World Protests 2006-2013

World Protests2006-2013A Global Crisis of Jobs, Dignity and Real Democracy

Initiative for Policy Dialogue and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung New York Working Paper September 2013

Isabel Ortiz, Sara Burke, Mohamed Berrada, Hernn Corts

1

Background of the study

Origin of study/research group

Future We the People NeedDora OikonomedesRodrigo SerranoNessa Ni ChasaideKen Zinn-NNU

Age of Austerity2Rising outrage and discontent

Protests in 84 countries comprising 91.9% of world population

Based upon these experiences and what we were seeing and reading about with our own eyes, we set out to map what we saw, eg. rising outrage and discontent around the world.

ObjectiveDocument manifestations of protest From the onset of the world crisis/recession to dateExamine protest trends Globallyregionally By country-income levelsMain grievances/demands

Geographical/Population Span84 Countries comprising 91.9% of world population. Complete list of countries covered in Figure 1 of the paper3Parameters of the StudyTime Period: 2006-mid 2013Fiscal expansion (2008-09)Contraction /austerity (2010-present)

At least two sources for each protest: Mainstream newsLocal news, citizen journalism or alternative newsTime PeriodBegins in 2006before the full-blown crisis emerges in 2008and continues through two distinct phases: The fiscal expansion of 2008-09Fiscal contraction/austerity since 2010Data through July 2013

Research MethodNo pre-defined variablesopen text with broad internet searches in the wording of news reports and two sources per event, mainstream national or international news source like BBC News, Al Jazeera, Le Monde, Hindu Times, The New York Times, or Xinhua independent, academic or organizational source like Democracy Now!, Global Nonviolent Action Database, Jadaliyya, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 15MPedia, or Radiobubble. The full list of sources consulted is in the references section before Annex 1.

CodingWe harmonized and coded the data based upon patterns we discovered that then informed new searches and eventually the categorization and coding of our findings.4What did we count & document?843 Protest EventsDemonstrations and ralliesCampaigns of social and political movementsCrowd actions (including riots)Events across the political spectrum to be comprehensive (including right-wing protests)

843 Protest events (vs. episode)Including:demonstrations and ralliescampaigns of social and political movementscrowd actions like riots

What were we trying to capture?A snapshot of all the sorts of protests going on (filtered via internet accessible media) We did not screen for nonviolent Limited at armed conflict/civil conflictjust those that involved coordinated campaigns

Just as concerned with the massive marches in India in 2013 as with the food price riots in sub-Saharan Africa or neighborhood organizing for mutual aid in Greece.

Properties of the eventsWe first mapped each event in time and place and attempted to identify a number of other properties, including: main grievances/demands, who is protesting, what protest methods they use, who their opponents/targets are, and what results from the protests, including achievements and repression. 5Properties of the eventsDate and durationMain grievances/demandsWho protestsMethods usedOpponents/targetsResults, including achievements and repression/surveillance

Properties of the eventsMapped each event in time and place Tried to identify main grievances/demandsWho is protestingWhat methods used, Opponents/targets Results: including achievements and repression/surveillance

These are the column headings in our database6Grievances/DemandsMost of the protests we counted had more than one contributing issue or demand, so we tagged each event with the full set of relevant grievances. Grievances tended to cluster into one of four sets of issues:

Economic Justice and Austerity (488 protest events, 58%)Behind 58% of all protests counted in the study.The main reason why people around the world are protesting austerity measures that are intensifying, especially in developing countries. If we look at the first 5 categories (public services, jobs/wages, tax fiscal justice, inequality and low-living standards) we see that it is an issue of redistributive justice. People being fed up with the neoliberal system.Also important the categories of Fuel and energy prices and Food riots appearing together in 61 protest events.

Failure of Political Representation (376 protest events, 44%)Real democracy appears more than any other demand around the world (218), which could mean that contrary to the common thought arising from the financial crisis that its all about economics- democracy and politics are the key to build a new society and thus the main concern for protestors in our study. Other categories that also have relation with it are corruption, appearing 142 times or justice (56). Another important category is one related with the private sector Corporate influence/deregulation/privatization (149 times) which also show us how people is aware of the role of the private sector in our daily life and how politics and real democracy is the solution to it.

Global JusticeHow to link the local and the global? This is maybe one of the biggest challenges that we face nowadays, especially with issues such as Climate Change, financial markets, economic orthodoxy or mainly- governance. Protestors have protested having in mind that what is affecting them locally is linked with a free-trade agreement, a financial bailout decided in DC or a discussion on green economics in a UN Conference.We will see later how it is the category that has spiked after 2012Rights (36 % of all protests, 302 protest events)The most present category is Ethnic/indigenous/racial justiceImportance and related with governance issues, the category To the commons (digital, land, cultural, atmopsheric)7Protests are rising

Economic Justice and Austerity (present in more than half of the protests) remain at the top of list of grievances (and not slowing down).

Global JusticeThis is the fastest growing set of grievances/demands, while failure of political representation is slowing down. This is an implicit recognition of the need for global governance. (Monsanto protests as an example)Global Justice is taking over protests for rights and regarding the failure of political representation, with a clear acceleration after 2011, as people realize the limited capacity of local governments to deal with issues that are of a global scale, such as environmental justice and austerity measures coming from either the EU or the IMF

A double example related to both global justice issue and illustrating a globally coordinated movement is the March against Monsanto, each of these protests are coordinated by chapters across countries for a year, in order to happen simultaneously at the global scale, the previous MAM that we document may 25 2013 2 million protested against Monsanto and GMOs throughout 436 cities in 52 countries, and they are already planning the next one for May 2014.8Trickle down crisis

Protest movements are correlated to income, for a variety of reasons, the high income countries usually enjoy more freedom, it is also easier for groups to organize when having access to better finances, and the lack of democracy in many low income countries directly prohibits protests.

The acceleration of protests movements acts as a wave, as the crisis is unfolding first in the US and highly developed countries, they are the first ones to see the number of protest going up, followed by upper middle income and finally lower middle income, the magnitudes differ for some of the reasons we talked about earlier, but we also are not at the end of the economic consequences of the 2008 financial meltdown and social policies are still impacted by the crisis.

Clear correlation between income and numbers of protests

Unfolding of the crisis in waveshigh incomethen upper-midthen lower-mid

Slow but steady rise of globally organized protests (see acceleration of global justice protests in natl and intl movement)9Economic Justice Anti AusterityReform of public services, Tax/fiscal Justice, Jobs,higher wages, inquality & low living standards constitute the largest share of protests for economic justice and against austerity, they all boil down to a clear expression of rejection from the public of neo liberal reforms and in favor of larger state intervention and more redistribution of wealth

High income countries are the more protesting ones, as is the case overall, but we observe larger shares for middle income (both lower and upper) and low income when touching arriving at subjects such as low living standards, agrarian reforms and food prices, as would be expected.

We also not that protest related to housing are virtually absent from low income countries and are concentrated in high and upper middle income

We turn to the example of France, where a neo-liberal youth-specific contract draw the largest protests in the country since 196810First Employment Contract

In 2006, from February to April large protests happen throughout France due to the attempt by the government of Dominique de Villepin (UMP) to pass a new labor law called Contrat Premiere Embauche, specifically written for youth entering the labor market and stripping them out from traditionally recognized rights within the French labor laws. They could effectively be laid off at will during an extended trial period.

Between 1 and 3 million of people take the streets of cities across the country, making it the largest social movement in France since May 68. The impact was not only the end of the contrat premiere embauche (first voted in then repealed after even larger demonstrations), but also destroyed the reputation of the prime Minister of the time Dominique De Villepin, even though he had been locally and internationally admired for his anti war speech of 2003 in front of the General Assembly of the UN.

Photos: Place de la Sorbonne closed down by the police (March 2006)Demonstration in Soissons (population under 30000) (March 2006)11Failure of Political RepresentationMore than 44% of all protests are failures of political representation

The Future We the People Need: These failures happening not only under autocratic regimesAlso in democracies old and new

More protests are detected in high-income and upper-middle income countriescalls for real democracy are also higher there, although they are present in each income group, and in all regions

But also in low income countries 30% of all protests12Justice and Anonymous

Global Justice311 events, more than 37% of all the protests include a global justice component.As being global, these protests spread all over the regions of the world and in a global basis; 40% of them in developing countries / high-income countries (mainly anti-IMF/ECB or ther IFIs) and in developing countries mainly in Latin American and Caribbean region linked with Environmental justice protests.Many protests occur at the local level but have a deep analysis and link to global issues (food- free-trade / mine construction climate change / austerity - structural Adjusted Plan by the IMF, etc.)----------------- it means many movements and campaigns are incorporating this perspectiveAnti IMF/ECB/IFIs: the most prevalent category, present in 164 protests, mainly in High-Income Countries---------------impact of the crisisEnvironmental justice: it could be a catergory per se, but it has a clear link with global justice due to the role of TNCs in mining projects or the global dimension of Climate Change issuesAnti-free trade: FTAs were a main issue in the international agenda in the 90s. Nowadays more of them are already implemented------------local effects but linked to global justice and the pro-liberalization and deregulation policies.Global comons: category that goes hand-by-hand with Governance. Who is going to deal with those resources that exceed the bounds of national governments and to which all countries and peoples have right to access? Efforts and protests to keep them as public goods require an effective global cooperation and, consequently, governance.Anti-G20: minor issue but also linked with governance. Has the G20 the legitimacy to become the central actor of global governance undermining the role of the UN? Whatever is the answer, protestors demonstrate during its Summit to denounce its role and a better governance.

14UN Process vs. World Social Forum

Good example of global justice protests and linked with the governance issues (maybe the elephant in the room of this research).Working 4 years in the UBUNTU Forum in Barcelona (Spain), dealing with issues of global governance and being lucky to participate in both processes several times.UN is or could be the most important actor in global governance (climate change, antinuclear negotiations, etc.) but too many constraints and interests constrain it. As Barbara Adams raises Whose UN?. Social movements, campaigns and societies point out many times at the UN in a contradictory way: it is not working but it could and it has to work but with deep changes. This is what can be seen in the protests during CCh COP conferences (Klimaforum in Copenhagen, Cupula dos Povos during Rio+20).On the other hand, the WSF became not many years ago the most important meeting for anti-neoliberal movement under the slogan Another World is possible. A place where activists merge and share ideas, thoughts, etc. To build alternatives. Nowadays, it is rethinking its role, methodology, strategies. During our study 4 WSF have been celebrated (Nairobi, Belm, Dakar and Tunis).15RightsEthnic/indig/racial justice highly influenced by protests in the AmericasIn North America we can cite the movement Idle no more and the following sovereignty summer that revived the fight of Indigenous people for their right, while joining forces with environmental activists and trade unions in defense of living standards and the right to the land.In South America Governments are more eager to listen to indigenous issues, including cases where indigenous governments have raised to power (Bolivia, Uruguay and others) + environmental justice linked protests are a highly sensitive issue

Freedom of assembly/speech makes up one quarter of Chinese protests an aftereffect of the 1989 Tian an Men events - We also notice of China that localized demands are met while criticisms of the system as a whole are more harshly repressed, which could be a reason for the overblown demand for free speech, The 20th anniversary of Tian an men square saw internet searches blocked out, and very large taboos on talking about any previous incidents

Denial of rights remains the exception and a Higher income countries sort of issue, only one low income country has such a protest, we may also tend to believe that their inexistence is probably due to the limits of rights granted to populations demanding themWith the exception of Mali, Denial of rights is concentrated in higher income countries (maybe a discontent with modernity, but remains a very small part of overall protests, even though they sometimes attract more media coverage given the shock factor of the subjects)16#Women2Drive

The facebook and twitter campaign started in 2011 by Saudi activists Manal al Sharif, Wajeh al Huwaider and others had a simple goal, finally allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia, the last country in the world to refuse to issue licenses to women, posting late may a video on youtube showing Al Sharif driving, and urging women to drive on June 17. (the video has since been deleted)Al sharif was jailed for nine days on the charge of inciting women to drive and the Facebook page shut down but only after reaching 8000 members in a few days

Reports on how many women actually drove on the day of protest that the movement called for remains unclear, reports are between 10 and 50 and are unverifiable, multiple women reported driving without anyone actually noticing, some women got arrested but none were reported Jailed

Maha Al Qatani, who drove in the presence of her husband and a Time magazine reporter was given a ticket for driving without a Saudi license, she exclaimed to her journalist companion Its a ticket. Write this down. I am the first Saudi woman to get a traffic ticket.

The original Video shows Activist Manal Al Shareef driving and calling women to drive, at least to be able to reply to cases of emergency, in the first minute she cites how a women saved her brother from a heart attack by driving him to the hospital, they also only call women that have licences from abroad to drive, the most responsible protest possible.17Who Protests Unions

Press Release February 20, 2013All the Central Trade Unions (BMS, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, SEWA, LPF) hereby congratulate the working people of India for their overwhelming and magnificent response to the united call of two day countrywide general strike that commenced this morning.

Traditional forms (unions, political parties, activists) Indian Unions Indian Unions are strong, and on national days of action gather impressive amounts, that may sound alien to us, 100 Million people took the streets of India, just earlier this year, between February 20 and 22nd of 2013, a federation of 11 trade unions called for a massive two day strike, protesting against subsidy removals and for better wages, targeting both the government and the IMF as responsible, eventhough this massive multimillion people strike having cost to the Indian economy between 2.8 and 3.8 billion dollars as estimated by the Chamber of Commerce, the demands are still ignored18Who protests New players

Everyday Im chapullingAntarctica is resistingNew agents overnight political consciousness- Example of Turkey

One of the most interesting unfoldings may well be the activism of non activiosts, with the deepening of the crisis and different demands joining together under omnibus protests, as well as the ease of communication brought about by mass media newly found political consciousness is rising throughout the world, groups that were otherwise silent find their voices in the political arena, amongst the most striking examples is Turkey, a democracy, largely stable by all reports, spirals into mass protests overnight

Those new activists are peaceful, playful and keep a sense of amusement that is unusual for protestors, or at least unexpected, out of the Egyptian revolution we get Bassem Youssef, a youtube Daily show turned mega production (and overturned by the regime) The Turkish protests offered much humor and word plays, as well as unforgettable images,

Political consciousness overnight what happened is a revolution in the minds more than on the ground

Chapulu a looter, what Erdogan called the Turkish protestersAntartica is resisting Refrence to CNN turk showing a documentary on Penguins while Gezi park was filling up with protesters

19MethodsThe Nation Dec 23/30, 2013Hunger Strikes Erupt Around the World

OpponentsGovernment (national)Political/economic systemCorporations/employersInternational Monetary FundElitesEuropean UnionFinancial SectorEuropean Central BankMilitary/policeFree tradePolitical Parties or groupsUnited StatesGovernment (local)ChinaG20Social GroupsWorld BankReligious authorities22AchievementsIt is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not to understand it Upton Sinclair A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in Greek proverbMain data from our research is that 63% of the protests covered achieved neither their intended demands nor results. ButNeed to diferentiate among the different goals and objectives of the movements and protestors: some want to win the game (concrete proposals, short term perspective) and others want to change the rules of the game (holistic, long-term structural perspective).37% of the protests resulted in some kind of demonstrable achievement.Not easy to classify the achievements (some theories about it) but we could think of political, legal and social (change of government, new Constitution, changes in a law, resignation of Presidents, etc.), Economic (laboral victories, demands on subsidies, etc.), infrastructure (stop construction) and symbolic (less tangible, opening of dialogue, etc.).Symbolic achievement related with changing the rules of the game, long term.How to achieve more? Are we more interested in short-term or long-term?23No single ant has the same amount of wisdom as the entire anthill The Anthill (Iceland)

Inside Job documentry---------- financial crisis and the example of IcelandKitchenware revolution-------------Prime Minister resignation and electionsChange the rules of the gameThe Anthill November 2009, National Assembly (1200 Icelanders choosen randomly to name the values Icelandic society should be based upon)------start a debatePoliticians and Institutions decided to follow the example National Forum-----review constitutionVoted in Referndum in October 2012-----67% in favor24Repression and surveillance

All protests have achievedrepression!! Why governments feedback usually is repression? Keep status quo in order not to change rules of the game.Repression documented in half of the protest episodes analized.Introduce main data on repressionReliable data difficult (especially in South protests)Wide disparity between the Global North and South in the repression and media coverageImportance of the country in international economy (anti austerity protests and live coverage of financial markets evolution / South protests with secondary and superficial coverage)Repression without physical violence----------Internaitonal mass surveillance industry

25Conclusions

Protests are rising worldwide, and take various forms in various regions, in both type of demand and methods of protest, from large riots in the poorest countries that do not find other ways to voice their demands, to the demand for larger freedom of speech in China and the overwhelming worldwide demand for further real democracy, a common denominator can be found in the need for better living conditions, showing up in more of half of protests, captured by demands related to economic justice and against austerity.26