As the economic oligarchy and Neoliberalism spread to more countries, with increasingly tragic results for the majority of citizens (unemployment, poverty, suppression of our political rights and freedom of expression), the need for initiatives and actions of the society itself seems imperative.

Just a year ago we experienced a momentous event: the Arab Spring. The peoples of Egypt, Tunisia and the entire Arab world have shown us that there is another way, beyond that of economic, political and social enslavement. And we embraced them and supported them as we ought. Respectively, these days, large demonstrations broke out in Greece, Portugal and Romania, invigorating the boiling rage, and threatening to drown our aged political system that works for the sake of numbers and not for the people. What is our attitude, however, regarding these events in Europe? Unlike the Arab spring, many Europeans are satisfied to reproduce the hypocrisy of the media, taunting and devaluing every anti-establishment movement. The Greek riots – despite the efforts of the tabloid Press, to present them as an act of blind violence of a minority who are only interested in wasting European money – express a generalized anger against corruption of both local political elites, and the mechanism of European Union, which in order to pursue their interests openly and violently suppress civil liberties. These new elements in the political and social life of Greece have, in principle, an obvious explanation: the incredible spread of poverty is a result of these Neoliberal policies. This phenomenon is not only Greek, not solely concerns the European south (Portugal, Spain, Italy) but many other countries as well (Ireland, Belgium, Britain). The citizens of Europe should see the Greek case as a warning, as a bad omen, as their own bleak immediate future if they will not react demanding real democracy.

The questioning of the existing institutions (political, economic, and social) is being transformed into a total rejection, surpassing the demand for their improvement, rationalization, or replacement by other institutions that would move within the same framework as the only rival ideas. It appears that the overcoming of this rotten system and not simply its overthrow – a project that is consciously adopted by a not insignificant portion of those who resist – has begun to affect unconsciously many tendencies of this “wave” of social resistance that is being formed in Europe. We do not support a change via the means of this system so we do not want to be remain trapped within the world of the spectacle. We reject the electoral processes of representative democracy and we propose direct democracy.

To counter all the above, it’s time European societies acted collectively, through a joint new European network of revolutionary action. Through open assemblies in every square, in communication and interaction with all the rest, the citizens of Europe could liberate themselves of this mechanistic barbarity of Neoliberalism, taking decisions together that will define our lives. Not as lenders and borrowers, not as rich and poor, not as prosecutors and defendants, but as equal and free citizens. What the European Parliament offers us profusely is exploitation, degradation, repression, and division, and delivers the product of our labour to the hands of a minority of greedy feudal lords. They do anything to suppress every reaction, but they cannot suppress our passion for real freedom.

Let us create, then, our own history, revolting against the totalitarianism of cynicism and spectacle, against the oligarchy of wealth. It’s time to hold peaceful but decisive actions across Europe. The Europe of people, not of the oligarchs and technocrats, is possible if we try together and coordinated. In the squares and streets real democracy, human creation, and communication may be reborn. Without leaders and mentors. Let’s become an embrace, which raises its fist. Let’s not live as slaves.

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