The “Occupy Wall Street” Movement in Taipei
The “Occupy Wall Street” movement has caught the world’s attention as nearly one
thousand cities in more than eighty countries have answered the call to protest the
widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. The spark of “anti-capitalism”
protests has spread across the globe; likewise, hundreds of people joined in the
“Occupy Taipei 101” protest in Taipei. The frontlines of an anti-capitalism movement
have been connected around the world by netizens in a spontaneous fashion in just
half a month, the influence of which we should not underestimate.
Generally speaking, the mobilization strength of the “Occupy movement” in western
countries is far greater than in Asian countries. Tens of thousands of people in big
cities in Europe and the US have taken part in the movement. Riots have erupted in
Rome, Italy, owing to rampant corruption, but we have only seen hundreds of people
marching in the streets in various Asian cities. The number of people participating in
the protest to echo the “Occupy Wall Street” movement in Seoul, the capital of South
Korea, is unexpectedly even far smaller than that in Taipei. There are two reasons for
this. First, it is closely related to the levels of unemployment and the wealth gap in
various countries. The economic performance in Asia is, indeed, better than in Europe
and the US. Second, it can be attributed to the different levels of development and
exploitation in capitalism in various countries as the sense of urgency also plays an
important factor for people to decide whether or not they will take to the streets to
make their appeal heard.
Take the “Occupy Taipei 101” protest for instance. Up to 7,000 people have endorsed
the “Occupy Taipei 101” protest on Facebook. However, fewer than ten percent of
that number actually showed up in front of the Taipei 101 building.【Editor’s Note:
According to the Taipei City Police Department, the number of protestors is estimated
to be around 350 people.】Although the “anti-capitalist greed” movement is echoed
among the public, many of them don’t feel that it is necessary to take to the streets in
protest. Taipei 101 was targeted by protestors because it is the tallest building in
Taiwan. The protest has its symbolic meaning, but Taipei 101 is no Wall Street, a
stronghold of “evil capitalism”. Although the gap between the rich and the poor has
widened in Taiwan in recent years, it is a place where there are relatively less
conspicuous differences that mark the social classes in other countries.
In the “Occupy Taipei 101” protest, no protestors were mobilized by politicians.
Although this might affect the momentum of the protest, their appeals remain
uncontaminated. When protesters rushed into Taipei 101 for shelter from the rain,
they chanted protest slogans in front of boutiques. However, it is interesting to note
that the protestors were heckled by shoppers. This incident has offered people a lesson
on the true meaning of a demonstration in a democratic society.
In response to the protest, a Taipei 101 spokesperson has claimed that a lawsuit would
be filed against the protestors to demand compensation. We think this is making a
mountain out of a molehill. Although there were skirmishes between protestors and
security guards, the protest was mostly peaceful. If plutocrats still think of taking
further legal action against the protestors, aren’t they taking advantage of their own
power as capitalists to bully others as the protesters claim?