user preferences

International Anarchist Statement on Covid 19 Pandemic

category international | miscellaneous | opinion / analysis author Monday February 07, 2022 20:50author by Various anarchist organisations - International Report this post to the editors

No one is safe until we are all safe

The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of human life. It has had a dev-astating effect on people’s physical and mental health, social relations and communities, our livelihoods, and freedom to move about. It has also significantly curtailed our ability to organise effective political protests and strengthened the hand of the State.
photo_20220207_15.47.jpeg

International Anarchist Statement on Covid 19 Pandemic
No one is safe until we are all safe

The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of human life. It has had a dev-astating effect on people’s physical and mental health, social relations and communities, our livelihoods, and freedom to move about. It has also significantly curtailed our ability to organise effective political protests and strengthened the hand of the State.

It has highlighted the fundamental problems of global capitalism and its need for continued growth and profit. The State’s support for those goals, has been behind the origin, spread, and tragic consequences of the disease. The need for revolution has never been so apparent.

However, as we struggle to fight back, the weaknesses of the working-class movement have also been revealed. We have seen a mounting death toll, health services overwhelmed, key workers treated as expendable, and the economic costs borne by those least able to afford it, yet resistance has been negligible. Nevertheless, the pandemic has also brought out actions and sensibilities that are key to social transformation: solidarity, mutual aid, self-organisation, and internationalism.

Covid-19 and other zoonotic diseases that have emerged over the last few decades are caused by the spread of global capitalism. As capitalism takes over more and more land for logging, mining, and agribusiness, wild animals are losing their habitats and com-ing into contact with humans, creating the potential for diseases to ‘spillover’ from other species to humans. This situation is exacerbated by the demand for exotic animal meat by the growing middle and upper classes around the world.

Response of the Bosses and the State

Though some countries followed a zero-Covid strategy, the majority aimed for mitigation rather than suppression. This was largely because they wanted to keep the economy going as much as possible, putting profits before people’s health. The result of this is that the pandemic has lasted much longer than necessary. Key workers’, already some of the lowest paid, were superexploited as they bore the brunt of the crisis. The lack of well-funded health care systems caused countless deaths and many workers were forced into work because of inadequate sick pay. Meanwhile, many companies raked in the profits and there has been an increase in divide between rich and poor.

For some governments, the vaccine was the main part of their strategy to beat Covid. Though the vaccine is a key part of tackling Covid, basic public health measures are also vital. But governments have preferred relying on the vaccine because it provides huge profits for the pharmaceutical companies and removing all public health measures keeps people working and consuming.

The vaccine roll-out has also shown up global inequality. Most of the vaccines have gone to the wealthier countries who can afford to pay. Calls to waive patent rights so more vaccines could be produced fell on deaf ears, showing that the profits of the pharmaceutical companies are more important for the governments. It has been every country for themselves with little international co-ordination or solidarity.

The Response from Organised Anarchism

Our organisations have taken part in a variety of struggles: for safe workplaces and educational establishments, for mutual aid and solidarity in the community, and resist-ing the attacks on workers as employers and governments seek to claw back money they had to spend.

Lockdown was a difficult time for us as our usual political activity was not possi-ble. Nevertheless, we did not join the anti-lockdown movement. Organised anarchists be-lieve in self-organisation. We do not follow rules because the government says we have to, we follow rules that we ourselves have collectively developed. It is this that lies at the heart of the problem with lockdown; rules have been imposed on people without a sense of them arising from people themselves.

They do not come from the experience of people in the community and the work-place but are developed with other agendas in mind. This has resulted in confusing and contradictory messages and has created a general mess, leading to many ignoring guide-lines, whether that be individuals, workplaces or other institutions.

Our ideas are based on the basic organised anarchism principles of self-organisation, solidarity and mutual aid. We don’t need the government to tell us what to do, nor do we have to go against our own common sense just because the government wants to keep the economy going. Of course, it is hard for people to do what is best when they are in precarious positions at work. This is why class organisation and struggle is a vital element in any strategy.

Creating a revolutionary movement

Organised anarchists believe that without a completely new society – a society without capitalism, the State and hierarchies – humanity may struggle to survive. Firstly, this pandemic will not be a one-off. Others are waiting to happen given the exploitative relationship humans have with animals and the natural world. Capitalism has brought the underlying potential dangers to the surface. Climate change and the disastrous loss of bio-diversity and habitats undermine humans’ very presence on earth. Again, capitalism and the growth economy has accelerated this process by plundering the earth for all available resources. One would have thought, and many did at the beginning, that the experience of the pandemic would inspire a new way of living- one with more mutual aid and solidarity and respect for the environment. But this optimism was lost very quickly; we were soon back to business as usual with governments keen to get us all spending again. The en-couragement of air travel is a prime example of the complete disregard for climate change. Fossil fuel exploitation, logging and deforestation, have continued throughout the pan-demic. In the desperation to get profits back up for business, climate change will take a back seat for some time to come.

The next period will see people largely focusing on coping with attacks from gov-ernment and employers as they seek to make the working class pay the cost of Covid. Much of our time will be spent fighting these economic battles. We need to make sure that the working class is united so that we can support each other and make sure that the worst off are thoroughly supported. We need solidarity and mutual aid rather than everyone fighting their own corner in one workplace, union, or disadvantaged social group. The whole nature of work needs to be questioned. This became apparent in the pandemic when we could see clearly what work is actually important. This is very difficult to do, because people understandably do not want to give up jobs – even if those jobs are alienating and harmful to themselves and the rest of the planet.

It is our historical task to continue to raise the need for revolution. We cannot con-tinue to focus just on the immediate issues facing us, seeking to merely avert the worst of the attacks and claim a few crumbs. We need to be challenging the whole system. A strat-egy will based in a place – a community, a workplace – but it will need to be firmly em-bedded in an international perspective. We can learn from our experience of the pandemic, which forced many people to restrict their lives to their immediate surroundings- their home, neighbours, community, and green space. It is in a specific place, around issues that we can experience for ourselves, that movements for much bigger changes are creat-ed.

Nevertheless, a wider perspective is essential – as the changes needed are both huge and interdependent. The reasons there are problems in a particular place are because of decisions made in corporate boardrooms, or the result of market forces that ensure profit is the main criteria shaping places.

Though climate change is also a global issue, the pandemic was much more imme-diate and personal. Everyone could not help but be aware of the fact that we are intercon-nected. This means that there is potential to develop more internationally-focused move-ments. The slogan “we are not safe until everyone is safe” has become part of the thinking of many. The future depends on the extent to which we can build on the positive aspects of the grass roots response and create a movement that goes beyond immediate concerns and demands to one that will lead us to a fundamental rupture with capitalism and to an anarchist society.

☆ Alternativa Libertaria (AL/FdCA) – Italy
☆ Anarchist Communist Group (ACG) – Great Britain
☆ Anarchist Federation – Greece
☆ Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (AWSM) – Aotearoa/New Zealand
☆ Coordinacion Anarquista Latinoamericana (Coordenaçao Anarquista Brasileira – Bra-zil, Federacion Anarquista Uruguya – Uruguay, Federacion Anarquista de Rosario – Ar-gentina)
☆Die Plattform (Germany)
☆ Embat, Organització Llibertària de Catalunya – Catalonia, Spain
☆Karala, Anarchist Group (Ankara) – Turkey
☆ Libertäre Aktion (LA) – Switzerland
☆ Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group (MACG) – Australia
☆ Organisation Socialiste Libertaire (OSL) – Switzerland
☆Roja y Negra – Anarchist Organisation (Buenos Aires) – Argentina
☆ Union Communiste Libertaire (UCL) – France, Belgium & Switzerland
☆Vía Libre, Anarchist Group – Colombia
☆ Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front (ZACF) – South Africa

author by Robert James - contact uspublication date Wed Mar 23, 2022 00:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This became apparent in the pandemic when we could see clearly what work is actually important.

author by James Kee - ATV rentalpublication date Tue May 17, 2022 19:12author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This situation is exacerbated by the demand for exotic animal meat by the growing middle and upper classes around the world.

author by Keith - psychotherapist boulder copublication date Tue May 17, 2022 23:10author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Thanks for sharing this great info here.

author by Nancy - dentist office santa cruz capublication date Wed May 18, 2022 00:42author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Very informative post, it's great content indeed.

author by fEBpublication date Wed May 25, 2022 00:45author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Glad to visit this one. Thank you for sharing great blog.

Related Link: https://www.fencecompanieslakelandflpros.com/
author by Johnpublication date Sat May 28, 2022 06:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The way that this pandemic has hit ordinary working class people like myself and others at our local roofers in Nottingham team has been awful. So much illness and uncertainty

Related Link: https://www.roofersofnottingham.co.uk
author by Wayne Polski - Roofers in Cincinnatipublication date Mon May 30, 2022 18:06author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I just want to get back to "normal" working life. This pandemic has really hit my sector hard and I feel for the people I employ and all those roofers in similar circumstances. Still my business https://www.roofersincincinnati.com continues to be there for the residents in cincinnati.

Related Link: https://www.roofersincincinnati.com/
author by Painters and Decorators Nottinghampublication date Fri Jun 03, 2022 04:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

We are certainly living in a changed world since Covid. I hope we can start to get back to some "normality" as soon as possible. I am looking to drive my business forward https://www.nottinghampd.co.uk

Related Link: https://www.nottinghampd.co.uk
author by Wayne Nomad - Painters and Decorators Edinburghpublication date Mon Jun 06, 2022 08:06author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I am trying my best to move on from Covid. Hoping my business can get back to where it was, My passion is at https://www.paintersofedinburgh.co.uk/

Related Link: https://www.paintersofedinburgh.co.uk/
author by Mima - CPApublication date Tue Jun 07, 2022 22:11author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Really like the content from this site. Very timely and relevant

from

https://www.masonryconstructionpros.com/visalia

author by CSHpublication date Fri Jun 10, 2022 06:27author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Very knowledgeable share. Very relative to the end of tenancy cleaning Hastings aspects of our business.
https://www.cleanershastings.co.uk/end-of-tenancy-cleaning.html

Related Link: https://www.cleanershastings.co.uk
author by Samuel - Go Herepublication date Sat Jun 11, 2022 08:21author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Thank you for this information. i hope this pandemic will end this year.

Related Link: https://www.roofbaltimore.com
author by Savagepublication date Sun Jun 19, 2022 08:27author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This blog is very nice. I really like such a fantastic written blog. I will keep coming here again and again. Visit my link as well. https://treeremovalsavannahgeorgia.com/

author by Kenpublication date Fri Jul 01, 2022 02:16author address author phone Report this post to the editors

this is great content, thanks for sharing. https://www.waterproofingwindsor.com/

Related Link: https://www.kitchenerwaterproofing.com/
author by actual anarchistpublication date Sat Jul 02, 2022 00:58author address author phone Report this post to the editors

garbage. covid is a scam - the real disease is rule by the technosciences, like the rule by computer that reduces society to data and manipulates the lab rat masses emotionally with numbers on the screen, the technomedical apparatus that wants to monitor health with devices, the mass forced injection of experimental substances... you "anarchists" make no comment on that and don't seem to realize what's happening right in front of you. the state and capital created this phony state of emergency to overcome their historic crisis of overproduction, and to transition to the totalitarian techno-management of society. wake up anarchists

author by Kenny Hpublication date Mon Jul 04, 2022 23:53author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This pandemic has hit our industry hard and our team of scaffolders Still my business https://scaffoldersofnottingham.co.uk/ continues to be there for the people of Nottingham.

Related Link: https://scaffoldersofnottingham.co.uk/
author by Jonathan - El Pasopublication date Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:48author email author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Yes, I will agree in this article. Covid-19 has the biggest impact from all the virus I have ever known since I was born.

author by SK Carpet Cleaner - Saskatoon Carpet Cleanerspublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:26author email saskatooncarpetcleaners at gmail dot comauthor address 1609 22 ST W #12author phone 3069009903Report this post to the editors

Agree, one of the ways to keep aergens out of your home is with steam cleaning. It removes most of the dander that accumulates in your fibers.

Related Link: https://www.saskatooncarpetcleaner.com
author by Core Concrete - Core Concrete Lancasterpublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:28author email sddsfkjklsdfW at oijsdf dot comauthor address 334 sdgsdf sddff eeauthor phone 9399999999Report this post to the editors

Using stamped concrete is the best way to make your driveway pop.

Related Link: https://www.coreconcretelancaster.com/
author by Eagles - Eaglespublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:30author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Really nailed the whole concept on this post. Well done.

Related Link: https://www.eaglesroofinglancaster.com/
author by Bakersfield Masonry Pros - Bakersfield Masonrypublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:31author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well done good sir.

Related Link: https://www.bakersfieldmasonrypros.com/
author by Santa Clarita Drywall Pros - Santa Clarita Drywall Prospublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:34author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well written and excellent points!

Related Link: https://www.santaclaritadrywallpro.com/
author by Spray Foam Spokane - Spray Foamerspublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:39author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Love this site! Excellent content.

Related Link: https://www.sprayfoam-spokane.com/
author by Miami Drywall Pros - Miami Drywall Prospublication date Thu Aug 11, 2022 09:43author email author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Thanks for the great content!

Related Link: https://www.miamidrywallpros.com/
author by Janna - remove popcorn ceilingpublication date Tue Nov 22, 2022 08:49author address author phone Report this post to the editors

As capitalism takes over more and more land for logging, mining, and agribusiness, wild animals are losing their habitats and coming into contact with humans, creating the potential for diseases to ‘spill over’ from other species to humans.

Number of comments per page
  
 

This page has not been translated into Français yet.

This page can be viewed in
English Italiano Deutsch
© 2005-2024 Anarkismo.net. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Anarkismo.net. [ Disclaimer | Privacy ]