The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper

Analyze the rise of the Occupy movement and discuss some of the reasons that may have contributed to its decline in recent years. Review the historical origins of the Occupy Wall Street movement in Zuccotti Park, and its later migration to other countries, including Canada. Discuss how its leadership structure (or lack of structure) and tactics may have weakened its political impact over the last few years. Also, describe some of its spin-offs into other organizations (such as Black Lives Matter)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper, and evaluate its contributions to several different movements and their campaigns.

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Occupy Movement

Historical Origins of Movement

The Occupy Wall Street movement began on September 17, 2011, in Zuccotti Park, located in the financial district of Lower Manhattan in New York City and was reportedly triggered by a persistent growth in discontent among citizens with the economic and political systems in the United States. The early supporters of the movement were chagrined by the fact that a majority of corporations across the country and politics alike were controlled by the wealthy Americans. According to Pickerill et al. (2016)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper, the group claimed that it was hard for effective and beneficial policies to be enacted in the country as the wealthy had taken charge of all political institutions and for the majority of the time passed policies that served their self-interest. As a result of this, it was highly unlikely that the majority of Americans in the middle and low income levels would receive equitable representation economically, socially and politically. Looking back at the time when the movement started leads to the conclusion that a major influence to its emergence was the Arab Spring uprising that took place in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa years before. Jagodzinski (2013) has written that the Arab Spring strategies inspired the organizers a lot and a number of strategies were in fact applied in Occupy Wall Street. Albeit at a lesser degree, another source of inspiration came from the Indignados movement in Spain. This particular movement also focused on economic inequality and social justice issues. Just like the two predecessors from whom the movement took inspiration from, the social media was the primary tool for spreading the word about their cause and to mobilize supporters.

Notably, the initial protest in Zuccotti Park attracted a few hundred people, but it quickly grew in size as more people became aware of the movement. The protesters set up tents and established a campsite in the park, where they held general assemblies and engaged in discussions about their concerns and also used this location as a base to organize marches and other events across the major states in the United States. In the next couple of weeks, the movement quickly gained attention and popularity thanks to the mainstream and social media. As mentioned by Cloke, Sutherland and Williams (2016)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper, the movement became a symbol of the growing frustration with economic inequality and the perceived influence of corporations and the wealthy on government policy. After the initial weeks focusing on the New York, the protests spread to other major cities across the United States key among them being Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston. International attention was ultimately gained thanks to the wide coverage across all media and soon similar protests erupted in other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. The Occupy Canada movement began in October 2011, with protests in several cities, including Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal with key focus being issues such as income inequality, corporate greed, and the influence of big banks on government policy.

The Decline of the Movement

While the initial weeks and months of The Occupy Wall Street were dotted with vibrant crowds, huge masses of people and a lot of energy, signs of decline in all these were observed with time. Looking back, there are a handful of reasons that led to the eventual decline and ultimate collapse of the movement. Key among them was the lack of a clear and unified message (Ortiz et al., 2022). Although the movement was initially focused on economic inequality and social justice issues, it was largely criticized by politicians as well as the general public, for being too broad and lacking a specific set of demands. Arguably, it is this lack of clarity and focus that made it difficult for the movement to maintain momentum and attract new supporters and marked the start of the decline in popularity. A second factor that led to the decline was the response by the government (Liu et al., 2022)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper. The protesters in Zuccotti Park were forcibly removed by police in November 2011, and similar crackdowns occurred in other cities as the government sought tough measures to contain the protesters and quell the movement. Pickerill et al. (2016) wrote that the use of force by the authorities made it difficult for the movement to continue to mobilize supporters and carry out its activities as the masses felt that participating in the protests exposed them to risks and dangers such as arrests, beatings or shooting. A third reason and perhaps the most important factor that led to the eventual decline of The Occupy Movement was the lack of leadership. Cloke, Sutherland and Williams (2016) argue that the lack of leadership was a critical factor in the decline of the movement. The researchers suggested that without a clear vision and direction, the movement was unable to sustain its momentum and attract new supporters. Furthermore, the absence of strong leaders made it difficult for the movement to effectively negotiate with authorities and advance their demands ultimately leading to internal divisions and the loss of drive, as supporters became disillusioned with the lack of progress. A note in point is that fact that the movement was organized as a decentralized network of activists, with no clear leaders or hierarchy. While this approach was intended to empower all participants, it made it difficult for the movement to make decisions and take effective action.

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Finally, the 2016 U.S. presidential election had a significant impact on the Occupy Wall Street movement (Gerbaudo, 2022)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper. Many activists who had been involved in the movement became engrossed in other political campaigns or movements, such as the Bernie Sanders campaign, which drew attention and resources away from Occupy Wall Street. This shift in focus was also reflected in the media, as the coverage of the election overshadowed the coverage of the movement. As a result, the movement lost momentum and support, as many activists became involved in other causes. This highlights the importance of external events and the broader political landscape in shaping the success or failure of social movements.

Weakened by the Lack of Leadership Structure

The lack of a clear leadership structure in the Occupy Wall Street movement was both a strength and a weakness. On the one hand, it allowed for a more inclusive and decentralized movement, where all participants had an equal say in decision-making. On the other hand, the lack of structure also made it difficult for the movement to sustain itself over the long term and to have a significant political impact (Liu et al., 2022)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper. A primary challenge with a decentralized movement is that it can be difficult to make decisions and take action. What’s more, without a clear leadership structure, this challenge is compounded as coming to a consensus on many key issues becomes difficult. In order for a movement such as the Occupy Movement to thrive, there is need for a cohesive strategy to be developed. Cloke, Sutherland and Williams (2016) have explained this by commenting that a cohesive strategy is crucial for the success of social movements claiming that clarity and cohesiveness of a strategy enables leaders to set clear goals and direction and effectively attract new supporters and retain the existing ones.  Also, a strategy enables activists to effectively negotiate with authorities and advance their demands but in the absence of a cohesive strategy, the movement becomes vulnerable to internal divisions, a loss of momentum, and a lack of progress. Therefore, a cohesive strategy is essential for building a strong and sustainable social movement.

As it turned out, nonetheless, the lack of a cohesive strategy in the Occupy Movement was evidenced when some activists had different priorities and visions for the movement which triggered disagreements and infighting. More importantly, without a clear leadership structure, the movement lacked a mechanism for holding individuals accountable for their actions further exacerbating indiscipline among participants who engaged in behaviors that were detrimental to the movement. Such bahaviour include violence or vandalism. It also made it difficult to address issues of sexual harassment and assault within the movement, as there was no clear process for dealing with such complaints. According to Jagodzinski (2013)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper, the tactics used by the Occupy movement also contributed to its weakened political impact in recent years as the movement was largely focused on symbolic actions like occupying public spaces or organizing marches and rallies majorly with intentions to create specter. While these tactics helped raise awareness about the issues the movement was protesting, they were less effective in creating lasting change and there also appeared that the leaders were single minded and had a total lack of a plan B. The lack of a clear political strategy also made it challenging for the movement to achieve its goals, which were largely lacking anyway, despite having a broad set of grievances. The reason for the failure to address these grievances seriously emanated from the fact that the movement overly lacked a clear set of demands or policy proposals making it impossible to engage in meaningful dialogue with policymakers or to advocate for specific policy changes. Suffice it to say, the tactics used by the movement massively contributed to its decline as it was constantly criticized and called out for its confrontational tactics and its willingness to engage in civil disobedience. While these tactics may have helped to draw attention to the movement, they made it more difficult for the movement to engage in constructive dialogue with policymakers or to build alliances with other social movements.

Notable Spin-Offs

The Occupy Wall Street movement has had a significant impact on a variety of social movements and campaigns, including Black Lives Matter (BLM), the Fight for $15, and the climate justice movement (Gerbaudo, 2022). Most popular among these was the BLM that that emerged in the aftermath of the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and has become a powerful force for racial justice and police reform in the United States. BLM builds on many of the tactics and principles of the Occupy Wall Street movement like direct action and a decentralized leadership structure. However, BLM has evolved its own distinctive approach, emphasizing the experiences and leadership of Black people and other people of color. Cloke, Sutherland and Williams (2016) highlighted that one of the ways that BLM has been influenced by the Occupy Wall Street movement is through its focus on economic justice. For example, BLM has highlighted the ways in which economic inequality intersects with racial injustice, and has called for policies that address both. Another example, BLM has called for a living wage, affordable housing, and a shift in resources away from policing and toward community investment.

The Fight for $15 is yet another movement that has been influenced by the Occupy movement. The Fight for $15 emerged in 2012, initially as a campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour for fast-food workers in New York City with the campaign quickly spreading to other cities and industries, and has since become a national movement for economic justice. Similar to the Occupy movement, the Fight for $15 uses direct action and grassroots organizing to build power and win victories. The movement has been successful in winning significant wage increases for workers in a number of states and cities, and has helped to shift the national conversation around economic inequality.

There is also the climate justice movement whose emergence is largely credited to the Occupy movement. According to Jagodzinski (2013)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper, the climate justice movement emphasizes the intersections between climate change and other forms of social and economic inequality. The movement called for a transition to a just and sustainable economy, and highlighted the ways in which corporate greed and political corruption have contributed to the climate crisis. It is important to note that the Occupy movement has contributed to the climate justice movement by highlighting the role of the fossil fuel industry in perpetuating economic inequality and environmental destruction. The movement has also inspired new tactics and strategies for climate activism, such as the use of direct action and civil disobedience to disrupt the operations of fossil fuel companies and their political allies.

Comparison with Past Social Justice Movements

The Occupy was not the first social justice movement in history, and it certainly will not be the last. Throughout history, many other movements have arisen to address social, economic, and political issues. Some of these movements have been successful, while others have not (Ortiz). Comparing Occupy Wall Street with other movements shed light on its strengths and weaknesses and provides key insights into the factors that contribute to the success of social justice movements. A key similarity between Occupy movement and other social justice movements is the focus on inequality. Many social justice movements have been driven by a desire to address economic or social inequality, whether through fighting for civil rights, women’s rights, or workers’ rights. Occupy Wall Street was no exception, as it sought to highlight the growing income and wealth gap between the wealthiest 1% of Americans and everyone else. A second key similarity is the use of nonviolent protest. Many successful social justice movements, such as the civil rights movement and the women’s suffrage movement, relied on nonviolent protests to bring attention to their cause. Similarly, Occupy movement utilized nonviolent tactics, such as sit-ins and marches, to draw attention to its message although there were isolated cases of violence and vandalism The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper.

There are a number of key differences that emerge between the Occupy movement and other social justice movements from the past. One such difference is the lack of a clear leader or structure. A close analysis of many successful social justice movements in the past reveals that a majority were led by charismatic leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Cesar Chavez, who were able to inspire and mobilize large groups of people. Quite the opposite, Occupy movement had a general lack of a clear leader or central structure. This weakness is cited by Jagodzinski (2013) as a major weakness that majorly contributed to the eventual failure of the movement. Another difference was the lack of a clear message or set of demands. While movement was united in its focus on economic inequality, it struggled to articulate a clear set of demands or proposals for how to address this issue. In total contrast, many successful social justice movements have been able to articulate a clear message or set of demands, which has helped to galvanize public support and drive policy change. Suffice it to say, comparing Occupy Wall Street to other social justice movements highlights both its strengths and weaknesses. While it was successful in drawing attention to issues of economic inequality, it struggled to sustain momentum and articulate a clear set of demands. Moving forward, future social justice movements can learn from these successes and challenges to create more effective and sustainable movements.

The Potential for Occupy Wall Street and Similar Movements to Effect Change in Society

Since its inception in 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement has faded from the public consciousness. This notwithstanding, its message about economic inequality and the power of the wealthiest 1% of Americans has continued to resonate with many people (Gerbaudo, 2022). With this in mind, it is worth recognizing and considering the future prospects and potential of similar movements to effect change in society. One potential avenue for change is through policy and legislative action. While Occupy Wall Street failed to articulate a clear set of demands or proposals, there are many policy proposals that could address issues of economic inequality like raising the minimum wage, increasing taxes on the wealthy, or providing universal basic income (Ortiz et al., 2022)The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper. Future social justice movements could focus on advocating for specific policy proposals as this would arguably be more effective in driving change than a general message about inequality. A second potential avenue for change is through grassroots organizing and community building. Social justice movements that are rooted in local communities and build strong relationships with community members have been more successful in driving long-term change. Future movements could focus on building strong, sustainable networks of activists and community members, which could be leveraged to drive policy change and address issues of inequality.

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References

Cloke, P., Sutherland, C., & Williams, A. (2016). Postsecularity, political resistance, and protest in the occupy movement. Antipode, 48(3), 497-523.

Gerbaudo, P. (2022). From Occupy Wall Street to the Gilets Jaunes: On the populist turn in the protest movements of the 2010s. Capital & Class, 03098168221137207.

Jagodzinski, J. (2013). Anonymous: The Occupy movement and the failure of representational democracy. Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, 33(1), 21-37.

Liu, M. C., Brenes Reyes, J. R., Sahoo, S., & Dyer‐Witheford, N. (2022). Riot Platforms: Protest, Police, Planet. Antipode, 54(6), 1901-1922.

Ortiz, I., Burke, S., Berrada, M., & Saenz Cortés, H. (2022). World protests: A study of key protest issues in the 21st century (p. 185). Springer Nature.

Pickerill, J., Krinsky, J., Hayes, G., Gillan, K., & Doherty, B. (Eds.). (2016). Occupy! A global movement. Routledge. The Occupy Movement Discussion Paper