Occupy Wall Street

Definition

Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement that began in 2011, primarily focused on addressing economic inequality and the influence of corporations in politics. The movement famously originated in New York City's Zuccotti Park, where participants expressed their frustrations over financial institutions and their role in the economic crisis, bringing attention to issues like wealth disparity and corporate greed.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The movement began on September 17, 2011, and gained global attention as it spread to cities across the U.S. and around the world.
2. Occupy Wall Street utilized social media as a powerful tool for organizing, spreading awareness, and sharing messages related to economic justice.
3. The protests often featured slogans like 'We are the 99%' and utilized the encampment model, where protesters lived in public spaces to draw attention to their cause.
4. Despite facing challenges such as eviction from encampments and criticism from various sectors, the movement sparked widespread conversations about wealth inequality and corporate influence in politics.
5. Occupy Wall Street played a significant role in influencing later movements focused on social justice, environmental issues, and political reforms.

Review Questions

• How did Occupy Wall Street shape discussions around economic inequality in the United States?
  • Occupy Wall Street brought economic inequality to the forefront of public discourse by highlighting the stark contrast between the wealthy elite and average citizens. Through grassroots organizing and public protests, it raised awareness about issues such as corporate influence on politics and financial institutions' roles in exacerbating wealth disparities. The movement's iconic slogan 'We are the 99%' effectively captured this divide and resonated with many people feeling marginalized by economic policies.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of Occupy Wall Street's strategies in raising awareness about corporate greed and economic injustice.
  • Occupy Wall Street's strategies were largely effective in raising awareness due to their innovative use of social media for mobilization and message dissemination. The physical occupation of public spaces served as a powerful visual statement against corporate greed. However, critics argue that while it generated significant attention, it struggled with clear demands or sustained policy changes, leading to questions about its long-term impact on systemic reform.
• Analyze how the themes presented by Occupy Wall Street have influenced subsequent social movements and policy discussions.
  • The themes presented by Occupy Wall Street have profoundly influenced subsequent social movements like Black Lives Matter and climate justice initiatives. By foregrounding issues such as wealth inequality and corporate power, it inspired activists to draw connections between various forms of injustice. This interconnected approach has led to more comprehensive discussions on policies aimed at reducing inequality, advocating for transparency in government-corporate relations, and pushing for reforms that address social justice holistically.

Related terms

1% vs. 99%: A slogan that emerged from the Occupy Wall Street movement, highlighting the economic divide between the wealthiest 1% of the population and the remaining 99%, who struggle with economic hardship.

Social Justice: The concept of promoting a fair society by challenging injustices and valuing diversity, which became a key focus for many participants of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Corporate Greed: A term used to describe excessive pursuit of profit by corporations at the expense of social and environmental responsibility, a central theme of the critiques raised during the Occupy Wall Street protests.