Struggling for Victory; Protesting the G-20?

Susan George wasn't the only one who emphasized the need for a new, positive meta-narrative, but she was particularly eloquent. She argued for victory. Victory for the planet, victory for people, victory for future generations. We dare not stop fighting, she said. At this time of crisis, we must win.

Given that I've been spending much of the past few weeks trying to influence - not protest - the G 20 London Summit on the international financial system in April, I was not entirely sure how much good protesting the financial ministers would do. Though given the current tendency of bankers to give themselves substantial bonuses paid for by my un-born children, I certainly agree that those who created the problem are not proving efficient at solving it - and certainly not by themselves.

Of course, I wasn't at work - I was among 2000 other people gathered in London for '6 Billion Ways' - alternatives and potential solutions for the financial crisis and the array of inter-related crises confronting us at the moment (food security, water scarcity, fuel prices, climate change, human rights and population growth, among others). They were attempting to connect the dots - and draw attention to the protests happening around the G20 meeting on 2 April. The crowd and the speakers represented a diverse segment of liberal thinking, from environmentalists to Muslim activists. Business was largely absent. Which is a shame - no true paradigm shift can happen without the skills, talents and power of business.

In linking the financial crisis in the North with the ongoing crisis of immense and acute poverty in the South, Tim Gee from BOND UK put it well: the same neo-liberal, market-knows-best, de-regulation policies that have been imposed by the IMF onto Southern countries for decades are now at cause of the melt down of Northern economies. Many (including Nassim Taleb, financier and author of the popular book, 'The Black Swan') recognized at least some of these trends and predicted the potential of a collapse such as what we are currently seeing.

Recognizing the growing inequality and suffering around the world that was happening before the financial crisis hit, many participants were fearful of a return to 'business as normal' (even as many yearned for greater stability in their own professional and family lives - the day was filled of stories of how anxious and afraid many are about what the future may bring) and the speakers talked about the need that this moment be seized as an opportunity to create a just green economy.

Among the speakers there was an agreement that nationalization of the banks would give people the chance to dictate how and where banks loaned their money - so it would not only be to massive coal producers (financed by RSB in Scotland) but to social enterprises, green businesses and initiatives to green buildings. Susan George emphasized that the money needed for this could come from ending tax havens, taxing financial transactions and taxing TransNational Corporations.

The speakers seemed relatively organized and on top of their homework - but I can't say the same for the participants. I led an improvisational session on the relationship between Climate Change and Poverty. When I asked the group of about 50 how many new what a Green Economy was, only a handful raised their hands. I was slightly shocked - this was a liberal group of concerned, reasonably educated people, but they were not aware of the promise - or some of the dangers - of a Green Economy. It was a signal to me that a great deal more education is needed. Indeed, that's part of what makes this crisis so different - and so exciting. While I don't think it is as complicated as many of the bankers like to say it is, it does require one to do one's homework, and try to understand not only finance, but how finance relates to poverty relates to human rights relates to good solid solutions for a global green economy - and sustainability. If you are not a student, there are few already-made places for adults to gather together and learn as a group - what's happening? what can we do? As we struggle for victory against the real potential of a global melt down (and the almost inevitable conflict which would accompany that), places to gather - to learn, to reflect, to build relationships, to take action - will be needed more than ever.