The Mechanism of Revolution and Democracy - Spaniards Take Mass, Sustained Action Against Austerity Measures

Emerging from the tremendous pressure of austerity measures, the Spanish people, for three consecutive days (now into a fourth day - 18/05/11) have held enormous, sustained protests in hundreds of towns and cities around the Spain. Reports from grassroots activists claim that none of this information is being reported in the mainstream media, leading to speculation that the impact of these actions, if presented to the masses, would spread like a firestorm across Spain and the European Continent. The anti-capitalist movement, designating themselves as the '15-M Movement' have succeeded in large-scale mobilization of the masses.

The demonstrators are calling for the large-scale creation of jobs to counter the rise in unemployment, which has recently spiralled to 20.7% unemployment, in addition to this, demonstrators are calling for 'economic equality' i.e. the redistribution of wealth, and for powerful regulations to be imposed on private-sector industries and finally, above all, what they deem to be the most important - the masses are demanding 'Real Democracy'.

Activists are quoted as saying ''The movement that began last Sunday with mass demonstrations in over 50 cities throughout Spain to protest the economic and political crisis does not stop''. 

In other news, 14 out of 18 political activists who were arrested on Sunday have been released without charge, leading to many Spanish people to accuse of the police of 'disorderly conduct' and 'assault of authority'. The four others are children who remain in custody, with the authorities still unable to find the location of their parents.

To make a personal comment on this whole issue, I would say that Mao Tse Tung once wrote, in his work of 'Practice and Contradiction' that there are contradictory forces at play, in this context, austerity is one driving force, and the fury of the masses is the opposing force, therefore, as governments across Europe and the world, drive harder with austerity measures to combat financial deficits, the more people they will force onto the street to oppose them. The situation is Spain at the moment is very interesting, I am very curious to see what will come of it, I believe activists here in the UK would do well to adopt the methods of the Spanish people when combating austerity measures at home. The events that are unfolding in Spain are merely a example of what is to come, throughout Europe, in response to austerity measures which are being imposed in dozens of EU states. Dissident unrest throughout the continent continues to gain momentum as governments launch further attacks on welfare states and workers rights and conditions in their austerity programmes. 


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