The Dig Another World Was Possible
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Oct 22, 2025 Paul Adlerstein, a historian specializing in U.S. activism and global inequality, Gonzalo Berrón, a labor organizer from Latin America, and Alexandra Wandel, a trade and sustainability campaigner, dive deep into the 1999 Seattle protests against the WTO. They discuss the diverse coalitions of unions, environmentalists, and activism that fueled the global justice movement. Insightful reflections cover the impact of local struggles on global networks, the role of direct action, and the legacy of these movements in today's political landscape.
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WTO As Neoliberal Constitution
- The WTO aimed to act as a global constitution protecting capital from democratic control.
- Seattle marked the movement's first major, successful rupture of that neoliberal expansion.
Inside The Summit During The Clash
- Alexandra Wandel recounts being inside the WTO when protests closed negotiations and police used tear gas and extreme force.
- She felt shock and relief as negotiations collapsed and the new round failed.
Tactics Plus Broad Coalitions Stopped Seattle
- Seattle combined disruptive street blockades with broad coalitions across class and issue divides.
- That mix halted negotiators materially and symbolically, stopping the ministerial.
