Spiegel Online
February 27, 2009
Anger rises in Germany as the economy falls. Trade unions and globalization-critical protesters are planning demonstrations in Berlin and Frankfurt under the banner: “We’re not paying for your crisis.” Alexis Passadakis, 31, an activist from the group Attac, tells SPIEGEL what’s wrong with the system.
SPIEGEL: What do you mean with your battle cry, “We’re not paying for your crisis”? Don’t you want to pay taxes anymore?
- A d v e r t i s e m e n t
Passadakis: We believe that the cost of the economic crisis should be footed by those who profited most from globalization.
SPIEGEL: As a leading exporter, Germany too has profited.
Passadakis: No, the majority of people have not earned much from the boom — instead they have had to deal with restraint in their wage agreements. The rich, on the other hand, have seen strong increases in their wealth. So it is only fair that they should pay extra duties.
SPIEGEL: You want to fleece the Aldi brothers and the Klatten and Otto families (Germany’s richest people) among others?
Passadakis: Yes, they in particular should be ordered to come to the check out. We are calling for the rich to pay out between 5 and 20 percent of their wealth.
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