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The current speculative attack on the Euro is a very powerful vote against EU states that investors (capitalists) do no believe have moved swiftly enough to cut their budget deficits. The rules of the Stability and Growth Pact agreed among EU member states say that budget deficits must not exceed 3% of GDP. Those rules [...]

The detention of human rights workers and elected officials for being part of an alleged “urban network” of an armed, militant group without any real proof except for speaking in parliaments and participating in film festivals, is an outright abuse of democracy and will undoubtedly stall the peace process in the region

John Pilger on the Wall Street Journal on Bolivia

Throughout his mandate President Morales has determinedly pursued a controversial programme of social change. This has seen the part-nationalisation of the country’s energy resources and a surge in social spending which has focused on conditional cash transfers (whereby payments have been made to poor families on the condition that they send their children to school.) These measures have seen Bolivia record a fiscal surplus for the first time in 30 years, the country has been predicted a higher growth rate this coming year than anywhere else in the Americas, and poverty levels have dropped continually since MAS came to power

I think rather than going towards the East or West, Turkey is becoming more like itself. It is rediscovering its Ottoman past and coming to terms with its history and multiple identities. As long as Turkey remains democratic it will be Janus-faced, looking both to the Islamic world and Europe, just like the Ottoman Empire did for centuries

Well. I would say that if the behemoth just to the north has a military base in your country, and funds your military and major pro-US parties, then you probably do have to get their permission before overthrowing the government

Johan Boyden talks to student activist Tanya Portillo, who was an election observer in the recent runoff in El Salvador, about right-wing attempts at election fraud and the elation of the El Salvadoran people that after 20 years of reactionary governments they now have hope

The West only supports democracy when it’s in their interest.

We need real democracy, not the Davos talking shop.

The Bangladeshi elections last month were greeted as a major step forward for the country, but many of the politicians with power now are still embroiled in corruption scandals and malfeasance.

The Founding Fathers were opposed to true democracy, saying it leads to tyranny and chaos. They believed in freedom of some sort, but this should be distinguished from democracy.

Pilger skewers the Venezuelan opposition after Venezuelan local elections.