Global Awakenings

Oct. 5, 2023

The narrative of the past few decades globally has been of a democratic awakening.  It’s important to make the connection between Tahrir Square, Spain’s Indignados movement, Occupy Wall Street, and Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement.  What is at stake in all of them is the sanctity of democracy.  These are, by and large, democracy movements.  They encompass a wide range of issue advocacy, but central to all their activism is the ideal of a robust democracy that gives voice to the underprivileged and marginalized.  Economic issues are present along with their advocates, but the overall structure of the movements, their ideals and their strategies, have much more to do with broader social and political goals. 

In all cases the movement is toward broader civic participation, more inclusive societal structures, more compassionate government, and preserving the rights of peoples.  

This can be linked to the discontentment of the 20th century, in particular disillusionment with technocrats and faceless bureaucracy.  

These are student movements and human rights movements.  In Taiwan, in the U.S., even in other countries, these movements still have enormous cultural currency.  What has changed over time is the injection of these movements into the organized labor movement.  All over the world the effect of Occupy, the Sunflower Movement, or their local analogues has invigorated the labor movement, bringing with it more energetic and militant economic demands and forcing a reevaluation of global political economy. 

These demands have coalesced around information technology and green energy, just as the student movements did, causing revolutions in consciousness.  I would argue we would not be so aware of the issues surrounding silicon chips if not for this revitalized movement for 21st century labor.  Nor would we be hearing nascent conversations about the rare earth metals extraction for computer parts and batteries if not for the student movement consciousness entering the labor paradigm.  We would certainly not be seeing so many strikes and labor actions if the labor movement wasn’t feeling ready for them due to the influx of young student activists.  

We are in the midst of a great labor awakening everywhere where there were successful student movements in the early 21st century.  What had seemed to be impossible before is now on the agenda of an active labor movement. The WGA succeeded in reigning in some of the abuses of Big Tech.  The UAW is striving for a just transition to green energy vehicles.  What seemed beyond our reach is now in the realm of the possible.  Whatever happens on the front lines of the labor struggle will define what rights we can claw back from the faceless institutions. 

We live in an era of mass surveillance.  Will that situation improve?  We live in an oligopoly of global wealth and power.  Will the people seize that power back from the brink of global peonage?  All seems possible as long as workers stand united against corporate greed.  

We live in a new Gilded Age.  But we should not forget that the last Gilded Age, of the late 1800’s, was followed by a Progressive Age of social reform, trust-busting, labor militancy, and the leveling of society on a massive scale.  That could be the future and not just a history lesson.  When workers seize the levers of power that shake society to its very roots, they create real, socially responsible change.  Thanks to the student movements, we now know that we live in a global society.  But now we can also see that just like the Progressive reformers of the last century changed their societies for the better, this new global movement of adults can change this enormously unequal global society for the better, ushering in a new era of peace, plenty, and equality for all peoples of the globe.