Protests & Unrest

Protests & Unrest Rising

Between 2000-2020 global protest events doubled with participation climbing 1000%. What are people so angry about? Listen or scroll for more on:

  • The Anger is Growing
  •  What is Driving all this Anger?
  • We all Agree Things are Bad
  • Consensus Mechanisms are Broken
  • Optimal Humanity

The Anger is Growing

Political protests are growing. For the first 20 years of the 21st century, protests doubled in frequency and the number of participants grew 10 fold from the averages from 1950-2000. In 2019 alone, protests grew almost 12%, and that was before lockdowns and mass unemployment associated with the pandemic.

The Anger is Growing

Political protests are growing. For the first 20 years of the 21st century, protests doubled in frequency and the number of participants grew 10 fold from the averages from 1950-2000. In 2019 alone, protests grew almost 12%, and that was before lockdowns and mass unemployment associated with the pandemic.

What is Driving all this Anger?

Inequality, rapid changes to employment and economic uncertainty are at the heart of protests looking for political change. Some people want things to go back to the way they were in the past, because they feel those traditional ways were more stable. Others want us to embrace change and create new policy that recognizes the new normal. 

We all Agree Things are Bad

Despite political differences, people can generally agree things are getting worse. This was the case well before the pandemic hit our economies. “Something is going on. From Baghdad to Hong Kong, Santiago to Barcelona, sites around the world have seen major protests over recent weeks” – Washington Post, “Global protests share themes of economic anger and political hopelessness”, October 2019

We all Agree Things are Bad

Despite political differences, people can generally agree things are getting worse. This was the case well before the pandemic hit our economies. “Something is going on. From Baghdad to Hong Kong, Santiago to Barcelona, sites around the world have seen major protests over recent weeks” – Washington Post, “Global protests share themes of economic anger and political hopelessness”, October 2019

Consensus Mechanisms are Broken

Agreeing on the way to move forward is made more difficult today by representative governments where lobbying groups and financial interests dictate policy. We need consensus mechanisms that transcend political fundraising. Taiwan has been trialing digital consensus and policy making through v-Taiwan and it has shown some success. Maybe we can use social media for consensus instead of division?

Optimal Humanity

The key lesson of the 21st century will be that divided humanity will increasingly fail to solve the biggest problems we face, namely climate change, the impact of artificial intelligence on work and employment, and global crises like rolling pandemics. Humanity’s optimal strategy is to work together. To turn the mechanisms of capitalism and competition into a force for moving humanity forward together.

Optimal Humanity

The key lesson of the 21st century will be that divided humanity will increasingly fail to solve the biggest problems we face, namely climate change, the impact of artificial intelligence on work and employment, and global crises like rolling pandemics. Humanity’s optimal strategy is to work together. To turn the mechanisms of capitalism and competition into a force for moving humanity forward together.

#6 Key Point on Protests

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