, the one in project phase, showed us another mondialization than the present one, but we still do not know when and if it will become also possible.