From Salon · Andrew O'Hehir · · 1m 50s
Why young people are angry
Youth protests across Europe and India reveal deepening crisis in democracy.
In brief
Youth protests across Europe and India reveal deepening crisis in democracy. Young people protest underfunded schools, rising costs and political failures in democracies. Originally reported by Salon.
Youth protests spread
Student protests began in Paris suburbs about a month ago and spread to six or seven countries.
No single cause
Protests in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Albania, Serbia and other countries have distinct local triggers.
Cost of living crisis
Spain and Portugal protests reflect years of discontent over soaring living costs and housing shortages.
Greece's protest focus
Greece's protests initially targeted workplace safety and public sector wages.
Albania and Serbia
Albania and Serbia protests focus on government corruption before French protests gained attention.
India's movement
India's Cockroach Janta Party launched as a social media experiment and became a mass movement.
No global event
No dramatic world event has triggered these protests across relatively prosperous democracies.
Existential outrage
Protesters feel anger about underfunded schools, crumbling infrastructure, soaring rents and global crises.
Educated generation
Protesters are highly literate and globally connected, seeing systemic economic failures and inequality.
Racist narratives
Trump and others blame immigrants for protests, despite protests being largely white and unmasked.
Economist's view
Economist states protests are not about race or religion but cost of living and poor public services.
Centrist failure
Centrist governments have failed to address economic issues, leading to public disillusionment.
Liberal democracy crisis
Liberal democracy faces systemic failure as centrist politics have visibly collapsed across Western democracies.
Historical context
Real wages declined since 1970s, social services cut, and immigration became necessary due to aging population.
What comes next
Students show dark passages ahead with enormous changes coming but no clear path forward.
Here's the gist
Young people protest underfunded schools, rising costs and political failures in democracies.
