We refuse to pay for your wars! 100 Billion euros for a democratic, civic and social transformation!
DEMO 2. July ’22, Berlin Bebelplatz, 14:oo (CET)
„THINK OF WHAT A WORLD WE COULD BUILD
IF WE WERE TO DEDICATE THE FORCES THAT A WAR UNLEASHES
TO PEACEFUL CONSTRUCTIVE PURPOSES!“
— Albert Einstein 1933
We — peace-loving people from all over the world who live in the Federal Republic of Germany — jointly call for a stop to the recently announced 100-million-euro weapons package that is to be financed via an amendment to the German Constitution. We demand that these funds instead be rededicated to build up national infrastructure providing for social needs. The policy of military buildup is fundamentally wrong and very dangerous and cynical because it responds to the social crisis with militarism instead of with providing for social progress for the benefit of all. Policies of militarization and war stand against the common interest of the cultivation of a society in solidarity. That is why we are instead committed to massive public investments and permanent increases in spending for social needs, health, education, culture, and climate — and for a worldwide civic, democratic and development for the benefit of all.
Lay down your arms!
The war in Ukraine will neither be stopped nor shortened by this military buildup. On the contrary, the new global arms race of recent years has contributed to the intensified confrontation between the major power blocs and continues to escalate it. Nor is the new arms package about national defense; instead, it is meant provide the capability to wage wars independent of allies. The F35 stealth bombers and drone systems on the shopping list are aggressive attack weapons that also would enable the perpetuation of nuclear sharing. But there is only one road to peace: Disarmament, de-escalation, international diplomacy, and social justice worldwide!
Never again war!
Militarization has no place in the German Constitution (German Basic Law). To the contrary: As a consequence of the two imperialist world wars launched from German soil, and also as a result of the conclusions drawn from the liberation from German fascism, the German Constitution includes the imperative of peace, the renunciation of violence, international understanding, the right to asylum and a state that secures the social welfare of the people: „Acts tending to and undertaken with intent to disturb the peaceful relations between nations, especially to prepare a war of aggression, are in violation of the Constitution„ (Article 26). This „development program“ is still valid to this day and for this day, so that war shall never again be launched from Germany!
Shared development instead of militarization
More weapons do not create peace, and security can only be achieved collectively, not against each other! The potential for civic, democratic, and social development for the benefit of all exists. A fair distribution of resources would end the hunger crises especially in the global south; the change to renewable energies for a sustainable climate policy is technologically possible; a comprehensive health care can be guaranteed for all; and individual development in solidarity with others through meaningful work, social security and democratically open education and culture can be made available to all. All of this requires global cooperation, democratic negotiation, and wise investments for the common solution of problems.
Together we say NO to the military buildup and YES to the future!
The military buildup package goes against the interests of the majority of people worldwide. It goes hand-in-hand with increasingly anti-social and authoritarian policies, with nationalism and chauvinism. The already enormous inequality continues to grow. Only those on the executive floors of banks and weapons manufacturing-firms profit. Instead of these destructive backroom-politics, we need a truly democratic civic and social transformation — to be brought about by all of us together in the trade unions, in student and university organizations, in peace, antifa, environmental and social movements, in religious organizations and places of worship, in cultural, educational, and social institutions, as well as in political parties. If 20 billion euros would instead be invested in each of the following — public energy and transport infrastructure, the renovation of schools and universities, expansion of the health care system, a sanction-free minimum guaranteed income, and the subvention of museums, theaters, cinemas and reading rooms — this would be a necessary step toward solving the most urgent problems of the majority of people. We therefore call for a joint effort to achieve such a reversal of policy