This is what democracy will look like

No nos representan | Recall them all

#15M Spanish movement
st

Malm 21 April 2012

A bit of context
2004 (13M) After terrorist attacks massive
mobilizations take place
Political parties want to relate ETA with the attacks
instead of admitting that entering in Iraq war had
something to do with it.
Recall of politicians is required
Association of Persons Affected by the Terrorism
denounce they are been manipulated by polititians as
well as ignored. Their condition as victims and survivors
appeals to dialogue, unity, consensus, and the search for
common solutions.

th

2006 14 May
V de Vivienda No tendrs casa en la puta
vida
An anonymous mail was sent, it spread during a
couple of months throughout the Net and
thousands of people took to the streets reclaiming
their right to housing. Spontaneous housing
movement started.

2011:Previous months
No les votes http://www.nolesvotes.com/
Great activity in the Net, bloggers and hacktivists fight against
censorship in the Net, a law carried out by the two main partys.

Arab spring
Egypt uprising was widely followed, people was amazed looking at
Tahrir Square.

Democracia Real Ya
http://www.democraciarealya.es/quienes-somos/
Several collectives and platforms prepare a great demonstration
with the slogan Real democracy now!! A debate about what should
real democracy be started.

th

2011: 15 May
#spanishrevolution
The feeling of a revolution taking place was there, we could make
our dreams come true. We could breath more freely.

#tomalaplaza - http://tomalaplaza.net
The builing of the camp allowed many people to join, everyone was
need, everyone could contribute somehow, we were all united

#takethesquare - http://takethesquare.net
The world was watching, we needed to tell what was happening,
we wanted that the feeling of freedom spread all around the world.

Some slogans
Lo llaman democracia y no lo es
They call it democracy but it's not
Que no, que no, que no nos representan
No, they don't represent us
El sistema es anti-nosotros
The System is anti-us

Some essentials
No flags
No symbols
No political parties
No unions
No organizations/collectives

What happens?
Society as a whole questions Democracy and
financial crisis
There is a shortcut, mainstream media suddenly
had to focus on street discussions (radio, tv ,
music programs)
People think about things for themselves
(pensamiento assembly)

Consequences of the essentials

No hard identities wanted => Anonymous
No anti-anything wanted => Respect
No -isms wanted => Building a new way of doing
=> Openness
=> Trust

Anonymous
We have proven that people do not need
established leaders in order to respond to needed
action and take back public squares.
People has the knowledge and by sharing it
everything can be done.
Nobody represents the other, everyone just
represents himself/herself

Respect
People is tired of politicians attitude of disrespect
to the other, manipulation, corruption.
So one of our claims is respect as essential to
dialogue, inclusiveness.

Building new ways

Old solutions no longer work, things have
change, an update is needed
People don't believe in old discourses, they are
close to apolitical people
Talk about Left/Right closes options to dialogue,
sets up teams / dichotomy, you are for or against
but society means diversity

Building new ways

Creativity is the most outstanding feature
New chants not related to the traditional left
Humor is essential
Fighting for our rights is not a burden is a party
Love and care are essential
Expertise are among ourselves, we can carry out
new alternatives

Building new ways

Networking
Decentralization
Use of technologies
Stigmergy

Openness
Suddenly everything was/is possible
One slogan Now the impossible is
unstoppable
Public space open to everyone, in the hard sense
No discourses heard but sincere thoughts being
shared
Active listening
Not being pre-identified allows Trust

And the general elections came

and the right wing won
General elections are part of the old way of
doing
15M doesn't interfere with elections, there is no
forth or against elections, everyone is free to vote
anything
Elections just reflect the less bad governing option
for most people, 15M means changes in society

We are the 99%

It's not just a slogan, studies showed that 70%80% of Spanish population supported 15M
Big brands recognize the support to the take of
the squares by using them in their campaigns
Coca-Cola launches Razones para creer
(Reasons to believe) http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=yo4Kl3_nKd8

Telefnica focus its campaign in an assembly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_embedded&v=EnheSUdO21M

Foto: Juan Plaza

#primaveravalenciana

#29M General Strike

Thanks to everyone :-)

Alice
Carolina