2009 EuroMayDay Berlin Posters and Translation

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CAPITALISM

All the talk about the current crisis. We talk about capitalism as a permanent crisis! Built on war, colonialism, exploitation of the global south and the labor of many, capitalism as we know it today has continuously modernized itself. With all the friendly democratic participatory opportunities, one could believe to be in power in building one’s own happiness. Idiocy! So much work, stress, money, competition and the fear of “where do we go tomorrow?” has become an essential part of our market economy daily life. A few benefit, while the many endure the stress. This system of competition, the infinite growth, exploitation and isolation is one we reject. This system we fight, we fight for our rights, wealth for all and a caring society!

RESCUE PACKAGE

(The financial support to the banks in the present crises.)

Until recently politicians and economists talked a lot about that “we all” need to save/conserve/shorten the state expenses — but we can see that today tons of billions are being redistributed to the private sector - continuing the distribution from the botton to the top. Hello? WTF? Those who should pay are those who have caused the shit. We demand a big rescue package for those who do not have a penthouse yet! In the meantime, we want a social budget for all, free education and free healthcare for all, long distance and public transportation for free, cheap rent and the right to migration. Our rescue package is the socialisation of the profits and the privatisation of the losses. So: cancel capitalism — bonus on shares to us!

INTERNATIONAL

The world has become smaller. Globalization, it is sometimes called. We like globalization, but not the globalization of the capitalist world market competition and its long history. Since colonialism spurred capitalism in Europe — and longer — we see nations in the struggle for the wealth of this planet, we see exploitation and wars. This won’t change after the current crisis. We demand reparations for colonialism and a right to freely migrate. Our solidarity has no “only one place” and no competition thinking in national boundaries. And how was the beautiful old pathetic saying: “up with international solidarity.”

SOLIDARITY

Solidarity? What an old fashioned term. Why is it so difficult to support others in their concerns, and struggles? Why is it so easy to think that all this has nothing to do with me? We think that capitalism is a culture of competition, isolation, fear and egoism and that we all are part of this shit. We have not chosen this. However, we know that it is important to us to support each other. It starts with the neighbors, it is about solidarity with the strikers and goes towards international solidarity. Solidarity is not without criticism and is always at eye level. It grows from the understanding that the concerns of others are related to oneself. We want a new society/culture — it begins with each one of us. This has nothing to do with morality or guilt, but simply with the understanding that “man”/one is a social being is that your happiness depends on the happiness of others. Sometimes it’s easy!

EMANCIPATION

It is about freedom and “unfreedom.” It starts with ourselves. The freedom to run our lives ourselves, to create, modify, shape ones own life is the core of any emancipation. And be it only the emancipation from the constraints of the “bourgeois nuclear family,” or the emancipation of ascribed gender roles and violence, which it represents for many people every day. We are part of the societal norms and play the game of etiquette rules ourselves only too often. We want other forms of self-determined politics that differ from traditional hierarchical party politics. Emancipation is no egotrip. It does not take place without the criticism of the conditions that made us to what we are today. Emancipation requires the courage to criticize and self-criticize, and create solidarity with others and their struggles for self-determination. Let’s go — and no fear of the chills of freedom. You’re not alone!

WHAT NEXT!

Well — after first of May comes 2nd of May. Hello daily life again. And then the crisis, with its lies and so called rescue programs etc. — whatever — our experiment mayday is a building block in our struggle to find another path to a different policy and a caring culture. With all our determinedness we stumble forward! Against a daily life which eats us up, with others in struggle for a society of solidarity. We do this not just since yesterday — sometimes dancing with fun, and sometimes wringing with time. Where solidarity is taking place, where lustfully the power is precarious-ised, where we resist and where we feel the desire for the collective — this is where we are! And we are looking forward to the day when we can say: it wasn’t all so bad in capitalism!

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