Values and Political Agreements #

All members of the Wijkbond , share the following values (political agreements):

Grassroots Democracy #

Our union is a member-run organization without bosses. It belongs to its active members. Decisions are made in the respective working groups. Decisions made jointly apply to all members.

Independence #

The wijkbond is politically and economically independent of state institutions, political parties, companies, labour unions and religious institutions. This is important so that we remain self-determined in our goals, actions and ways of thinking. We challenge official policy because it typically serves the interests of a privileged few, relying instead on the power of a movement from below to implement true change.

Solidarity & Collective Action #

Our strength lies in joint organization and mutual solidarity. We organize according to the “touch one - touch all” principle. When any member faces exploitation, oppression, or unfair treatment and chooses to fight back, we all stand and fight together. Through collective organization, we are stronger and can better confront corporations, landlords, and authorities. Together we can be less afraid!

Anti-Discrimination & Mutual Respect #

Mutual respect is our foundation.We are a diverse organisation of people from different countries, origins, faiths and identities. We actively oppose all forms of discrimination—including Zionism, racism, sexism, patriarchal violence, homophobia, ableism, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia—as products of a political system designed to divide us and make us fear each other.. The more internalised phobias we have against each other, the weaker we become in the fight against the causes of our real problems. We commit to collectively unlearning our prejudices. Any member who acts in a discriminatory or violent manner and refuses critical self-reflection can no longer remain part of our union.

Class perspective #

Society under capitalism is divided into social classes: those who own wealth and property and those who must work to survive.Our union stands unequivocally with the exploited and oppressed in their struggles.

For Fundamental Change #

While we fight for the rights and equality of all oppressed groups (including refugees, people with disabilities, the poor, women, and LGBTIQ* people), we know that securing more rights for individual groups is not enough. Our goal is not to treat the symptoms but to cure the disease. We strive for a fundamental change of society itself to create good living conditions for all.

Anti-capitalism #

We see the root of our everyday problems in a capitalist economy that prioritizes profit over human needs, driving global crises like climate change, poverty, hunger, and war.

People’s Power #

We believe fundamental change must arise from a mass grassroots movement. Only through large-scale, solidarity-based organization can we truly make a difference. Therefore, a core goal of our union is to grow and build an organized social movement together with other wijkbonden across Rotterdam and beyond. This is what we call people’s power.

Internationalism #

Global power structures interconnect our struggles.These structures cause extreme exploitation and crises like climate disasters, war and famine, primarily in the Global South forcing many to flee their homes.We adopt a global, internationalist perspective because true liberation is impossible when good living conditions in one part of the world depend on the exploitation of land and people in another. This means actively working against imperialism, fascism, and nationalism.

Political education #

The struggles against capitalism have a long and varied history. They have taken place in different centuries and in different places around the world. As a result, valuable experience and knowledge has been gathered. These belong to all those who are fighting for a better world. But not everyone has access to this knowledge. Political education is therefore very important. Our aim is to develop and empower ourselves collectively and constantly through education and to combine theory and practice in our struggle.

All Power to the People #

From the bottom to the left!