The G20 summit in Hamburg
The G20 not only summoned world leaders but also protesters and movements who challenged the idea(l) of the G20.
On 7 and 8 July, the city of Hamburg hosted the G20 - the central forum for international collaboration in finance and economy. The head of states and governments of the leading industrial countries, who dominate global trade and worldwide GBP, met to discuss the global financial system and review its regulations and supervision and potential development.
Other topics included climate policy, the impact of digitalization on economic growth, the collaboration with African states through investments and development of infrastructure, the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the economic participation of women, fight against corruption and recent themes of importance such as the refugee movement and the fight against terrorism.
The G20 stands for ‘group of 20’ - 19 states including the European Union. These states are: Argentina, Australia, Brasil, China, Germany, France, Great Britain, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States. Together, they produce around 80% of global economic output.
At the same time, the G20 meeting also summoned protesters from all over the world. In the forerun of July 8, numerous anti-capitalist and anti-colonialist protests have been held in European cities. Environmental, labour and human rights groups marched against the policies of the world’s richest countries. Many protested against corporate greed, Donald Trump, income inequality, lack of transparency and the exploitation of vulnerable countries. However, during the G20 not only peaceful protesters gathered together but also radicals, vandalists, opportunists, rioters, hooligans and arsonists took this opportunity to create mayhem in Hamburg, often under the disguise of the ‘left’. Fingers were pointed at each sides and accusations were made at the brutality of the police and the anti-social riots of left-wing radicals and anarchists. Little was reported of the interstices and other actors. It is important to remain sensible to the flow of information and reporting of the media, as one local in Hamburg wrote: What one experiences on the ground is often different to what the media reports. The mayhem at Hamburg have also caused resentment especially by locals and small businesses, who were affected by vandalism, brutality, chaos and disruption. Many could not understand how the G20 was chosen to take place not only in such a hugely populated city where (police) control would be difficult and expensive but also as Hamburg is generally known for its stronghold of left-wing supporters.
Since its inception in 2008, the G20 meetings have always created world-wide reaction and protests, mostly because of the imbalance of power and decision-making in the global financial market by leaders who follow far-right and anti-democratic views such as Trump, Putin and Erdogan. As someone wrote in The Socialist Worker about the objectives of the G20:
They want to ensure that the global economy functions in a positive and smooth way in the interests of those who dominate the global and key national economies. Often that is in direct conflict with the needs and interests of the majority of the world's people. (Paul Le Blanc, 2009)
Nick Dearden, the director of the campaign Global Justice Now, argued that those very 'free trade policies' that the G20 advocates has led to massive inequality, deregulation of the financial market and thus a mistrust in politics. He demands a regulation of big business and control of capital, the distribution of the benefits of technology throughout global society and the assuming of responsibility.
Europe and the US certainly bear a huge responsibility for the multiple crises we find ourselves in. The flows of migration we’re seeing at the moment stem directly from Western policies – a desperately unfair economic system which has created joblessness, crisis and unprecedented inequality, as well as invasions and wars which have ripped apart the Middle East.
One of the main talks of the G20 was also the partnership with Africa. The Coalition Berlin, a social movement that stands in solidarity with African refugees and activists, criticised the 'partnership' for being 'economic exploitation' as it was during (and has been since) colonial times. With the proposal of a Marshall Plan for Africa (devised by the German development minister), activists see this as another way of controlling African states for the benefit of the few rich.
The Coalition Berlin is one of many movements that challenge and resist the authority of the G20, where some few world leaders, of whom some of them populist, racist and extremist, decide to shape and control the world's economy. Reading this on their website, I was reminded again why protests are important (and most of them are not violent):
Who we are? We are a fiction, but still real. We are many. We speak different languages. We have not had the same experience: We are those whose ancestors were slaves. We are those whose ancestors were slave holders. We are the ones that have been exploited by the system. We are the ones that have benefited from the system. The history connects us, even if it separates us. The present connects us, even if it separates us. What unites us is the hope for a better life, beyond the capitalist domination of this planet and beyond mobility control. What unites us is the belief in a world full of solidarity, without the G20 and its monstrous productions. This world is now, again and again, created on a daily basis. The future has already started. (The Coalition Berlin)
Sources:
https://www.g20.org/Content/DE/StatischeSeiten/G20/Texte/g20-faq.html
http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/10/protesting-the-g20
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/news/2017/jul/5/campaigners-tell-g20-your-model-broken-only-radical-reform-can-undermine-trump
http://the-coalition.berlin/gegen-die-g20-afrika-conference-demo-june-10/