Global Youth Protests in the Era of Capitalist Economic Crisis

Abstract

Whether in developed or developing countries, young people are the victims of capitalist crisis, and play an important role in protests throughout the world. Youth protests in developed countries are directed at financial capital, which has an important impact on the world situation. Information technology is very important for mobilizing and organizing youth protests, but more crucial for the movements are the determination and action of the young people involved. The mainstream media in Western countries claim that youth protests in the developed world amount to irrational behavior on the part of a “lost generation,” but that the “Arab Spring” represents heroic and revolutionary action by an “awakening generation.” This difference highlights the hypocrisy of democracy in the West. The main shortcoming of most of the protests lies in the fact that they target specific policies and institutions, fighting against the results rather than the causes of the contradictions of capitalism.

Keywords:

• waves of youth protests
• capitalism
• economic crisis

Notes

¹Also see, “Greece Student Protests.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/dec/06/greece-protest#/?picture=369434841&index=7.

²See “We Are the 99 Percent,” http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/also see, http://www.wearethe99 percent.us/.

³See, http://books.wwnorton.com/books/The-Second-Arab-Awakening/.

⁴See, “Mohamed Bouazizi Square Inaugurated in Paris in Tribute to Tunisian Revolution.” http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mohamed+Bouazizi+Square+inaugurated+in+Paris+in+tribute+to+Tunisian…-a0260310961.

⁵See “Survey Says: 53% Favor Capitalism Over Socialism.” http://blackpolitics.com/content/survey-says-53-favor-capitalism-over-socialism.

⁶See “US/Real Wages are 11% Lower than They Were in 1973.” http://jobmarketmonitor.com/2013/01/03/us-real-wages-are-11-lower-tha-they-were-in-1973/.