Forum Post: The 2011 Occupy Protests: A Precursor to Meaningful Action

The Occupy protests were a global encampment of public spaces in protest of societal inequalities that undermine democracy and freedom. Because the movement is representative of many different communities, many different focuses exist around the world; however, the unifying concerns deal with the distribution of wealth, the financial system, and corporate and government powers and their interconnectivity.

“We are the 99%” is the Occupy Movement’s slogan; it is in reference to how the greatest monetary holdings are held by the very few, i.e., the 1%, and that the majority of power and influence in the financial system, corporate world, and government is possessed by them. The rallying cry is to signify a shift from a voiceless majority to a vocal and influential one.

Protests under the Occupy banner have thus far only been introductory, a precursor to a larger and more narrowed non-violent attack on the status quo. For progress and reform to occur, the Occupy Movement needs to coordinate meaningful protests against specific policy, legislation, or actions brought about by the private and public sectors that exploit and ignore the interests of the 99%.

Society is governed by a value structure – ethics. Laws and enforcement tools are created to define and uphold them, but, as shown by the Occupy Movement, there is too great of a disparity between the 1%’s values and that of the 99%’s. The majority need increased political power to be more politically involved and influential, and this can be achieved by attacking the value system upon which injustices rest.

The movement and continued activism should focus on the ethics of society that legitimize laws and policy that dilute democracy and freedom. The world citizenry must express its refusal to be marginalized. We must create demands based on a new value system and express and defend them vigorously.

An example of policy in the US that reflects distorted values is the Super PAC legislation: a political device that allows for unlimited contributions to political parties. Monetary contributions correlate with electoral success; that is, parties that receive most funding generally win. Consequently, money disrupts the democratic process in favour of the 1%.

The culture and ethics associated with the Super PAC law need be challenged and attacked. This is law that should not be.