Efforts needed to prevent 'Occupy Wall Street' demonstrations from splitting U.S. society
(Mainichi Japan) October 5, 2011
Intensifying anti-Wall Street demonstrations, which started in New York, are threatening to split U.S. society.
About 700 protesters were arrested on Oct. 1 and the demonstrations, which are now in their third week, have spread to Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities in the country.
One cannot help but wonder what participants in the demonstrations titled, "Occupy Wall Street," are pursuing as they are not led by a charismatic leader and demands vary from person to person. It still remains to be seen if the movement will develop into a major political force that will confront conservatives who have organized the so-called tea-party movement. Still, close attention should be paid to the development because it could influence the U.S. presidential race next year and the U.S. government's foreign policy.
The protests appeared to have spread through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and rapidly gained support mainly from the younger generations.
As the campaign's title shows, the demonstrators' anger is directed at executives of financial institutions. Many U.S. citizens still feel that their livelihoods have not improved although three years have passed since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which triggered the financial crisis, as is shown by the unemployment rates that remain at the 9 percent level. Bank executives, who sowed the seeds of the crisis, continue to keep their wealth without being seriously penalized.
U.S. Congress, in which conservatives have increased their influence, is leaning toward giving preferential treatment to the rich and major businesses and cutting social welfare spending. The administration of President Barack Obama has failed to find an effective solution to his country's economic problems. Such a situation is apparently amplifying people's anger.
Participants in the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrations are not only poor or unemployed people who are dissatisfied with the current economic situation. The demonstrations occasionally become festive as some participants carry out street performances. It is inappropriate to fear that the demonstrations are posing a threat to U.S. society because lawful protests are widely accepted in a free society.
However, if the tea-party movement and the anti-Wall Street demonstrations mark the beginning of a split in U.S. society, it would pose serious risks to the country and close attention should be paid to their future development. If confrontations intensify and it becomes difficult to solve problems though dialogue, the possibility cannot be ruled out that it could trigger social unrest.
Those outside the United States, including those in Japan, are particularly concerned that the U.S. may become increasingly inward-looking and lean toward protectionism.
The U.S. Senate has decided to begin deliberating on a bill targeting anti-China sanctions with the country's manipulation of the yuan in mind. Ruling and opposition parties in the U.S. tend to join hands in condemning China. Caution is needed if both leftists and rightists in the United States work together to build China's image as "a country that deprives Americans of job opportunities by manipulating exchange rates" and making China into a common enemy.
If the United States imposes sanctions on China, Beijing will retaliate by imposing fresh sanctions on Washington, increasing tensions in U.S.-China relations and possibly triggering protectionism on a global scale.
Nobody benefits from splits in society or over politics. Both the Obama administration and Congress should overcome economic challenges in the U.S. through dialogue and explanations to the public.
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