On Monday evening 6 July there will be a joint public meeting in London called by the Greek Solidarity Committee and the British Trades Union Congress. Just as in another 10,000 halls and squares across Europe and the wider world, people will gather and respond to the democratic decision taken by a small country's voters about whether to accept the iron rule of the rich and powerful from their continent or whether to start down another path. Once again Greece has given us a glimpse of true democracy.
Greece's government and people have fought a bitter fight against Europe's rulers and have won some real battles. First they have completely smashed the credibility of the 'permanent loan-repayment economy' policy. The IMF leadership is now under political siege. The EU leaders in general appear unable to manage any progress for their euro-based economy. Second, the Greeks have become a centre for a network of political and social alliances across large swathes of Europe, alliances that are completely alienated from Europe's current direction. Third, Greece has won Europe's youth. Fourth, Greece has developed a momentous system of social solidarity, based entirely on human empathy and mutual aid, embracing everything from food, to empty factories, to pharmacies. None of this movement believes that 'self help' substitutes for state services, but all of it is dedicated to the prevention of human degradation and despair. To fight you must be fed - and educated and healthy and with enough pride and self respect to carry on.
If the 'no' vote wins, all these successes will be needed - and more. Much more. Capital, fleeing from true democracy, is desperately short. Syriza's first, immense priority is to recapitalise the country; from resources held by the rich in and outside Greece to whatever can be forced from the European Central Bank and / or loans from China and Russia. (Remember, it is the IMF that predicts the country needs £50 billion Euros to survive.) There needs to be a major international solidarity effort to defend Greece's essential services and standard of life. Next, the door to a new Europe has to be opened. Alongside a European debt conference Athens might host a European Future conference, with all those organisations, parties, campaigns, unions, charities, churches, movements and centres that want a different road for the European Continent than the miserable and myopic vision of the financiers and and the hopelessly corrupt political class that rules it today.
If the 'yes' vote wins Syriza will need to go into opposition (or it will destroy itself and the gains that has already made.) Syriza will no doubt face a tsunami of abuse from the current EU standard bearers who will be seeking to prove to Europe's millions that there is no point in entering the fight for a better life. But Syriza and its supporters will need to concentrate on something quite different. They will need to build (and in some cases rebuild) a leadership for the whole country - a task not yet achieved. But in a much more desperate context, scarred again by a rise of Golden Dawn, by continued corruption in the state and its armed forces, by the initial despair of its previous supporters. A momentous task from a toxic starting point.
But we, and the rest of the European continent, and millions across the world, are no longer blind and we are not neutral.
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