Occupy Wall Street! Protests in the U.S. and around the World

The city of New York is gripped by tension and has been so since the start of a movement — initially just national, which then spread also to Europe via the British — Occupy Wall Street. Thousands of people from all corners of the U.S., dissatisfied with the country’s economic measures to overcome the world economic crisis, belong to the movement, which is sparking protests and conflicts all over the country.

Occupy Wall Street is a movement made up in large part by American youths, whose ideas are still not completely understood by sociologists. Obviously economic dissatisfaction, as well as a position against the basic structure of capitalism, governs the manifesto. However, it should not be confused for an extremist action opposed to the current system, but rather, focus on the violent responses of authorities against groups of demonstrators, which has intensified and acquired a character of intolerance.

This week was marked by protests primarily in New York, where Americans from various parts of the country traveled to the center of the protests to participate in the demonstration. The occupation of a private square in Manhattan has already lasted a month and has become a symbol of the movement. Thousands of people are camped in Zuccotti Park, where they protest and debate subjects related to government; which, according to them, is corrupt and unjust.

A crucial factor for the “success” of their actions, in relation to the organization through the rising number of members belonging to the protest, is publicity, through the medium of social networks. This has been achieved primarily through Facebook, which has been turned into a powerful weapon in the hands of the masses. The big demonstrations of today, such as the Libyan rebellion and the demonstrations in Egypt at the start of the year, have in common the use of social networks to promote their ideas and invite supporters to the movement.

The media has also contributed much to this type of act of dissatisfaction. Stimulated by protests in the U.S., as well as its worldwide repercussions, acts of protest have spread to other countries with the same motivation following the same principles as Occupy Wall Street — dissatisfaction with the world economic situation.

This Saturday (Oct. 15), as I am writing this article, I am thinking about how more than ever, the power of the people is consolidated in their hands. Because of the enormous worldwide reverberations via innumerable media vehicles of the 21st century, the possibility of contact and the lessening of the gap between nations — very much because of globalization — permits people to organize themselves even better in support of a cause, favoring the formation of a universal democracy for the benefit of the majority.

On this basis, we can analyze how much the new infrastructure of communication and media allows us to express ourselves on a grand scale, breaking down barriers between nations and attaining the previously unachievable; in this way modern acts of protest acquire more strength, and the classic slogan “power to the people” has never had such significance.