The 15th annual Worldwide Anti-McDonald's Day takes place on Saturday October 16th. One of the issues that will be highlighted is the continued struggle to expose the company's practices by the 'McLibel Two', Helen Steele and Dave Morris.
In September 1990 McDonalds Issued libel writs in order to suppress the distribution of campaigning leaflets outside their stores by a small group calleo London Green peace, with the wider aim of frightening off and silencing all other critics of the company.
Because two of the group refused to capitulate to this use of Britain's oppressive libel laws to suppress dissent, the issue has turned into a massive headache for McDonalds. Although the corporation won its case on some Issues, British courts have now found 4 tended to a positive nutritional benefit which their food (high in fat & salt etc) did not match™; that McDonald's "exploit children" with their advertising strategy;
are "culpably responsible for animal cruelty™; and "pay low wages, helping to depress wages in the catering trade." In a hearing this year, the Court of Appeal ruled that it was fair comment to say that McDonald's employees worldwide "do badly in terms of pay and conditions", and true that "if one eats enough McDonald's food, one's diet may well become high in fat etc., with the very real risk of heart disease." Their opponents estimate McDonalds spent £10 million worldwide on the on the case.
case.
powerful to suppress criticism. There is also an action against the police for feeding information about the campaigners to the company and they are seeking funds to help them carry on. one tactic in a fightback which includes continuing distribution of the disputed lies. The company still won on some Issues, but, recognising the considerable damage the case has done, have not attempted to collect damages or costs. Their opponents estimate McDonalds spent £10 million worldwide The McLibel campaign is continuing in the courts, in the hope of undermining the right of the However they recognise that this is only leaflet, campaigns against new stores, unionisation struggles by some McDonalds workers and mass anti-McDonald's protests by French farmers opposing the 'free trade' drive of American monopoIn a period when some believe that struggle is futile, the McLibel campaign has been "a real DIY victory", echoing other recent movements.These include road protests and Reclaim The Streets and direct action on other environmental These movements and the refusal of millions to take genetically-modified food on trust from monopoly food businesses show there remains a significant element in our society looking for alternatives to Blairite sucking-up to the capitalist class. • The McLibel Campaign is making a financial appeal - funds urgently needed for legal costs (transcripts, photocopying of papers for court etc). Not a penny will go to McDonald's of coursel (Cheques to Mclibel Support Campaign).London Greenpeace / McLibel Support Campaign 5 Caledonian Rd, London, Tel/Fax +44-(0)171 713 1269 Email: [email protected] Internet info:http://www.mcspotlight.org capital are invested. This also applies to prospecting for minerals, to new methods of working ep and utilising raw materials, For Lenin, the coming of the cpoch of imperialism signified the end of the period in which capitalism had played a historically progressive role by revoluand developing the productive forces.
From now on, with the bulk of the carth's surface carved up between the rival powers, the century was certain to involve a succession of wars for But it would also be a period of revolutions, the exploited and oppressed would be obliged to fight back and struggle for power against the might of Lenin's immense strength in he went from this to conclude the need for the development of a conscious, organised revolutionary leadership both at national and international level if these revolutionary struggles were to succeed.
On this issue, too, Lenin's contribution gives vital perspective