By Shamus Cooke Sometimes reading a Chris Hedges’ article is like drinking a fine glass of wine: one that spills midway and ends in a nasty stain. In a recent article on Canada’s emerging social movement, Hedges hits the mark and inspires as he diagnoses the science of social movements, explaining how the Canadian protest movement…
by Shamus Cooke If one were to honestly assess Occupy’s current strengths and weaknesses as a movement, confusion must be the inevitable result. This is because Occupy is not one movement, but an umbrella term that encompasses several different groups that have varied aims, organizational structures, and gaping theoretical differences. Occupy may not be dead,…
by Shamus Cooke In a country where the embers of revolution are still glowing, you would assume that a presidential election would produce a revolutionary-appearing government. Not so in Egypt. The revolutionaries who toppled the hated dictator Mubarak will have zero representation in the upcoming runoff election for president. Those who opposed the revolution, however,…
by Shamus Cooke The recent JPMorgan scandal where billions of dollars were lost in risky bets has re-ignited the move to properly regulate the U.S. banking system. Among those asking for new regulations is Robert Reich, former labor secretary to Bill Clinton. Recently Reich made a plea of sorts to President Obama, whom he wishes…
by Shamus Cooke After the last Greek elections rejected austerity and caused a global uproar, early polling indicates that the next Greek elections — scheduled for June 17 — will do the same, albeit with more fury. Greece’s situation is not an isolated event, but a bellwether for the industrial world and beyond. The fallout…
by Shamus Cooke After the Greek elections struck fear into the hearts of the global banksters, the fallout remains uncertain. If the next Greek election produces an anti-austerity government, Greece will almost certainly make a speedy exit from the Euro. If this happens — and it is looking increasingly inevitable — the consequences for the…
by Shamus Cooke On May 5th in Portland, Oregon, a group of eighty activists from a broad array of labor and community groups met to discuss the region’s ongoing budget crises. Instead of simply complaining of cuts however, the meeting was meant to discuss alternatives, both immediate and more structural. Groups that endorsed the event…
By Shamus Cooke How are government budgets created, and in whose interests? In Portland, Oregon, the city recently held the second and last of its public budget forums, where the community could offer feedback to help craft the city’s budget. Over two hundred people attended the Wednesday evening meeting at Cleveland High School, many more…
By Shamus Cooke The Occupy movement’s national day of action — “Shut Down the Corporations” — is a difficult action to assess. Was the action a success or a failure? The first question that needs to be answered is, what were the action’s goals? Many of the activists who performed civil disobedience during the day…
By Shamus Cooke A healthy debate has finally gripped the Occupy Movement: there is now a discussion over strategy. Most Occupiers have learned that raw enthusiasm alone cannot bring victory to a social movement; ideas matter too. Action divorced from strategy equals wasted energy, divisiveness, diversions and unnecessary mistakes. Not all tactics push the movement…
