Occupy Wall Street movement began on September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park in New York, NY. It has continued to be in session in multiple cities around the world, with no set end date in sight. The primary goals of the protest are to raise public awareness of corporate greed, banking sector malfeasance, corruption, and extreme income inequality. The general feeling of the American populace is that the banking sector never suffered for its mistakes in 2008, and has since then been one of the only sectors of the American economy still earning a year-to-year profit. The commonly adopted term for Occupy Wall Street is the slogan "The 99% versus the 1%." This is in reference to the immense growth of the upper class in the past twenty years, while the middle class has seen their economic status stagnate for decades, and in some cases even shrink.
The Movement
With such a large agenda, one might think that the protest is closely managed with a defined leadership, however this has not proven to be the case. There is no static leader of the movement, instead the movement works on consensus basis. This process is slow and arduous, but it allows each participant of the protest to remain involved in the central planning of the movement as a whole, which is critical to maintaining interest in the movement, while retaining a long-term presence in the streets. Music is present nearly all hours of the day and night, a great motivational technique and a morale booster for the people present. The artists range from heavy metal bands to street rappers to rhythmic exotic beats. In addition to music, celebrities have also graced the protest with their presence, celebrities such as Michael Moore, Kanye West, Roseanne Barr, and bands Anti-Flag and Radiohead.
Purpose and Thesis
From the above description, one can see just how much of an impact this form of political participation has had not only upon the premises, but upon America as a whole. An entire generation, lost, and without guidance, has not only come together, but has made itself public all over the world, and has truly changed the face of the American generation. The paragraphs below will expand upon the movement and its origins, as well as discuss how it has been covered by the media, and political theories relating to it, in general.
Political Movements
First, it is important to speak about political movements, as well as how and why they take place. From what we have witnessed all over the world, including in the Arab Spring in Egypt, Libya, and other Middle Eastern countries, it has become clear that protests and other form of political participation have a very important role in today's world, and not just in America. Political participation is defined as a right, and it is upheld by the United States Constitution, in the Bill of Rights. Political participation is inevitably a citizen's means to influence policy, and this is done through his or her ability to speak his or her mind. Thus, the right to political participation is closely linked to the right to free speech. This is important to recognize, for it is not always possible for citizens to exercise these rights.
Protests
According to observations by various individuals, political participation in general takes place everyday in America. Much of this participation is done, at times, through voting, joining a political party, or a non-governmental advocacy group. Yet there is another form of participation that often has a great impact, and this is the form described above, protesting or demonstrating.[footnoteRef:1] According to Klein (2005), "the foundational legal articulation of this right can be found in the UN's 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and it has been further formalized and elaborated in later treaties, most notably the 1976 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As currently implemented by the UN, various operating entities assess signatory states' respect for this right and, when violations are determined to have occurred, may call on states to changes their practices." With both the constitution protecting the right to free speech and participation in politics, as well as with Klein's analysis of the internationally protected right to protest, it is hard to argue against this. For this reason, theoretically, without any other analytical aspect, the Wall Street Protests are legitimate. [1: Klein, Hans. (2005). The Right to Political Participation and the Information Society. Global Democracy Conference. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from, . ]
An Analysis of the Protest
There are many aspects to a protest. Some may focus...
Occupy Wall Street Movement and its Implications as a New Form of Protest "We are what democracy looks like!" that is a major theme that is represented through the Occupy Wall Street movement (Benjamin 1). Essentially, the movement is a new adaptation to older nonviolent protests styles. It encompasses elements of older traditions, like the use of nonviolent sit ins and marches; however, it proves much different from more traditional
Occupy Wall Street Moral Implications Economic Implications Utilitarianism Kantian Ethics Virtue Ethics CRITICAL ANALYSIS BIBIOGRAPHY Occupy Wall Street is about moral and economic vision; it is not about policy demands. Therefore we cannot ask for certain yes and cannot compromise on the other because all moral, social, economical and behavioral values are interlinked and if one is detached then the whole chain comes in broken pieces. All we need in to publicize our internal and external issues in
riot disruptive movement "Occupy Wall Street" place New York City. The discussion MUST include: 1. A chronological description 2. engaged commentary (opinionated) 3. theoretical interventions. We live in a world today that is seen as being clearly a sign of discrepancy between the different standards of living, between the rich and the poor, between the highlife and the low life in the society. Some analysts consider that the different levels
What the Occupy Wall Street movement is doing, is questioning the entire system itself. A good example of this can be seen with the Occupy Wall Street Oakland chapter. What happened was the city had removed their camp near City Hall Plaza. This is in response to reports of: deaths, drug use and unsanitary conditions. At the same time, the resources of the police department were stressed to the point
Democracy / Liberty Is direct democracy desirable and/or possible today? Is direct democracy desirable and/or possible today? The question is addressed first theoretically, with reference to Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws, which actually categorizes direct democracy as one of the corruptions into which a democratic system can descend, by an insistence on too much egalitarianism. Direct democracy is considered as an ideal, which is desirable insofar as it offers a critique of
Banks Improper Foreclosure and Mortgage Practices in the Banking Industry Efficient Market Hypothesis Real Estate Bubble Sub-Prime Mortgages Overview on the Value of Banks Arguments against Financial Intermediaries Ethical Violations This research paper aims to shed light into what led to the global financial collapse that, for the most part, began in the U.S. housing market and the ethical implications that followed. Many researchers agree that the primary drivers that led to the real estate crisis was the
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now