Call and Invitation

We invite all democratic forces and activists from progressive, revolutionary and anti-system movements to come together, develop joint solutions and move forward in an organised way to confront the multiple crises of capitalist modernity. Together we can build a just, free, ecological and peaceful world!

If we look at Europe today, we see an utterly bleak picture. Wherever we look, we see the rise of right-wing and fascist movements, a fortress Europe that is raising its walls and borders higher and higher, perfecting the drive towards isolation. At the same time, social division is relentlessly progressing. The states in which we live are becoming more internally authoritarian, the window of opinion is narrowing, and repression is spreading in an unprecedented form. Arms sales are being diligently pushed forward, and an increasingly belligerent and aggressive external narrative is making a peaceful future seem ever more distant. In the political game between supposedly progressive and nationalist conservative parties, it has long been clear that neither of them are capable of providing viable answers to the multiple crises of capitalist modernity. Despite the many initiatives and movements that are - with strength and courage - defending social values and fighting for a better future, the democratic forces are not only on the defensive, but are literally staring paralysed and disoriented at the seemingly hopeless situation.

The capitalist system is trying in vain to find a way out of its desperate situation. Not least the existence of the doomed “green capitalism” makes it clear that there can be no solution whatsoever within the logic of the existing system. Any attempt to reinvent the old system can perhaps delay the impending collapse, but it cannot point to a way out of the crisis. What makes this hope for improvement within the old system dangerous is the associated perpetuation of the given state of crisis. One central conflict being fought out in the course of the global crisis is between the powers of capitalist modernity. It is between the globalist forces of capitalism on the one hand and nation-state forces on the other. It is about whether and how the system of capitalist modernity should be renewed. The desire to maintain the status quo of the nation-state is in competition with a globalist revision of the existing system. But the inherent structure of the nation state system and the power struggle between them cannot solve the serious social, economic, ecological and political problems caused by capitalist modernity.

Many economic and security institutions established for the continuity of the system, such as the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), NATO, the Council of Europe (CoE), the Arab League, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), are no longer able to play their role. They cannot even carry out their role in cooperation within the system. Hegemonic powers are implementing new strategies to get rid of these structural crises, to gain more profit and to minimise internal crises. They start wars to obtain new resources. In this way they aim to further exploit the people, women, youth and workers. In addition, the societies, which are manipulated and intimidated by the system, are being confronted with problems such as racism, nationalism, energy supply crisis, increasing inflation, food supply crisis, large-scale forced displacement and migration, the societies becoming subsumed under what is named as the ‘security crisis’. As progressive and revolutionary forces in Europe, we have to recognise that the rulers are almost unchallenged in setting the issues and pace of the political debate, as well as determining the direction of its course. Only in exceptional cases do we succeed in thwarting the decisions and plans of those in power, intervening in the course of the capitalist system or in implementing our own solutions. Many of those who are involved in political struggles, who carry out actions and organise educational work on a daily basis, will know what it feels like when the reality of one’s own powerlessness comes crashing down. It is the feeling of treading water, unable to stand up to the dominance of the other side. And yet this situation is neither fatal nor hopeless. We know of examples from many places in Europe and across the world where it has been possible to successfully build up powerful organisations and counter-power from below in recent years.

What distinguishes us from the rulers, what gives them the power to take the initiative and condemns us to passive compliance, is the degree of our organisation and our consciousness. The key to escaping powerlessness, to transforming our individual powerlessness into collective self-empowerment, is organisation. Organisation enables us to form a realistic picture of the actual situation, to understand the world in order to change it. Organisation gives us the strength to consciously and decisively take action with courage and initiative. We are convinced that the current chaos we are confronted with, as much as it presents us with countless dangers and the most difficult challenges, also offers us infinite possibilities and opportunities. Intervals of chaos have always been moments that hold the potential for revolutionary change. However, it only becomes reality through the conscious action of people themselves. The exit from chaos will be determined by the force that has the most effective organisation, the correct analysis of the objective conditions, a goal-oriented strategy and the right tactics, as well as the courage and initiative to take decisive action at the necessary moment.

It is therefore time to put our strategies and tactics, our forms of organisation, and our everyday practice to the test. We need to examine together what the political developments of recent years mean for us and what possibilities for changing the world we can recognise. We are convinced that a process of collective discussion on the broadest possible platform of democratic and revolutionary organisations, movements and collectives is needed in order to find the right answers to the questions of our time. With the Peoples’ Platform Europe, we would like to offer a transnational European framework in which we can conduct this exchange and find solutions to the existing problems. As the Academy of Democratic Modernity (ADM) and in cooperation with Women Weaving Future and the Youth Center for Public Relations Ronahî, we invite you to Vienna in February to collectively develop strategies and tactics and to take decisive steps towards an organised force in Europe. Our aim with this platform is to achieve more than just an exchange of experiences. We want to contribute towards joining forces, coordinating our struggles and creating a common vision of the world we will build together.

The Peoples’ Platform Europe thrives on the active and diverse participation of different democratic forces. In order to learn and develop, we are all dependent on the experiences and knowledge of the victories and setbacks from your political struggles. In order to analyse the situation correctly, we need information about the political developments from the struggles in your countries. And in order to become active together, we need to get to know each other and develop a common vision of where we want to go. So let’s come together in Vienna in February, to strengthen ourselves and to get into the position that will turn the tide together. Reclaiming the initiative is more than just a slogan, it is a guiding principle and a directive for action for the future!