Wall Street Protest by Occupy America

Introduction

During September 2011, the Occupy Wall Street protest started against the economic inequality and corporate greed which has shaken the pillar of American Capitalism. Around 70 major cities of America and 600 communities have joined the protest because the economic inequality has created unrest, not only on the national level, but, on the global level. The lives of every person are affected due to the imbalance in the economic system. The slogan for the protest was “Occupy Wall Street”.

Issues Raised By Occupy Wall Street Protest

Occupy Wall Street Protest the started in the mid of September. The apparent reason for the start of the protest is the economic, social and political issues. Although the agendas of different protestors are different, but, the few issues raised by protestors are as follows:

Financial Crises

According to some of the protestors and the placards which they were carrying, the bankers were not severely punished, although they were the main reason behind the collapse of the economy. In my opinion, the financial crisis is a serious issue, but, the mess created by the crisis cannot be corrected with these protests. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 has affected the economies of many nations of the world and the governments of these countries have designed several reforms, policies and strategies to minimize the after effects of the disastrous financial crises. However, it is not a piece of cake. The world has seen the peak of economic progress during capitalism, and now it is time to see the lows of capitalism. The damage caused by capitalism cannot be corrected in few days.

Income Gap

The raising income gap between the rich and the poor is a serious issue of concern. The economic and financial crisis has adversely affected the consumption patterns of American population. The lives of American citizens are adversely affected. The rich is getting richer, and the poor is getting poorer. According to my analysis, the raising income gap is the most important issue that needs urgent attention. It is the working class which is working day and night striving for a decent standard of living. However, it is the elite class and entrepreneurs who are getting the fruits of their hard work and sacrifices (Associated Press, 2011). Moreover, the work timings are getting longer. The pay raises, old age benefits and wage rate have declined. To make thing worse, despite doing the hard work, the jobs are not secure, and the unemployment rate is continuously inclining.

Corporate Greed

Human wants are unlimited. The corporate greed of entrepreneurs and elite class has increased, due to capitalism. Everyone is running after the money. People want to earn more and more money within the shortest frame of time. The increased emphasis on the short term and the long term profits, has suppressed the middle and the lower class. Workers are exploited. They are working day and night to meet their ends; and the result of their hard work is the reduced benefits and unemployment. However, the ...