Since the 1990ies, something unexpected has been happening in western Europe -- social-democratic or "socialist" governments committed to reforms that had previously been suggested only by Margaret Thatcher and other neoliberal politicians that used to be connected to conservative parties.
In Germany, the SPD (the social-democratic party) who formed the government coalition together with the Greens, was the party which pushed neoliberal reforms that included painful social cuts. This documentary shows why there was so little opposition against this policy. The labor unions are personally to closely intertwined with the SPD that they cannot really oppose its policy. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher hat to fight and destroy the unions in order to succeed. In Germany, the unions decided to part from the social movements and essentially give up before the fight. The question posed by the film -- has a new social movement been formed during the course of the "Monday demonstrations"? -- remains unanswered so far. The demonstrations started spontaneously in many cities, unaided by unions. Coordination efforts by Attac and minor left-wing parties were largely unsuccessful.
The film maker keeps a sympathetic distance from the protagonists; he lets them (intellectuals and "ordinary people" alike) speak their minds but never gives up his observing stance. That such statements were hardly ever shown on TV remains a scandal, and I hope that after the elections, this film will finally be shown on television.
In Germany, the SPD (the social-democratic party) who formed the government coalition together with the Greens, was the party which pushed neoliberal reforms that included painful social cuts. This documentary shows why there was so little opposition against this policy. The labor unions are personally to closely intertwined with the SPD that they cannot really oppose its policy. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher hat to fight and destroy the unions in order to succeed. In Germany, the unions decided to part from the social movements and essentially give up before the fight. The question posed by the film -- has a new social movement been formed during the course of the "Monday demonstrations"? -- remains unanswered so far. The demonstrations started spontaneously in many cities, unaided by unions. Coordination efforts by Attac and minor left-wing parties were largely unsuccessful.
The film maker keeps a sympathetic distance from the protagonists; he lets them (intellectuals and "ordinary people" alike) speak their minds but never gives up his observing stance. That such statements were hardly ever shown on TV remains a scandal, and I hope that after the elections, this film will finally be shown on television.