 Davos - Switzerland
World economy forum
Porto Alegre - Brazil
Social forum
The meeting of the world economy forum in Davos ended with a demonstration of 70.000 humans against the Iraq war, the creation of a foreign trade zone in America and the genetic engineering. The social forum, a alternative meeting against the meeting of the "riche" in Porto Alegre was assisted by 100,000 humans.
The problem of the today's international economic system is that the market mechanisms of the globalisation switch faster as the policy. The proponents of the free market of world-wide finances recognize its advantages but they ignore its disadvantages. It is dangerously to believe exclusively in the dynamics of the market. The capital change into the countries, in which the workers are cheaper, workers possesses fewer rights, where environmental laws does not exist and/or are not been controlled. The consequence is that the developed countries are losing jobs.........
An appropriate introduction of taxes for the capital trade, and the braking of monopoly efforts of international enterprises are unquestionably 2 tasks in our time.
How can this be achieved?
The introduction of a capital tax, as it plans the Tobin tax, would be a step possible to receive funds for development assistance projects. Furthermore these funds must be available for an institution which does not stand in the influence of any government, those, how today's national economic aide shows, are given particularly for geopolitical and strategic reasons. In addition the suggestion of the UN that all industrialized countries make a portion of 0,7 % available of their gross national product for development assistance, must be converted. In the year 2000 the portion of the industrialized countries amounted to 0, 24 %, the portion of the USA only 0.1 %.
|
Inquiry:
Which country is the greatest danger in the world?
After an inquiry, who represents the largest threat in the world answered 300,000 persons asked by means of Inter Net: ( Source: Time Europe )
| United States: |
84,0 % |
| Iraq: |
8,6 % |
| Korea: |
7,4 % |
|
 |
World-wide action day against the Iraq war
At the 15.02 took place in all European capitals a action days against the Iraq war. Altogether have been taken place over 600 actions in over 50 countries.
Here a small cut-out of the numbers of participants:
| Berlin: |
500.000 |
London: |
1.500.000 |
| Athens: |
200.000 |
Rome: |
3.000.000 |
| Jakarta: |
100.000 |
Damascus |
200.000 |
| Seville: |
50.000 |
Amsterdam: |
40.000 |
| Manila: |
6.000 |
Copenhagen: |
50.000 |
| Tokyo: |
25.000 |
Oslo: |
60.000 |
| Helsinki: |
12.000 |
Stockholm: |
30.000 |
| Berne: |
30.000 |
Brussels: |
11.000 |
| Paris: |
250.000 |
Strasbourg: |
5.500 |
| Lyon: |
10.000 |
Stuttgart: |
50.000 |
| Madrid: |
2.000.000 |
Barcelona: |
1.500.000 |
| Beirut: |
60.000 |
New York : |
100.000 |
|
|
 |
The world order and the role of the European Union
After the end of the Soviet Union the United States of America remained as the exclusive superpower. Their political and military influence is unrestricted. International mechanisms and agreements as for example the UN, the War Crimes Tribunal in Den Hague and the Kyoto protocol have been ignored and/or not signed.
Europe recognizes more and more that it must take more international influence. In addition, Europe is a lengthy process, which is not at the final and is being extended more to the east. In this development it will find ever more heavily a common attitude to world problems.
Economical Europe already has brought behind itself large steps e.g. the Customs Union and the introduction to the common currency. The economic agreement is to prepare the political way. At the end a common opinion is to stand for the foreign and for security politics. Economically this power is already equal to the USA. A special role in Europe of the nations plays the relationship between France and Germany. Both countries overcame their enmity after several wars and could play a leadership in the "great house" of Europe.
|
|
The world economy and the American budget
The world economy, how it seems, steers inevitably into a recession. The economy of the United States always formed thereby the role of the pioneer, and by the moment it is weakening with few growth and high numbers of unemployed. The Euro wins always more at strength in relation to the dollar and reached this month a new highest level. Reason to a calming does not give the new household report of the USA. In the opposite.
The raisings of credit for 2003 and 2004 achieve new maximum conditions. (307/304 billion dollar). The total budget 2004 amounts to 2, 23 trillion dollar. The defence budget reaches the size like at present of the cold war. Possible costs of the Iraq war with 60 to 100 billion dollar are not taken into consideration.
|
|
Colombia - Bogotá
One day without car
Already for the 4 time took place in Bogotá, 7 million inhabitant, a day without car. As in each year the use of the private car at a working-day is forbidden. In this year representatives from Tanzania and India informed themselves about the project, a project to export.
|
|
the Journal - February 2003
