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Old 24-06-06, 11:20 PM   #1
TankGirl
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Default No Lobbyist As Such

Florian Mueller:
No Lobbyist as Such
The War over Software Patents in the European Union

Here's an interesting free PDF format book by Florian Mueller... it paints a frightening picture of the powers large corporations like Microsoft, IBM and Nokia have over political decision-making and how easily democracy is twisted and ridiculed as the corporate giants fight to get their will through with the help of their massive lobbyist armies and key politicians under their influence. This particular insider story is about the fight against software patents in Europe, a battle that started as a modest grass root movement but kept growing until several national parliaments ended up openly opposing their governments who had, among other things, deliberately lied to the parliaments and neglected democratic principles to serve the will of the pro-patent corporations. The process culminated into an open conflict between the democratically elected European Parliament and the undemocratic, pro-corporate bodies of European Commission and Council of the European Union. The proposed pro-patent directive was finally crushed in the European Parliament with record high numbers, but in retrospect the victory of democracy against the corporate giants was nothing but certain until the last moments of the drama.

Quote:
From the author:

On July 6, 2005, the world of politics turned upside down. Big money was dealt a blow.

The European Parliament threw out legislation that the world's largest IT companies badly wanted. Under the pretext of protecting inventors against plagiarists, it would have handed those giants sweeping powers over Europe's high-tech markets. An electronic roll-call vote thwarted the wicked plan in a matter of seconds, but that decision was preceded by years of intense fighting.

After spending many millions of dollars, euros and pounds, companies like IBM, Microsoft, Siemens and Nokia did not get their way. They were beaten at their own game – a game called lobbying – by our group of mostly young people, sparsely funded and formally untrained "freedom fighters" who staged a spirited resistance. Many of us seemed utterly unlike traditional lobbyists and yet we proved effective in the political arena.
Two weeks later, I decided to write this book in an effort to capture and convey what we went through: the ups and downs, the moments of joy, the setbacks we suffered, and the high level of intensity we were working under. I wanted to give credit to those who made this miracle happen, and to share my experiences with you.

I hope you will enjoy this opportunity to read what lobbying is all about: what it's like to persuade politicians, to make them aware of your concerns, to help them help you, and to make it unpleasant for them to act against you. You will get a look behind the scenes as I tell you how we took to the streets, walked into the offices of politicians, debated at roundtables, talked to the media, and mobilized people via the Internet.
You can download the book from here:

http://www.no-lobbyists-as-such.com/


Some comments on it:

Quote:
"I look forward to reading Florian Mueller's book that tells the story from the perspective of the citizens who became involved and through their untiring commitment made such a difference."
(Włodzimierz Marciński, former Polish Deputy Minister of Science)

"The reader is swept along by an epic battle between grass-roots activists and well-funded lobbyists. Mueller's lucid, gripping account succeeds as an engrossing introduction to one of the major policy problems of our time and to Europe's struggle for integration."
(Professor Brian Kahin, former Senior Policy Analyst, White House Office on Science and Technology Policy)

"When reading this you feel like you're standing in a parliament and talking directly to the politicians who made the decisions." (Kaj Arnö, MySQL AB)

"It really reads like a spy novel, very instructive as well as entertaining and engaging."
(William New, IP Watch)
Comments on democracy in EU and European unity:
Quote:
"We decide on something, leave it lying around, and wait and see what happens. If no one kicks up a fuss, because most people don't know what has been decided, we continue step by step until there is no turning back."
Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, accurately describing how the EU leeches powers from member states

"I have never understood why public opinion about European ideas should be taken into account."
Raymond Barre, former French Prime Minister

"Gradual failure of [European cooperation] is merely due to the regrettable fact that intransigent elements in your country again and again succeeded in sabotaging genuine cooperation... we expect... nothing but loyalty and understanding for the common destiny of Europe."
Adolf Hitler, in a letter to Marshal Pétain, leader of the collaborationist Vichy regime in France
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