----- Original Message ---- From: Chris Doss <lookoverhere1 at yahoo.com> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 1:53:50 AM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Latvia - Economic crisis spawns mass protest
I'd like to see an ethnic and ideological breakdown of the marchers. It's kind of important in Latvia.
[WS:] True, but do not expect too much. To me, it is more reminiscent of football hooliganism, which is quite widely spread in EU than of any serious political movement. Perhaps I am an incorrigible institutionalist, but mere mob violence without proper organizational structure - a party or a union capable of sustained political operation after the mob violence subsides - is not hopelessly doomed, but may have the opposite effect and create a conservative backlash (cf. Sarkozy's electoral victory in France).
A far more interesting development imho is the current gas row between Russia and Ukraine - it looks like it is undoing the love affair between Ukraine and EU, even the "new" EU (Slovakia & Bulgaria).
Wojtek