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Foundations and Mass Movements: The Case of the World Social Forum1

Foundation funding flows to very diverse activities, including welfare programs, the arts, academia, and the media. It has been argued that all such funding, no matter how apparently non-political the activity, has political significance, strengthening the hegemony of the ruling classes. By their very nature, foundation interventions in social movements play a political role.

This includes their involvement with apparently "grassroots" protests such as the World Social Forum, where the individuals, organizations, and institutions assisted by foundations span a wide range, some even espousing radical views. This flexibility and range in fact increase the reach and influence of foundations, allowing them to intervene in rapidly changing social developments. Since foundations are largely created and sustained by the ruling classes and state powers of the imperialist countries, foundation intervention in social movements in the imperialist countries as well as in the third world should be seen as part of imperialism's efforts to prevent the emergence of systemic challenges to its rule at home and its sway abroad.

Key Words: World Social Forum • India • Ford Foundation • Non-governmental organizations • ATTAC

Critical Sociology, Vol. 33, No. 3, 505-536 (2007)
DOI: 10.1163/156916307X189004


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