STWR

UK charities have written to the Prime Minister calling for an 'essentials guarantee' so that the social security system provides adequate support to those in need, and everyone has a legal entitlement to the basics of life. 

Dopo così tanti anni di inazione politica, solo la buona volontà collettiva della gente comune può portare alla fine della povertà in un mondo d’abbondanza attraverso continue proteste di massa in tutti i paesi. 

Read a selected archive of STWR editorials that highlight the growing debate on sharing, with a round-up of sharing-related news, articles, reports and other activities from our monthly newsletters over the years.

At this time of year, it is easy to forget the reality of the critical world situation as we partake in the frantic overconsumption and festivities of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas in the midst of environmental destruction, growing levels of poverty and escalating global tensions?

Mi vsi skupaj tvorimo ta sistem, ki ga krivimo za svetovne probleme, kar se zelo jasno pokaže ob božiču, ko v trgovinskih središčih v Jezusovem imenu ropamo svojo krhko Zemljo. Poznamo še kakšen boljši način praznovanja rojstva Kristusa kot združiti se pod zastavo svobode in pravičnosti ter se na mirnih demonstracijah zavzemati za konec lakote in revščine v svetu.​

In this latest editorial we’re highlighting some of the various ways in which a call for sharing is being expressed in the field of international development, especially in relation to calls for more and better overseas aid.

As part of STWR’s ‘global call for sharing’ campaign, our latest editorial highlights how recent protest and campaigning activity is invariably focused on the need to share wealth, power and resources more fairly and sustainably, as witnessed in many recent popular mobilisations for social and economic justice across the world.

Kako ozavestiti, da je medsebojna delitev rešitev za planetarno krizo in naše zadnje upanje za obnovo razdeljenega sveta? V središču tega vprašanja je problem ‘izmov’, v okviru katerega poteka intelektualizacija našega samozadovoljstva, da bi upravičilo svoj obstoj kot nekaj povsem normalnega.

V tem času ekonomskih pretresov sami težko opazimo, kako lahko načelo medsebojne delitve predstavlja rešitev za svetovne probleme, še zlasti to velja za številne intelektualce. Na voljo imamo knjižnice knjig in poročil, ki analizirajo, kaj vse je z družbo narobe, in v večini izmed njih se avtorji trudijo doseči nemogoče – vladam predlagati nove ideje in alternativne politike. 

¿Cómo podemos generar conciencia de que el compartir es la solución a una crisis planetaria, y la última esperanza que nos queda para rehabilitar un mundo dividido? Es central a esta pregunta el problema de los “ismos”, en los cuales nuestra complacencia se ha intelectualizado a fin de justificar su existencia como normal.

“Compartir es la clave para resolver los problemas del mundo”. Tal declaración es tan simple que puede fracasar en hacer un llamamiento, por lo que si queremos comprender lo que significa debemos ir mucho más profundo en esta materia.

August 2013 marked STWR’s 10th anniversary and signalled the beginning of a new phase in the organisation’s work. Campaigning for economic sharing is now at the forefront of STWR’s activities, and our research program has been reoriented to support this goal.

As the concept of sharing slowly begins to grip the public consciousness, there are many questions that arise about the meaning and relevance of this simple concept for political and economic reform. Here is a brief overview of some of the main queries - and misconceptions - that often arise in discussions on economic sharing.

The social, environmental and economic crises that continue to reap havoc across the globe provide a critical opportunity for ordinary people to demand economic reform and political transformation, say STWR in an interview with John Habets & Henk Gloudemans.

Campaigners have long proposed measures to reduce extreme inequality, but policymakers remain fixated on an economic model that threatens to undermine the fabric of society. When will the political elite heed the growing demands for redistribution that are being voiced in countless reports, books and public protests?

The very basis of the sharing economy is being eroded in countries where austerity measures are dramatically reducing public spending on social welfare and essential services. But governments could collect and redistribute huge quantities of additional finance for critical human needs.

The international response to the East African crisis is far short of urgent needs, yet the extreme deprivation being reported is only the tip of the iceberg. A massively upscaled redistribution of resources from North to South is needed if we are to prevent needless poverty-related deaths worldwide.

The basic assumptions about human nature that inform economic and political decision-making are long outdated and fundamentally flawed. By acknowledging our interdependence and common ethical values, we can build a more sustainable, cooperative and inclusive global economy.

The official launch of the STWR publication ‘Megaslumming’ took place in Nairobi on 20th January 2010 with around 200 people attending a panel discussion and public debate at the National Museum of Kenya.

Expert panellists and film director Philippe Diaz discuss the structural causes of poverty and suggest possible solutions at the UK premiere of ‘The End of Poverty?’ on 12th December 2009. The event was coordinated by STWR and the British Film Institute (BFI).

A collection of facts and further resources about economic development in Africa, including organisations, reports and articles.

Some key facts, organisations, books and further resources that relate to international politics and global governance issues.

The failure of the IMF, World Bank and WTO to represent and further the interests of the developing world, through their one-size-fits-all approach, has lead to the collapse of trade negations, widespread criticism of their effectiveness, and bitter international protest. Many countries are rejecting the neoliberal ideologies of the ‘unholy trinity’ with intensifying calls for their reform or decommissioning.

A collection of facts, organisations, reports and further resources about the land crisis from a global perspective.

Pushing back against the unrepresentative and undemocratic nature of decision-making, the nebulous ‘global justice movement' has become a dynamic new player in international politics. The movement's advocates fight on a number of causes, including the demand for a greater say for people rather than international technocrats in matters that will most affect the general public; a fight against large-scale inequalities of power, opportunity and wealth; and resistance to the further privatisation of national and community resources.

https://www.actionagainsthunger.org.ukMore than 1.4 billion people live in poverty so extreme that they can barely survive, and around 25,000 people die from hunger each day whilst a new billionaire is created every second day. The call for a global safety net has never been so urgent - and compels the international community to transform economic priorities and guarantee the universal securing of basic human needs.

Although the United Nations remains heavily criticised for its complexity and bias towards the ‘big 5’ nations, it’s noble origins and ideals – embodied in the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights – emphasises the need for a more democratic, powerful and ultimately more representative UN system that can act as a conduit for international cooperation and the securing of basic human needs.

As neoliberal policies continue to define the rules of the world economy, great signs of change are being witnessed in many progressive governments of Latin America that are rejecting the Washington Consensus in favour of democratic and people-oriented models of development based on greater regional integration, cooperation and economic justice.

The escalating crisis of volatile food prices and food insecurity is the result of an industrial development model based on large-scale, export-orientated agriculture tied to international competition, self interest and stock market speculation. With over a billion people going hungry each day despite a huge surplus of food production, a reorientation towards more localised, smaller scale and sustainable agriculture is urgently required.

A collection of facts, organisations, reports and further resources about healthcare from a global perspective.

Since the imposition of free market policies in the 1980s, globalization has come to represent an ideological battle between those who favor economic growth and deregulation through the growing power of multinational corporations, versus those who prefer a more sustainable and democratic approach to international development, socio-economic justice, and the securing of basic human rights and needs.

The threat of climate change and global warming, fueled by relentless commercialization and excessive consumption, has turned into a fighting ground for both policymakers and concerned citizens. The coming decade is set to determine not only a collective response to reducing carbon emissions, but the entire future direction for international development and the global justice movement.

The Asian tsunami has required international cooperation in coordinating a large scale and complex emergency relief program, the likes of which have not been seen before. However, the extent of the devastation has greatly dampened the relief efforts...