Since the Occupy movement hit the pavement on Wall Street in mid-September, itās been celebrated by some media sources, demonized by others, and widely reported by most. A large part of the fascination factor is that the movement appears to be contagious. Splinter Occupy movements have ignited worldwide ā including Halifaxās own Occupy NS, which moved from Grand Parade Square to Victoria Park to make room for Remembrance Day ceremonies before being controversially evicted by police on the afternoon of November 11.
Robert Huish, International Development Studies professor, teaches INTD 3003: Development and Activism. As you might expect, the Occupy movement has quickly become required material for his course.
āIn the activism class, we look at it as a phenomenon of expressive dissent,ā says Dr. Huish, who considers the movement a āliving example of the theory and practices of activism, advocacy, if not global citizenship.ā Heās even had to revamp his course just to keep up with Occupy Wall Streetās day-to-day developments.
āWhat weāre seeing here with Occupy is a very public and engaged protestā¦very similar to methods weāve seen around the worldā āĀ by which, he means major protests in Spain, Israel, India, and Egypt. āThis is now a global expression of discontent.ā
Addressing the criticisms
It may be global, but critics of the Occupy movement often ask what, exactly, the 99 per centās claimed discontent entails; after all, many of those occupying Wall Street carry iPhones, laptops, and travel mugs.
āThere are certainly those in the middle class who are participating in Occupy,ā Dr. Huish acknowledges. āTheyāve got cellular technology, and theyāve got computers, and thereās brand names. They may even go for a Starbucks now and thenā¦but thatās nothing hypocritical.ā
Not only does he say itās not hypocritical, it might actually be vital. āTo try to create a global movement of resistance by barring communicationā¦wouldnāt be effective in trying to get people on boardā¦ it may be a cheap shot at Occupy to say āyouāre using iPhones, you donāt have to be an activist.āā
As for the claim that the movement is confused and disorganized, Dr. Huish has a perspective on that as well: āItās quite contradictory, I think, on the part of any political leader to say that a protest isnāt warranted. Itās the most vibrant expression of dissent.ā He cautions against dismissing the movement for any perceived laziness: āWhen [the authorities] donāt understand it, the easiest thing it to try to dismiss it. But a lot of scholars are not dismissing it, a lot of economists are not dismissing it.ā
"We are the 99%"
Dr. Huish compares the Occupy movement to the suffragettes who achieved the votes for women and the civil rights movements of the sixties. āBut that took over ten years to really make progress and advanceā¦ thereās no quick fix.ā
A key part of Occupy Wall Streetās message is protestersā claims to be āthe 99 per centā ā those people outside the top 1 per cent of Americaās (and now, the worldās) wealth. By this definition, Iām a part of the 99 per cent. So are you (probably). But why should the masses tagged āthe 99 per centā care about Occupy Wall Street, its actions and its goals?
Dr. Huish offers a functional set of guidelines: keep an eye on Occupy, he says, āif youāre worried about increasing tuition rates, or pension security, or welfare, or regulation of ethical behaviour on the part of corporations.ā Of course, not everybodyās cut out to stand in the November rain at Victoria Park, but there are other ways to make a difference. āIām always shocked at the way a letter can get to a member of parliament and the response that it can draw.ā
Nebulous aims
So thatās the why, and the how, of Occupy Wall Street, but whatās the āwhatā? What are the goals and demands? While the nebulous nature of Occupyās aims is one of the defining characteristics of the movement, Dr. Huish has a suggestion: āThe basis of any democratic society is to make sure the governed are able to influence and control the governors. And Iād like to see that happen, and I think it would be an enormously popular move.ā
As winter moves in and local authorities begin to collide with protesters, itās difficult to say what the future of Occupy Wall Street, and its offshoots, will be. But, says Dr. Huish, Occupy Wall Street is ānot positioning itself to die quicklyā ā even if it turns down the volume a little.
āThe Occupy movements arenāt going away. They may not be on the public squares or the library stepsā¦but that sentiment is real, itās vicious, and itās quite powerful.ā