The Moral and Economic Implications of the Occupy Wall Street Movement - Research Paper Example

The Moral and Economic Implications of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Movement The Occupy Wall Street Movement that occurred in 2011 in the United States of America raised several questions about the ways in which the world is organized today. The manner in which the economies of the world function is unacceptable to many. This, however, is not just a question about the economics of a nation or the world but also that of the morals surrounding the issue. This paper shall seek to argue that the movement was an attack against extreme forms of capitalism that marginalize the poor and concentrate the wealth of the world in the hands of a select few. It raised questions about the humanity of the people at the helm of affairs and also questioned the political will of the nation’s system of governance whereby the sincerity of the nation’s political establishment in creating a certain amount of parity within the population is rendered suspect. There are other aspects of this movement and the government’s response that need to be looked into. Apart from not offering any tax sops to the common man and talks of doing away with tax-cuts that were offered during the Bush-era, the government had fuelled the anger of the common man. The brutalities that were carried out upon the protestors by the police came out in the open only due to the work of independent cameramen who were not associated with any news agency. The incidents that occurred during the movement thus bring to light the role of the media as well in the success or failure of such movements. The movement is described by itself as being the result of a series of movements that supports democracy. These, the movement claims, includes the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt where the common man protested against the marginalization of a majority of the population for the purpose of the welfare of the minority that constituted the ruling elite (Occupy Wall Street : The Revolution Continues Worldwide, n.d.). Having this as a moral backing definitely provides a cushion for the movement in terms of the support that it would be able to gather at an international level. There is thus an element of diplomatic support that the supporters of the movement expected to get through their efforts for an equitable society in which everybody would be provided with equal opportunities. In the absence of this, people would live lives whereby their work would be used for the benefit of others and not themselves. Apart from the moral degeneracy of this position, there is also the fact of its unsustainability from an economic point of view that needs to be looked into. The creativity that is necessary for a happy nation and society and a robust economy would be lacking in case the demands that were raised by the movement are ignored. The brutalities that were practised for the quelling of the revolution also point to the development of a state which brooks no dissent, thus stunting the intellectual growth of the nation and also constructive thought that may lead to a better way of managing the economy. If one looks at these problems from a utilitarian perspective, one would feel that the movement and the rationale behind it need to be lauded. The principle that the movement fought for, a good life for the majority of the citizens of the country, is similar to what the Utilitarian philosophers of the Victorian age proposed. They sought a political system that would make the majority of the people within a society happy. This would be possible in an equitable society where people receive equal opportunities to make their lives better. The movement thus almost seems to be driven by a utilitarian philosophy which would lead to the happiness of the masses and not just the ruling elite. This points to a sad situation where there is a great disjunction between the two. If the issue is analysed from a Kantian point of view, then it would lead to the assessment of the moral duty that a citizen has towards his nation. It also leads one to look at the moral implications that the position of the state has. Kantian ethics require man to act not out of a desire for one’s own welfare but out of a sense of what constitutes one’s duty towards others (Johnson, 2008). This would be an untenable position if the majority of the citizens of a country are to perform actions that they are made to believe are their duties. The economically unviable position of poor people working for the growth of a nation also becomes a part of the question that is being discussed. The dissatisfaction of the worker in this case is likely to lead to a position where he or she is unable to perform actions that are considered to be their moral duties, especially when the ruling classes abdicate their sense of moral duty. Kant’s ideas of moral duty work in a society that is almost utopian, where everybody seeks to perform their duties together. According to Virtue Ethics, people are expected to act in a virtuous manner irrespective of the result of their actions or whether it is in accordance with a particular code of duty (Athanassoulis, 2010). When looked at through the lens of this philosophy, the actions of the people who were part of the Occupy Wall Street movement appear to be the right course of action to have taken. To stand up against powers that refuse to look at the weaknesses of the system and rectify them, to suffer as a consequence is a sign of character that is what Virtue Ethics exhorts its followers to cultivate. The factors that are responsible for the inequalities that exist in the American economy are many. The capitalist framework that intensified its support for the larger firms in the market by offering them tax cuts while retaining the tax rates for smaller investors and individuals is one of these. This resulted in a deep sense of frustration and betrayal for the masses of America. The money that was pumped into the economy for the sustenance of large companies despite the loss of jobs that occurred due to their mismanagement may also be considered to be one of the reasons for the inequalities within the American economy. Apart from these reasons, the outsourcing of many jobs that were done by middle class and lower middle class Americans led to the increase in poverty for these classes. The owners of the companies, however, profited from these moves and the inequalities in the society widened. This gradual process was quickened by the Recession. The movement, despite its good intentions, was disorganized and did not come up with blueprints for future actions. The creation of such a blueprint, whereby more jobs are created, could be one of the benefits that are at present being given to large firms. The tax cuts that are given to them can be diverted to the common people who may need it more. Another outcome may be the encouragement of smaller firms that can then contribute to the creation of more jobs and a better standard of living for more people within the society. This would also set the ball rolling for the creation of wealth in the society. These outcomes would be suitable for the American capitalist society since it aims at the creation of more capital through individual entrepreneurial skills. This is one of the most important methods of the development of capitalist economies. The future of this movement is now under the scanner. With the state using all of its power to restrict its expansion and cow down the protestors, it is clear that the movement for now shall fade away. The lack of an organized leadership that can create a movement and lead negotiations has led to the scattering of the powerful emotions that the people felt during it. As a consequence of this, the movement deteriorated into violence and other mindless actions on the part of the protestors, something that gave the government leeway to portray the movement as a violent outburst on the part of a few individuals. This led to many people from the middle classes staying away from the movement. The anger of the people was thus diverted. It has not, however, been made to disappear. Without an organized leadership, however, the movement is likely to appear sporadically, in the future and peter out in the way that it has. With an effective leadership and proper support from the people of the nation, such a movement can, in the future, lead to changes in the ways in which the economy is managed. The poor and the middle classes, who constitute the bulk of the population of the United States of America, shall be able to live a life of greater dignity and luxury if the changes thus recommended are dealt with in s serious manner by a non-violent movement. References Athanassoulis, Nafsika. (2010). Virtue Ethics. From Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online. Retrieved 28th July, 2012, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/virtue/ Johnson, Robert. (2008). Kant’s Moral Philosophy. From Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Online. Retrieved 28th July, 2012, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/ Occupy Wall Street (The revolution continues worldwide). (n.d.). Retrieved 28th July, 2012, from http://occupywallst.org/about/ Read More