Since the Occupy movement hit the pavement on Wall Street in mid-September, it鈥檚 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 鈥� including Halifax鈥檚 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.
鈥淚n the activism class, we look at it as a phenomenon of expressive dissent,鈥� says Dr. Huish, who considers the movement a 鈥渓iving example of the theory and practices of activism, advocacy, if not global citizenship.鈥� He鈥檚 even had to revamp his course just to keep up with Occupy Wall Street鈥檚 day-to-day developments.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e seeing here with Occupy is a very public and engaged protest鈥ery similar to methods we鈥檝e seen around the world鈥� 鈥撀燽y which, he means major protests in Spain, Israel, India, and Egypt. 鈥淭his is now a global expression of discontent.鈥�
Addressing the criticisms
It may be global, but critics of the Occupy movement often ask what, exactly, the 99 per cent鈥檚 claimed discontent entails; after all, many of those occupying Wall Street carry iPhones, laptops, and travel mugs.
鈥淭here are certainly those in the middle class who are participating in Occupy,鈥� Dr. Huish acknowledges. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e got cellular technology, and they鈥檝e got computers, and there鈥檚 brand names. They may even go for a Starbucks now and then鈥ut that鈥檚 nothing hypocritical.鈥�
Not only does he say it鈥檚 not hypocritical, it might actually be vital. 鈥淭o try to create a global movement of resistance by barring communication鈥ouldn鈥檛 be effective in trying to get people on board鈥� it may be a cheap shot at Occupy to say 鈥榶ou鈥檙e using iPhones, you don鈥檛 have to be an activist.鈥欌��
As for the claim that the movement is confused and disorganized, Dr. Huish has a perspective on that as well: 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite contradictory, I think, on the part of any political leader to say that a protest isn鈥檛 warranted. It鈥檚 the most vibrant expression of dissent.鈥� He cautions against dismissing the movement for any perceived laziness: 鈥淲hen [the authorities] don鈥檛 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.鈥�
"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. 鈥淏ut that took over ten years to really make progress and advance鈥� there鈥檚 no quick fix.鈥�
A key part of Occupy Wall Street鈥檚 message is protesters鈥� claims to be 鈥渢he 99 per cent鈥� 鈥� those people outside the top 1 per cent of America鈥檚 (and now, the world鈥檚) wealth. By this definition, I鈥檓 a part of the 99 per cent. So are you (probably). But why should the masses tagged 鈥渢he 99 per cent鈥� 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, 鈥渋f you鈥檙e worried about increasing tuition rates, or pension security, or welfare, or regulation of ethical behaviour on the part of corporations.鈥� Of course, not everybody鈥檚 cut out to stand in the November rain at Victoria Park, but there are other ways to make a difference. 鈥淚鈥檓 always shocked at the way a letter can get to a member of parliament and the response that it can draw.鈥�
Nebulous aims
So that鈥檚 the why, and the how, of Occupy Wall Street, but what鈥檚 the 鈥渨hat鈥�? What are the goals and demands? While the nebulous nature of Occupy鈥檚 aims is one of the defining characteristics of the movement, Dr. Huish has a suggestion: 鈥淭he basis of any democratic society is to make sure the governed are able to influence and control the governors. And I鈥檇 like to see that happen, and I think it would be an enormously popular move.鈥�
As winter moves in and local authorities begin to collide with protesters, it鈥檚 difficult to say what the future of Occupy Wall Street, and its offshoots, will be. But, says Dr. Huish, Occupy Wall Street is 鈥渘ot positioning itself to die quickly鈥� 鈥� even if it turns down the volume a little.
鈥淭he Occupy movements aren鈥檛 going away. They may not be on the public squares or the library steps鈥ut that sentiment is real, it鈥檚 vicious, and it鈥檚 quite powerful.鈥�