»Tackle the mystification of the mainstream« (daily newspaper Junge Welt)

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In the corona pandemic, the “lateral thinker” scene emerged and spread conspiracy myths. Has ATTAC been able to provide political education in this regard?

We have publicly expressed our concern that right-wing extremists are taking advantage of the insecurity of many citizens during the pandemic with their enemy images. However, we advocate that people take to the streets for their basic rights – in compliance with the corona rules. However, it is hardly possible to reach them at the “lateral thinker” demonstrations. This experience had to be made by people who had Covid-19 themselves and wanted to talk about it. However, whoever comes along, can hardly claim that it is none of their business if Nazis march along. There is no culture of conversation with fascists. We have to fight them. But we don’t want to give up those who have not yet defected to the right-wing camp and still allow themselves to be talked to.

How do you want to reach these people?

Among other things, we make offers with so-called educational modules for schools and adults. For example on the question of who has the power to shape globalization. So we want to tackle the mystification of the mainstream in capitalist relations and at the same time discuss alternatives.

Are you not addressing a typically left-wing target audience?

No, with the aim of economic education about how neoliberal politics work, we address everyone interested. Many people want to know what the effects of lifting the debt brake are. And because we are currently unable to hold public events and gatherings, a lot of things happen digitally here.

So far, social debates have mainly revolved around the corona pandemic. Can’t corporations and their political representatives be thievingly happy that criticism of their actions is largely absent?

In fact, important economic events fell out of sight. We therefore took action to draw attention to our call for a socio-ecological transformation, for example on the first anniversary of Christine Lagarde’s inauguration as President of the European Central Bank, ECB, on November 1st. Our network demands clear criteria for future bond purchases by the ECB. In addition to monetary stability, it should take social criteria and environmental protection into account in its decisions in the future.

Burdening the burden of crises on the taxpayers and letting billionaires cash in: This is a big mess. We call for targeted promotion of public infrastructure. This is to be financed through an internationally coordinated fight against tax evasion and avoidance. Secured by the ECB, there must also be cheap loans from public development banks such as the European Investment Bank, EIB, and the Reconstruction Loan Corporation, KfW.

As finance given the withdrawal of the non-profit status of ATTAC now Your political education work?

We didn’t succeed in getting us into financial difficulties. Our donors are committed not to let ATTAC down. They don’t get confused by whether or not they can deduct their donation from tax. Nevertheless, the withdrawal of non-profit status means a burden for us, for example because ATTAC now has to pay taxes that non-profit associations do not have to pay. The government coalition’s plans on the question of whether non-profit associations are allowed to be politically active are not enough. We had hoped that the SPD would advocate modernization in this regard. In the case of associations that represent entrepreneurial interests, one looks less closely, although they are by no means apolitical. We are now suing the Federal Constitutional Court.

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