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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.

He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.

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Even if you are out of the real politics and even if you don't know what the globalization is, you probably know that there are some groups of young people regularly disturbing the law and order by fighting with the police in the name of starving nations around the world. These young people are against the so-called globalization, against the world capitalist system, against the trade as a main factor of international cooperation. They are also against the institutions that are associated with these global trends - the IMF, the World Bank, especially the G-7 (G-8) etc.

Looking at anti-globalization slogans, some would think that we have here a group of poor people, representing the starving nations. In fact the real facts show a completely different picture or if you prefer a completely different social and psychological profile of the militants.

If they are so poor, then how we can understand the fact that they can meet with a short notice on the other side of the world. Maybe the air companies allow them to travel free of charge? Of course not. Given the fact that their activities include at least two big gatherings (honoring the IMF and G-8) then we have to calculate at least twice the travel expenses for every participant reaching several thousands dollars. That's why they simply can't represent the starving people around the world who live with $1-2 a day.

Or how about the visa restrictions that anti-globalists so easy overtake? Many developing countries haven't a visa free access to Europe or to the United States. That limits the anti-globalization movement to some rich countries on both sides of the Atlantic.

Look at the faces of some of these young people when they are not hidden behind masks. Almost all of them are white adolescents. Maybe I'm wrong but I suppose that they weren't born in Africa or South Asia.

Some words about their "real" anti-globalization feelings. These young men and women don't oppose the internet (their preferred pastime when they don't fight the police forces). They use the Net to plan their next activity. They don't hate the global transport infrastructures because this is the only way to go everywhere to execute their plans. Seems surprising but they too don't hate the US dollars (one of the main symbols of the globalization) because this is the quickest financial way to get what you want for the "right cause".

When I was younger I studied the social profile of the Russian Bolshevik top leaders before the Revolution of 1917. With almost no exception they were all intellectuals, born and grown up within the aristocratic or capitalist families. It was the irony that they hated so much the system that made them what they were. But to get the power their hatred wasn't enough. What they need most was money to finance the revolution and the right moment.

When I see the anti-globalization movement I think about the money needed for all these thousands of militants to travel, to organize, to share know-how for fighting police forces etc.

I understand why some people with no real material needs (these kids don't know what the real starvation is) are turning to the violence to balance their personal problems. What I'm still wondering looking at the anti-globalization movement is who's exactly behind these scenes of violence, I mean how pays for all this. Of course these aren't the poor nations who especially need the IMF and G-8. The interests that stand behind this mess are inside the developed countries, maybe the trade unions fearing to lose jobs to the South, or maybe even some companies fearing the foreign competition.

To all those living in America and Europe who finance this violent movement pleas listen to these words: Don't play with the fire! Look at the history and learn what you should expect if you persist. Pouring oil in the fire will burn you too. Bolsheviks' leaders were upper-class intellectuals but after the revolution the upper class became their first victim.