Occupy movement

Many people wanted things to be fair.

They felt that money was not shared well. Some people had a lot of wealth. Other people had very little.

Groups met in many big cities.

They lived in tents in parks. They used signs to talk. One sign said, "We are the 99%."

They used the internet to talk.

People met in large groups. They used hand signals to make choices. They wanted everyone to have a say.

This movement spread to many lands. It happened in many countries. People wanted to change how things worked. They wanted a better way to live.

The Occupy movement was a global protest. It started in September 2011. The first big protest was Occupy Wall Street. It took place in Zuccotti Park in New York City.

People joined the movement to fight inequality. They felt wealth was not shared fairly. A small group of people had most of the money. The rest of the people were the "99%."

Protesters lived in camps in many cities. They used tents in public parks. The movement spread to over 800 cities. It reached 82 different countries.

Groups used the internet to plan. They used social media to talk. They liked to use a special way to make choices. They used hand signals in large meetings.

Some people wanted new laws for banks. They wanted more jobs and fair pay. They also wanted to stop money from changing politics. By early 2012, most camps were closed by the police.

The Occupy movement was a huge global protest. It was a way for people to show they were unhappy. Many people felt that life was not fair for everyone. They wanted more social and economic justice for all. They also wanted better ways for people to participate in democracy. This movement focused on how money and power work in our world.

Protesters used several methods to make their voices heard. They set up camps in public parks using many tents. They used the internet and social media to talk to each other. People used sites like Facebook and Twitter to plan events. They also used special hand signals during large meetings. This helped them make decisions together using a consensus model.

This movement grew very quickly in the year 2011. It took inspiration from the Arab Spring and the Spanish Indignados. In mid-2011, a group called Adbusters suggested a peaceful protest. They wanted to talk about how big companies affect democracy. The first big protest was Occupy Wall Street in New York City. It started on 17 September 2011 in Zuccotti Park.

The movement spread to many different places very fast. By 9 October 2011, protests were in over 951 cities. These protests reached 82 different countries across the globe. In the United States, there were over 600 different communities involved. Many people used the famous slogan "We are the 99%". This phrase pointed out that a tiny group held most wealth.

People joined the movement to talk about money and fairness. They noticed that the top 1% of earners had much more money. Between 1979 and 2007, their income grew by 275%. Meanwhile, the middle class saw much smaller growth. Some protesters wanted new laws to control banks. Others wanted more jobs and better ways to use money in politics.

The Occupy movement was an international socio-political movement. It expressed opposition to social and economic inequality. It also protested a perceived lack of authentic democracy worldwide. The movement aimed to advance social and economic justice. It sought different forms of democracy for all people. Its primary concerns involved how large corporations and the global financial system operate. Protesters believed these systems disproportionately benefit a small minority. This concentration of power can undermine democracy and cause instability.

To organize, activists used various web technologies and social media. They used platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Meetup to coordinate. Some used IRC, which is a type of text-based chat. The movement relied heavily on participatory democracy. This means people participate directly in making decisions. Much of this work happened in small groups called working groups. Any protester could have a say in these groups. Important decisions were often made at large meetings called General Assemblies.

During these General Assemblies, protesters used a consensus model. This model seeks to reach an agreement that everyone can support. To help with this process, they used specific hand signals. These signals allowed people to communicate clearly during large discussions.

Some groups even used a model community bill of rights. This document suggested laws to elevate the rights of citizens over corporations. In December 2011, a group called Occupy Homes began helping people. They assisted homeowners facing foreclosure due to bank practices. They planned to occupy homes and block evictions to help these families.

The movement drew inspiration from several previous protests. It looked to the Arab Spring and the Spanish Indignados movement. The Indignados movement began in Spain in mid-May 2011. It featured camps in Madrid and hundreds of other locations. The movement also drew from the 2009 Iranian Green Movement. Earlier in 2010, students at the University of California occupied campus buildings. They were protesting budget cuts and tuition hikes following the 2008 Great Recession. These student protests used the phrase "Occupy everything."

A Canadian group called the Adbusters Media Foundation helped start the specific Occupy Wall Street concept. They wanted to protest corporate influence on democracy. They also wanted to address the lack of legal consequences from the 2008 financial crisis. Kalle Lasn registered the website OccupyWallStreet.org on 9 June 2011. The first major protest, Occupy Wall Street, began on 17 September 2011. It took place in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. This date was the tenth anniversary of Wall Street reopening after the 11 September 2001 attacks.

The movement spread with incredible speed across the globe. By 9 October 2011, protests were active in over 951 cities. These protests occurred in 82 different countries. In the United States alone, there were over 600 participating communities. While the movement was most active in the U.S., it reached every inhabited continent. For the first month, police repression was minimal. However, this changed on 25 October 2011, when police moved to remove Occupy Oakland. By February 2012, authorities had evicted most major camps, including sites in London and Washington, D.C.

A central part of the movement was the slogan "We are the 99%." This phrase highlighted the massive gap in wealth. Between 1979 and 2007, the income of the top 1% grew by 275%. During that same time, the middle 60% of Americans saw only 40% growth. In 2007, the richest 1% owned 34.6% of total U.S. wealth. The bottom 80% of the population owned only 15%. This illustrates the Pareto principle, where wealth is concentrated among a few.

Critics often argued that the movement lacked specific, clear demands. Some leaders argued this lack of demands actually helped the movement grow. Others, like Naomi Wolf, argued they did have clear goals. They wanted to end the corrupting effect of money on politics. Other specific goals included tightening banking regulations and banning high-frequency trading. Some protesters also wanted to arrest those responsible for the 2008 financial crash. Despite the debates, the movement had a significant impact. An official at the Bank of England noted that protesters persuaded leaders to behave more morally.