The Crisis of Diplomacy -IIIThe Crisis of Diplomacy -III

Outflanked from BelowOutflanked from Below

Challenges to Elite PowerChallenges to Elite Power

reading: M.Shuman. “Dateline Mainstreet”reading: M.Shuman. “Dateline Mainstreet” reading: C. Thorup: “Cross-border Coalitions”reading: C. Thorup: “Cross-border Coalitions” reading: J.Arguilla & D.Ronfeldt: ”Cyberwar”reading: J.Arguilla & D.Ronfeldt: ”Cyberwar” reading: H. Cleaver, "The Zapatistas and the reading: H. Cleaver, "The Zapatistas and the

Electronic Fabric of Struggle"Electronic Fabric of Struggle"

Grassroots OppositionGrassroots Opposition

Elite has often had to have “internal diplomacy” Elite has often had to have “internal diplomacy” for those excluded from decision making who for those excluded from decision making who objectedobjected e.g., WWII (Roosevelt & Churchill, Donovan & Stephenson)e.g., WWII (Roosevelt & Churchill, Donovan & Stephenson)

Grassroots = individual or informal groups of Grassroots = individual or informal groups of individualsindividuals can coalesce into more or less formal organizationscan coalesce into more or less formal organizations are often called NGOsare often called NGOs can become political parties, electoral or notcan become political parties, electoral or not can influence govt at all levelscan influence govt at all levels Shuman ignores dynamics of such developmentsShuman ignores dynamics of such developments

Local Foreign PoliciesLocal Foreign Policies

Shuman analyses local or municipal govts Shuman analyses local or municipal govts Constitution reserves foreign policy for federal levelConstitution reserves foreign policy for federal level Yet, there are thousands of local initiativesYet, there are thousands of local initiatives Interpretation of the law is looseInterpretation of the law is loose

““consciousness raising” toleratedconsciousness raising” tolerated unilateral actions challenged thru: 1. supremacy clause, 2. unilateral actions challenged thru: 1. supremacy clause, 2.

comerce clause, comerce clause,

Shuman’s 4 guidelines: 1. fed support for consciousness Shuman’s 4 guidelines: 1. fed support for consciousness raising, 2. tolerate all but clearly dangerous actions, 3. raising, 2. tolerate all but clearly dangerous actions, 3. work with locals, 4. tighten laws in dangerous areaswork with locals, 4. tighten laws in dangerous areas

Cross-Border NetworksCross-Border Networks

Thorup (now w/USAID) dealt with free trade & Thorup (now w/USAID) dealt with free trade & immmigration issuesimmmigration issues

““domestic interest groups”, NGOsdomestic interest groups”, NGOs ““cross-border networks” --some analysis of genesis, cross-border networks” --some analysis of genesis,

meetings, sharing information, etc.meetings, sharing information, etc. Focus: impact on formal diplomacy, esp. US-MexFocus: impact on formal diplomacy, esp. US-Mex

disruption of elite plansdisruption of elite plans self-organization autonomous of stateself-organization autonomous of state mainly lobbying Congress against executive wingmainly lobbying Congress against executive wing

Elite Response: co-opt, divide & conquerElite Response: co-opt, divide & conquer

Views from the BottomViews from the Bottom

reading: H.Fredericks: “Global Civil Society”reading: H.Fredericks: “Global Civil Society” Fredericks was director of the PeaceNet network of Fredericks was director of the PeaceNet network of

social activist groups, “conferences”social activist groups, “conferences” @igc.apc.org@igc.apc.org

reading: reading: H.Cleaver: “Electronic Fabric of Struggle”, "The H.Cleaver: “Electronic Fabric of Struggle”, "The Zapatista Effect: the Internet and the Rise of an Alternative Zapatista Effect: the Internet and the Rise of an Alternative Political FabricPolitical Fabric

reading:reading: creator/moderator of Chiapas95creator/moderator of Chiapas95 part of pro-Zapatista network supporting struggle for democracy in part of pro-Zapatista network supporting struggle for democracy in

Mexico & anti-neoliberal strugglesMexico & anti-neoliberal struggles

Civil Society - ICivil Society - I increasingly used conceptincreasingly used concept reborn in E.Europe during struggle against reborn in E.Europe during struggle against

communist statecommunist state used to theorize social spaces and activities not used to theorize social spaces and activities not

colonized by the statecolonized by the state can be traced back to Greekscan be traced back to Greeks most today refer to John Locke, most today refer to John Locke,

but for him “civil society” = society & included statebut for him “civil society” = society & included state participant in civil society was “citizen”participant in civil society was “citizen”

Civil Society - IICivil Society - II ““Civil society” separated Civil society” separated

from the state in late 18th, from the state in late 18th, early 19th Centuriesearly 19th Centuries perceived need to balance perceived need to balance

civil society to limit statecivil society to limit state

for Hegel civil society was for Hegel civil society was self crippling, needed state self crippling, needed state to overcome limitations, to overcome limitations, includes marketincludes market

Civil Society - IIICivil Society - III

for Marx civil society for Marx civil society was capitalist society, was capitalist society, state was outgrowth of state was outgrowth of class ruleclass rule so both civil society & state so both civil society & state

were rife with class were rife with class contradictionscontradictions

Global Civil SocietyGlobal Civil Society Howard Fredericks speaks of “Global” civil Howard Fredericks speaks of “Global” civil

society (GCS), neither market nor governmentsociety (GCS), neither market nor government His “civil society” is embodied in non-His “civil society” is embodied in non-

governmental organizations (NGOs)governmental organizations (NGOs) Growth of GCS facilitated by development of Growth of GCS facilitated by development of

communications, decentralized technologycommunications, decentralized technology Examples: China, Gulf War, etc.Examples: China, Gulf War, etc. Conclusion: communication is human rightConclusion: communication is human right HMC: objection: NGOs substituted for grassrootsHMC: objection: NGOs substituted for grassroots

NGOs, Big & SmallNGOs, Big & Small

Term “NGO” regroups revolutionary groups, Term “NGO” regroups revolutionary groups, human rights groups, elite policy groups outside human rights groups, elite policy groups outside government, e.g., AZ, AI, Ford Foundationgovernment, e.g., AZ, AI, Ford Foundation

Grassroots creativity in cyberspace, elaboration of Grassroots creativity in cyberspace, elaboration of computer communications as element of other computer communications as element of other strugglesstruggles

E.g., AZ uses internet lists, webpages to support E.g., AZ uses internet lists, webpages to support the Zapatistas & oppose neoliberalismthe Zapatistas & oppose neoliberalism

E.g., AI uses same to oppose human rights abusesE.g., AI uses same to oppose human rights abuses

Zapatistas & Electronic Fabric of Struggle - IZapatistas & Electronic Fabric of Struggle - I

Two experiences of horizontal organizing:Two experiences of horizontal organizing: Mayan community networksMayan community networks Cyberspacial networksCyberspacial networks

Linked through both individuals and various groupsLinked through both individuals and various groups Within network, there is tension between traditional forms Within network, there is tension between traditional forms

of organization and new/old network formsof organization and new/old network forms State responses:State responses:

in Chiapas: attempted isolation, lies, violencein Chiapas: attempted isolation, lies, violence in cyberspace: theory & actionin cyberspace: theory & action

Netwars?Netwars?

RAND Corp analysis (see Domhoff)RAND Corp analysis (see Domhoff) cyberwar & netwar (1st shows why “war”)cyberwar & netwar (1st shows why “war”) orientation toward dev. of state policies of controlorientation toward dev. of state policies of control ““Netwar” actors: states, narcos, terrorists & “advocacy Netwar” actors: states, narcos, terrorists & “advocacy

movements” (movements” (mymy interest) interest) Advocacy movements increasingly organized into cross-Advocacy movements increasingly organized into cross-

border networks, identify w/civil societyborder networks, identify w/civil society Networks vs institutions, horizontal linkages vs vertical Networks vs institutions, horizontal linkages vs vertical

hierarchieshierarchies State must develop networks to counter networksState must develop networks to counter networks

The Pentagon RewiresThe Pentagon Rewires

itself for itself for

for for

‘‘Information Warfare’Information Warfare’

BUT...BUT...

WHOWHO

controls the wires?controls the wires?

The Master-Mind !!The Master-Mind !!

Air Force VisionAir Force Vision

ofof

the “CyberWarrior”the “CyberWarrior”

Zaps & Electronic Fabric of Struggle - IIZaps & Electronic Fabric of Struggle - II

Response in CyberspaceResponse in Cyberspace theoretical as with Arguille & Ronfeldttheoretical as with Arguille & Ronfeldt

attempt to understand & find countermeasuresattempt to understand & find countermeasures

practical actionspractical actions repression (raids, new laws, censorship)repression (raids, new laws, censorship)

““Low intensity warfare” on cyberfrontierLow intensity warfare” on cyberfrontier

This within wider general program of neoliberal This within wider general program of neoliberal austerity and repression of workers & peasantsausterity and repression of workers & peasants

Current status: grassroots have initiativeCurrent status: grassroots have initiative

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