IR1501 Protest Movements 2

1
IR1501 Protest Movements 2
2
Protest in the 1980s

• The next big wave of protest with international
  significance 1980s Europe
• protests against the nuclear arms race - the
  Greenham Common
• Environmental politics
• Social protest against communism in Eastern
  Europe Poland

3
Anti-Nuclear Protests

• Importance of CND Campaign for Nuclear
  Disarmament
• Mirrors the development of deterrence and the
  Cold War historically
• Most prominent as aspect of anti-war protest in
  Europe in the 1980s
• inspired by anti-Vietnam War movements
• But not questioning a Hot War challenges
  deterrence as a balance of terror
• Can peace be won by threatening millions of
  civilians?
• Levels of armaments are obscene and futile arms
  control deals of the 1970s have given way to
  Reagans renewed antagonism and spending
• Unimpressive to a generation of Europeans at the
  frontline of superpower rivalry

4
The Greenham Common

• March against nuclear silos of Greenham Common
  USAF base
• Critique of British support of US putting an
  instrument of nuclear warfare abroad - alliance
  is suicide?
• Critique of logic of Cold War is echoed in places
  like Germany the front line of potential nuclear
  warfare
• Turns into a womens-only Peace Camp
• Permanent, non-violent, creative protest
  throughout the 1980s
• Vehicle for empowerment, protest and solidarity
• Harassed by police...
• Protests marches, hugging the camp, jumping
  the fence to dance on the silos

5
The Bases for Ecopolitics

• Lack of sense of responsibility of common
  resources air, oceans
• importance of interdependence among humans
• Each states behaviour affects the whole system
• E.g deforestation of the Amazon forest
• questions myths of benefits of technological
  progress
• Economic/development gains vs. sustainability
• symbiosis with other living systems
• Pollution, greenhouse effect, global warning
• putting environmental questions as core of
  politics (nationally and globally)
• E.g. Influential on genetic modification
• proposing alternatives energy policy, eco-living

6
Types of Ecopolitics

• non-violent protest groups
• violent/terrorist groups
• Political parties e.g. Germany
• State policies
• most created in 1960s and 1970s, but popularity
  increasing in 1980s
• Institutionalised into the political agenda
  nationally and internationally in the 1990s (e.g.
  Kyoto Protocols)
• popularity linked to anti-nuclear movements

7
Greenpeace

• Read at greenpeace.org
• Main attributes
• Individually-sponsored NGO - political
  independence from states and multi-national
  corporations
• actions campaigning and direct action to stop
  abuses and promote alternatives
• E.g. whaling, seals, nuclear testing
• methods non-violent, high-profile
• geographical focus global

8
Impact

• More systematically international in orientation
  than the 1960s wave
• These issues stem from international problems
  instead of simply having international
  implications
• Closer focus on institutionalising new values
  into the process of politics
• 1960s protests often focused on being
  anti-establishment
• 1980s are about infiltrating the establishment
  ecopolitics or connecting dimensions of protest
  gender peace.
• Effectiveness?
• Agenda is now on nuclear proliferation, not
  disarmament
• Environmental issues are very high profile, but
  destruction has accelerated despite some
  successes e.g. whaling, industrial pollution

9
Today

• The most high profile movements are animal rights
  campaigns often nationally focused, and the
  anti-globalisation movement
• The Importance of direct participation