Since Seattle

On November 30, 1999 in Seattle, a five-day protest against the World Trade Organization (WTO) began, marking a new phase of the movement for global justice. Over 50,000 trade unionists, farmers, students, environmentalists, workers, and other activists swarmed over the city and shut down the meetings of the WTO. Major sectors of the country identified global corporations and capitalism as the source of our world�s problems. A new generation of young people saw the incredible power they could hold if they simply organized, mobilized, and became active together with the labor and people�s movements.

On November 30, 1999 in Seattle, a five-day protest against the World Trade Organization (WTO) began, marking a new phase of the movement for global justice. Over 50,000 trade unionists, farmers, students, environmentalists, workers, and other activists swarmed over the city and shut down the meetings of the WTO. Major sectors of the country identified global corporations and capitalism as the source of our world�s problems. A new generation of young people saw the incredible power they could hold if they simply organized, mobilized, and became active together with the labor and people�s movements.

The WTO protest was not an anomaly, but the beginning of a movement. Soon after Seattle, there was a lack of effort by youth groups and environmentalists to make inroads and work cooperatively with unions. For this reason, and perhaps because of concerns over the image given the protests by anarchists, labor has shown very sporadic support for the various major demonstrations. When labor has been involved, it has frequently held separate rallies in order to avoid being lumped in with extreme groups. Lack of strong labor presence has typically resulted in substantially smaller and more chaotic demonstrations.

One major turning point for the movement was the 2000 elections. Some believed the entire movement should merge into Ralph Nader�s presidential campaign. This strategy further alienated labor and other large sections of the movement. After the \"election\" the left had its best opportunity in decades to demonstrate the flaws of the system.
As the potentially largest US-based anti-corporate demonstration ever was about to take place in Washington DC in November 2001, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City. Up to that point, the Bush Regime had been losing popularity domestically and internationally as rapidly as it squandered the budget.

Just as they were about to hit rock bottom and the anti-corporate movement about to apex, the �state of emergency� gave Bush absolute power. Not wasting one moment to shed a tear for the dead, reactionaries jumped into action with plans to give taxpayer money to the rich corporations, curb civil liberties, and go to war with everyone in our way.

Needless to say, the movement against corporate globalization faces difficult challenges in the wake of Bush�s �war on terrorism.� But there are signs of hope, in November over 10,000 demonstrators protested the �School of the Americas� in Fort Benning, Georgia, training grounds here in the US for some of the world�s most dangarous terrorists.

On February 2, over 20,000 protesters marched against the World Economic Forum in New York City. An now thousands are making their way to Washington again for the April 20 anti-war march, all demonstrating that people were once again ready for progressive solutions to economic questions.


Jack York is a student from Bufallo New York.