IUSY

Violence has triumphed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The consequences of a unilateral based security politics have made the world less secure. Terrorism and the war against terrorism created besides an unsafe world with more of prejudices and discrimination. Middle East and North Africa was for long a place where human rights and democracy was neglected. But young people decided to set out a new direction for the future. A democratic uprising started and regimes fell. The Arab Spring is spreading in the rest of Middle East and is slowly moving south in Africa.

You should never waste a crisis. An opportunity for a more just, democratic and equal world has opened up. For Social Democracy this is the time to show a way out of the economical crisis and a way into a new world economical model that brings everybody economic and social progress. It is time to show that democracy and human rights cannot be neglected in any part of the world.

Four conditions for change

A new political era should be formed from three perspectives and practised from a fourth. The starting point must be the basic principles of democracy and human rights. No exceptions can be acceptable. This puts new demands on for example the European Union and many countries in the west. Speaking the words of human rights is easy but practising them has been proved to be more difficult. Secondly the wealth of the world of today must be redistributed. Economical and social progress must be possible for all; education for all is a key issue. All economic policies must be targeted in achieving this. Thirdly must foreign- and security politics be practised from the perspective of common security and be based on multilateralism. Focus must be on the development of societies and humans; not on military solutions. Fourthly and last we need a global democratic governing that provides us with the tools – even if it means limiting the decision making of states – to be able to find global solutions to global problems.

We must recognize the connection between the economical policies and security politics. Anna Lind once described it like this: "Security in today's world must be created globally and jointly, and imply freedom and safety for everybody. Security requires human rights, international law and democracy". In addition we need a global economical system that provides economical and social development for all. A radical agenda of economical reforms for equality is a top priority both for increasing peoples living conditions and making the world a safer place.

Democracy and Human Rights

The right to democracy and the respect of human rights are basic rights that every human has the right to. But for many humans democracy remains a rare thing and human rights a utopia. The world's dictators are holding their populations in a hard grip with the use of violence and by banning people from speaking freely. In many semi-democracies we can see how journalists are arrested and the right to freedom of speech and to organize are rejected.

At the same time we are witnessing the Arab Spring. An evidence that democracy cannot be rejected in any part of the world. The long and winding road to democracy will demand more than ever from the young generation who stood in the front when the dictators feel. Getting democracy in place is about a democratic constitution, forming of political parties but also the establishment of a democratic culture through a strong and vibrant civil society; a process that will take time. Its important that the people get all the support they want, and equally important is that it is happening on their terms and conditions. There are no short cuts to democracy. And as Willy Brandt said, you have to "dare democracy". That is important to remember for many western countries who seam to prefer the stability of authoritarian regimes instead of the rule of the people.

The general trend for democracy is positive. But we also have some examples of democratic backlashes. After the democratic landslides during the seventies in south Europe and in east of Europe after the fall of the Berlin wall and the more complex democratic process in the Balkans after the war in the nineties democracy have been standing still or moved backwards. In Russia the one-man rule is back. In Africa the one-man rule is the story of the continent with a few positive examples like Ghana. Latin America is in strong need of democratic consolidation, stronger institutions and more active participation in the political system. In Asia not much is happening and the world in general don't seam to be interested as long as the world economy is developing as it is. So there is a need not just for an Arab spring but a global summer of democracy. One of the key issues from the west, if interested in promoting democracy, is to "dare democracy". Realising it cannot be the Bush way of a outside top down process. It has to go the other way around and it has to go hand in hand with economical and social development. In many cases the strive for democracy and the strive for better living conditions are two sides of the same coin. That is why social democracy is better in place than other ideologies to play a leading role in the next democratisation wave.

A Global Welfare State

About the same time as half time was reached for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals it was clear that they wouldn't be reached. The financial crisis meant a huge backlash and 200 millions was thrown back into poverty. Worker's rights are deprived and salaries are far after the production development that technology made possible. Millions don't have a job to go to. Gaps in society between those who is better off and those who earnest the lowest amount has increased.

Millions of people have under all their lives lived in an economical and social crisis due to the current economical system. When more resources to fight poverty have been requested the answer has always been that there are no money. But when money was needed to bail out the financial market or to finance war there are suddenly enough. And when we ask for money to also bail out the people or support the reconstruction of a state after a war; again there are no money. The neo-liberal system has reached the end of the road. And still we are living in it and if nothing changes it will cause the next crisis as well. The market is a bad lord but a good servant. It is time to ensure the social aspects of the market. The financial market must be balanced towards the real economy. And it is time to stop privatizing profits in good times and in in bad times socialize looses. It is time for a economy that provides equality; not inequality.

Social safety, education and employment are key building blocks in achieving growth and development. Social safety is the basis for a decent society that holds together. Education is equally good for individuals and society. To work is to become economical independent, to be able to support your family but also to be a part of the society development by producing and consuming. Of course in a green and environmental way, which will provide more opportunities for growth, research, technical development and jobs. The agenda out of the economical crisis is the agenda with providing people with opportunities to build their society and improve the economy. Infrastructure investments, educational reforms and active labour market policies are the solution not the problem. The economy must be stimulated in a smart way and public resources must be used effectively. Everybody must contribute; everybody must pay taxes by a progressive tax system. Resources have to be redistributed. If only for the simple fact that people are born with different economical resources depending on family, sex, where in the world etcetera. If we believe in people right to equal opportunities then we also have to believe in redistribution on a national and a global level. Sometimes I wonder if this idea of the left has been forgotten or why is it that this has become controversial? Don't we believe in these ideas anymore? If we do, then we should be ready to speak out on it and run our elections on an agenda for equality. It is time that we get back some self-confidence on how the economy must work. It is time to challenge tax cuts for rich and budget cuts on poor and start putting the instruments for economical development in place. Social democracy is not only about social safety it is also about economical progress.

Common Security

The importance of common security has never been greater. The world is in general turning more peaceful but also more complex. Instead of war between nations we are witnessing how civil wars are turning states and people apart. The war on terrorism is doing its best, by all actors, to start a clash of civilizations. And most dangerous of all it has started to restrict our integrity, our human rights. So war has picked up different faces during the years. The structure of it has remained. And so has the solutions.

Common security comes from the insight that security cannot be reached by focusing on your individual security; it can only be based on a security that has bearing on everybody. To increase you own security means that someone else security will decrease and that is in the long run contra productive. Common agreements will generate increased peace and security for all and will turn the path around from arms races into disarmament agreements.

The threats that are facing all of us are still real. The question is what is the best way to fight them. Sometimes military solutions are necessary and then we should not be afraid to use them. Sometimes people needs to be protected from authoritarian regimes. The problem is that military solutions are not only solution. Democracy and human rights is necessary, but so is economical and social development. Alternatives to the use of violence to make your voice heard or to put food on the table must be in place. Human Security is a concept that recognizes the need of human security, individual security. Not only security for the state. It gives a new perspective to what needs to be protected and it was one important reason to the development of the UN responsibility to protect charter. Human security also focuses on how economical and social inequality can be driving forces in conflicts. And how economical and social development are important tools in the preventing conflicts and in the reconstruction process. There needs to be a shift from conflict management to conflict prevention. For social democracy the recognition of the role of economical and social status is nothing new. But to often the left lets the right set and determine the security agenda. When Olof Palme launched common security during the cold war it was one part of setting a new direction towards disarmament. Today social democracy need to use the approach of common security and the concept of human security to set the direction that development is a more effective and sustainable way to gain peace and security as well as democracy and human rights than military solutions.

A Global Democratic Governance

To be able to achieve what shortly have been sketched above you need a global democratic governance. And yes, I am talking about a strong, effective and reformed United Nations. It is not other institutions we need. We need to modernize the one that we have. The G20 clearly reflects, with good and bad consequence, how the world economy looks. If you also would include less developed countries with smaller economies, so they also are represented, you would have one example of how a reformed United Nations Security and Economical Council could look. My point is that we don't lack knowledge of how the world looks or what is needed. We are lacking a will to redistribute power. There are those who benefit from how it looks today and they are abusing the system on behalf of those with weaker voices. Social Democracy must always be the voice of those that are not represented and stand up for a democratic system.

We are facing common problems and we need common solutions. It is not a zero-sum game. We can all benefit. But we need a global democratic governmental system that can manage this. To set out a new direction for the world economy. Tackle climate change. Take advantage of the advantages with globalization and tackle the disadvantages.

There are four democratic levels; the local, national, regional and the global. Today the national level remains strong but ineffective. People want decision, that affects their daily life as school, healthcare and social safety, to be taken close to them. Economical decision on a more systematic level, the climate and security issues need to be tackled on a global level. Today the national level sits with most cards in their hand but cannot play them. Regional decision-making is a necessity for global decision-making and the European Union is a great example. Still with some childhood illness and it needs to connect to people and straighten out its role. In other regions, especially Africa and Latin America, there is a need for further integration. In Asia and Middle East this is also true but the main effort needs to take place on national level. The interaction between regional cooperation and national development is often a success story. The European Unions role and record, by using soft power, in pushing for democracy is strong. It should be possible on a regional and global level to take more advantage of this. The national level is still standing in the centre of both the discussion and the practise. In order to get more tools into their tool box they have to be ready to hand out some power. What they will give in return will be much more worth but what you have is always what you have and what you get is more insecure. For social democracy that always believed in reaching to solutions together and knowing the need to organize and the strength you get from it the way forward should be clear. Social democracy should be promoting regional cooperation and global cooperation much more than it does today. Capitalism since long has moved to the global arena. It is time that trade union and politics follow. If we want to be effective we have to create the instruments, instead of just watching them slip away from our hands.

Equality - the project of social democracy

This text is arguing for the need of a progressive social democracy. Trying to point out that some of the current trends and events take place around our globe are actually calls for more of social democracy and not less. It is not trying to invent new solutions, rather arguing for the need of looking into basic values, principles and policies that have been proved to be effective. Of course in a modern, progressive and effective way; adjusted to the needs and demands of today and tomorrow.

Equality is the project of social democracy. And it is the red line in this text. We are living in a time when many ask for solutions and even sometimes wonder what is the role of social democracy. My answer is equality. The task of social democracy is to make people equal, in their local and in our global community. The answer on how to reach there lies in classic welfare reforms and a mixed economy, which has to be made working on a global level. In many western countries, and Sweden is of course my closest reference, the national state was used as a tool to build a welfare state with the aim of an equal society. Today we in addition have to get global democratic governance working.

We are witnessing an Arab spring, which no one thought was possible just months ago, just because a young generation decided to stand up. Image what we can do if we stood up together; all over the world and demanded equal opportunities and equal rights for all.

Johan Hassel
IUSY Secretary General