Occupy london - Essay Example

OCCUPY LONDON Occupy London refers to the protests and demonstrations that were ongoing in the UK in protest of the vices and ill effects of corporate capitalism. Protestors were protesting that capitalism has brought about economic imbalance and inequality among people, and as a result of this, countermeasures should be put in place. Another cause for their protests was that, capitalism has brought about financial greed, social injustice and a lack of affordable housing among citizens of the UK.

These protests started around 15th October of 2011 and they were in tandem with Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, USA that were also protesting against corporate capitalism. The protesters were very serious about the issue to the point of pitching camps in London. One of these camps was located in Finsbury Square and the other just outside St Paul’s Cathedral. On 16th October, the protesters issued a statement highlighting 9 principal points that they wanted addressed. Similar protests were planned in various venues around the world in the hope that these complaints would be addressed on a global scale.

Various economic analysts, pundits, critics and neutral voices have voiced their concerns about the protests. Some have been objective and some have been subjective. Various articles in UK newspapers also covered this issue extensively, ranging from the Telegraph to the Guardian. Articles in the Telegraph newspaper have been majorly subjective on the issue. This paper analyses Brendan O’Neill’s article on the Telegraph concerning the Occupy London protests. O’Neill’s article on the Telegraph dated October 26th 2011; The Warped Class War Taking Place at Occupy London, gives his opinion about the Occupy London protests in a subjective manner by lambasting the actions of the protestors.

O’Neill asserts that he had visited the Occupy London protesters who were camped outside St Paul’s cathedral three times, and in each of those times he was baffled by their actions. He criticizes the protesters by claiming that, as much as they claim to be standing for the rights of the oppressed common man, they are not honest since a vast majority of them are from the middle and upper echelons in society. Many of the protesters who had camped outside the St Paul’s Cathedral are working class men and women according to the author of the article, hence, their protests against evil banks beats logic.

O’Neill has further criticized the protestors by claiming that the Occupy London protests are paradoxical; working class men complaining bitterly about the evils of corporate capitalism and evil banks, while at the same time these men are an ambitious lot that hopes to climb up the social ladder by earning millions from jobs that have been created as a result of corporate capitalism. O’Neill finds this ironical because it is illogical for people to criticize capitalism while at the same time it is capitalism that feeds and supports them.

O’Neill further asserts that the protests are not a voice of all working class people, but they are simply complains by a few ambitious men and women in the corporate world. Therefore, according to the article, the author asserts that the protests are a form of middle class spite and not the anger of every working class person in the UK. References O’Neill, B. If occupy London is such a radical revolt, why is it making the ruling classes smile rather than tremble? The Telegraph . 10 November ,2011 Steve, D.

Occupy protests: activists deliver charter of grievances. The Telegraph . 18 October ,2011 Lillian, K, ‘Occupy protests: Campaigners greet return of city workers. The Telegraph .17 October 2011.