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We Are Everywhere - Book Review
by Skylar Simmons, AGR
December 28, 2003

A Review of We are Everywhere: the irresistible rise of global anticapitalism, Edited by Notes from Nowhere collective; Verso Books, 2003

   (AGR)-- There is a rumbling beneath the global foundation of money and power. Sometimes you have to listen carefully, putting your hand to the floor to feel the vibration of thousands of people hacking away at their concrete cage as they organize their neighborhoods into self-governed communities, or when South African activists illegally hook up water to a family's house that could not afford to pay the water bill. Other times you can't help but notice as the foundation cracks in places like India as farmers burn a field of genetically modified cotton planted by Monsanto; or when thousands of activists lay siege to the IMF/World Bank meetings in Prague. For those who have not felt this rumbling of discontent, reading We are Everywhere: the irresistible rise of global anticapitalism may very well feel like an earthquake.

   Compiling an impressive ensemble of voices from the world- wide anticapitalist movement, this book doesn't seek to speak for "the movement" or place different actions in an isolated box to rot in the basement of history. Instead it allows those on the frontlines to speak for themselves while weaving together their testimonials with insightful commentary, giving the reader a powerful tool of inspiration and hope.

   We are Everywhere starts off in the mountains of Chiapas with the 1994 Zapatista uprising, seeing it as heralding a new era of resistance; a resistance that has no allegiance to political parties and fiercely defends its local autonomy while integrating itself into a global network. Most importantly this resistance does not seek to seize power, but to redistribute it to everyone. We are Everywhere emphasizes how this is a major break from the old Left of hierarchical political parties where members are turned into pawns of some abstract ideology waiting for the "Revolution". Instead we find in these pages thousands, if not millions, of people creating everything from neighborhood assemblies to deal with local unemployment, to global networks created to take on the largest of financial institutions, all the while maintaining a sense of empowerment and involvement on the part of the individuals involved. These are movements that embody the idea of direct action. Instead of waiting for the mythical revolution or handouts from the state, they are creating it each day whether its by occupying an abandoned factory and putting it under workers control, or shutting down the WTO.

   We are Everywhere takes you on a world wide tour to a number of these inspiring actions. You'll travel to Australia, where over a thousand activists break out asylum seekers who have been imprisoned for years in the notorious Woomera detention camp. Next you're off to Brazil where the MST is taking over a plantation for landless peasants to farm on. Then you find yourself in Paris, where thousands of the unemployed are meeting in daily assemblies and organizing raids on cafeterias and occupying offices. While not shying away from these sorts of militant actions We are Everywhere does a good job of shedding equal light to the more proactive community actions which we need to sustain our movement. So you also get to travel to Argentina where piqueteros have created community gardens and collective bakeries to meet their daily needs or learn about the creation of the world-wide indymedia network as an alternative to corporate media.

   Whether you're looking for a history lesson, inspiration, or an insightful look at the anticapitalist movement, you'll find it in these pages. And for anyone whose suffering from the post Miami blues, this book will be like Prozac to your soul.

   Source: Asheville Global Report: www.agrnews.org

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