Spanish Revolution

Da Shins Kelly

That's what they're calling it. I'm in Madrid at the moment, and there's a great movement on the go since the beginning of the week called Democracia Real Ya. It's basically a protest movement against the government and current two-party system, and people being fed up with high unemplyoment, cuts and the banks. There's an incredible atmosphere here in Madrid, and it really feels as though something important is happening.

Do you think this could serve as inspiration to others? (I don't know if this news has reached other countries yet.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13481592

sonic85

wont be an inspiration to anybody in ireland anyway - all me feiners here

OutlawPete

No one expects a Spanish revolution.

losthorizon

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

That's what they're calling it. I'm in Madrid at the moment, and there's a great movement on the go since the beginning of the week called Democracia Real Ya. It's basically a protest movement against the government and current two-party system, and people being fed up with high unemplyoment, cuts and the banks. There's an incredible atmosphere here in Madrid, and it really feels as though something important is happening.

Do you think this could serve as inspiration to others? (I don't know if this news has reached other countries yet.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13481592

Ive been following it all week. In most places you can only vote for one of two parties and usually there is some sort of corruption involved. Whats most shocking though is youth unemplyment - about 45 %. Although I thought the protests were ending tonight?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlhxdAAH9uo

Johro

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

That's what they're calling it. I'm in Madrid at the moment, and there's a great movement on the go since the beginning of the week called Democracia Real Ya. It's basically a protest movement against the government and current two-party system, and people being fed up with high unemplyoment, cuts and the banks. There's an incredible atmosphere here in Madrid, and it really feels as though something important is happening.

Do you think this could serve as inspiration to others? (I don't know if this news has reached other countries yet.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13481592

Yeah, I heard something like 4.5 million people unemployed, 45% of the youth. Don't know what has to happen here before something similar might happen. Maybe if the government orders the killing of all first-born sons or something.. We might see a sizable protest.

Da Shins Kelly

losthorizon wrote: »

Ive been following it all week. In most places you can only vote for one of two parties and usually there is some sort of corruption involved. Whats most shocking though is youth unemplyment - about 45 %. Although I thought the protests were ending tonight?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlhxdAAH9uo

Heard that the government are imposing a ban on all rallies and protests until the elections are over tomorrow. It's ridiculous, but when I was in Sol this evening there were easily 20,000 people there. I don't know how they plan on clearing everyone out.

Da Shins Kelly

Apparently there was a gathering today in Dublin at the GPO? A video was just posted on the Democracia Real YA Facebook page of protesters down there.

ScumLord

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

It's basically a protest movement against the government and current two-party system, and people being fed up with high unemplyoment, cuts and the banks.

I cut my thumb and it's been bugging me all day, I hate cuts too!

holystungun9

ScumLord wrote: »

I cut my thumb and it's been bugging me all day, I hate cuts too!

You haven't heard about the mandatory circumcisions in September then? You are going to be p1ssed.

UpTheSlashers

Ya cos the last Spanish revolution turned out so well...

Da Shins Kelly

UpTheSlashers wrote: »

Ya cos the last Spanish revolution turned out so well...

So cynical, you are. At least they're doing something, unlike the rest of us who seem to adopt this 'ah sure, what difference is it gonna make?' attitude. At least someone's being proactive, instead of complaining till kingdom come but doing nothing.

OutlawPete

Highest unemployment rate in the EU?

What do they expect when they went from having 500,000 foreign nationals in 1996 to the current level of around 5.2 million.

Liberal ideology, be the death of us all.

Eve_Dublin

I live in Spain and have been out protesting both nights. Fantastic atmosphere and I'm delighted for them. I was despairing of them for a long time and thought they had the same "put up and shut up" atttitude we have at home. Everything was so peaceful. No trouble whatsoever and didn't turn into a big outdoor drinking session on the streets, which the Spanish are mad for.

The problem though as I see it is most people there last night would've traditionally voted the PSOE (the "Socialist" party in power right now) and now they feel they can't even trust them because of corruption and being let down during the crisis (I believe they took too much of the wrap for a world crisis and a collapse of a property bubble that was created by the PP). However, the other party, the PP are an extreme right wing party supported by moderate conservatives to Francoists...it's been labelled as one of the more extreme Right-Wing parties in Europe but none of their supporters would have been protesting in the past few days meaning that the Right-Wingers, unlike those there last night (who will probably spoil their ballot out of protest and vote for neither party) will go out and vote for their party today in the local elections and again next year i the general elections. PP will be the ruling party of Spain by the end of 2012 and Spain will follow a worrying pattern in European politics towards the extreme Right. I don't think the Spanish have much of a choice in their politics and I applaud their protest but I really believe it's a case of voting for the best of two evils (the PSOE) at this stage and then working on creating a more democratic process for the following elections. This is going to be more difficult to achieve with a Right-wing party in power.

Still, respect to the Spanish. I honestly didn't believe they had it in them and seemed to have as much of the "Ah what can you do!" attitude as we had. Viva Espana! I'm moving country next year if the PP do get in though.

m@cc@

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

That's what they're calling it. I'm in Madrid at the moment, and there's a great movement on the go since the beginning of the week called Democracia Real Ya. It's basically a protest movement against the government and current two-party system, and people being fed up with high unemplyoment, cuts and the banks. There's an incredible atmosphere here in Madrid, and it really feels as though something important is happening.

Do you think this could serve as inspiration to others? (I don't know if this news has reached other countries yet.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13481592

You should only protest against the current circumstances if you can also provide an alternative. I've seen no evidence of that, Spain is in the mire no matter who's in charge.

ebixa82

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

That's what they're calling it. I'm in Madrid at the moment, and there's a great movement on the go since the beginning of the week called Democracia Real Ya. It's basically a protest movement against the government and current two-party system, and people being fed up with high unemplyoment, cuts and the banks. There's an incredible atmosphere here in Madrid, and it really feels as though something important is happening.

Do you think this could serve as inspiration to others? (I don't know if this news has reached other countries yet.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13481592

Yep. Hopefully the people of Libya, Syria and Egypt will see this and be inspired..although I doubt it somehow..

lcrcboy

fair play to them it wouldn't happen in Ireland

OutlawPete

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I'm moving country next year if the PP do get in though.

Why? The country is a mess now and the PP had nothing to do with it.

Seems to me, that people would rather a mess was made of their countries by liberals, than give a party a chance that has any kind of socialist leanings

Most infuriating when it's the opinion held by students wearing Che Guevara t-shirts.

Eve_Dublin

OutlawPete wrote: »

Why? The country is a mess now and the PP had nothing to do with it.

Seems to me, that people would rather a mess was made of their countries by liberals, than give a party a chance that has any kind of socialist leanings

Most infuriating when it's the opinion held by students wearing Che Guevara t-shirts.

PP had nothing to do with it? You're wrong. Sorry.

And the reason I'm leaving is not because they're to blame for the crisis, it's because most of what they believe is polar opposite to my own ideology. It's depressing enough they govern the city I live in without it being the whole country.

Not getting into a debate about what I beleive V what you believe. It's different. Accept that.

OutlawPete

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

PP had nothing to do with it? You're wrong. Sorry.

Apologies, I thought you were referring to a party who was not in power, in the same vain as people speak of most right wing parties.

Eve_Dublin

OutlawPete wrote: »

Most infuriating when it's the opinion held by students wearing Che Guevara t-shirts.

Were you there last night?? I was there for the past 3 days and didn't see one Che Guevara t-shirt. Not one. Stop making up stuff.

Eve_Dublin

OutlawPete wrote: »

Apologies, I thought you were referring to a party who was not in power, in the same vain as people speak of most right wing parties.

So, you blame them alone for the current mess, is that why you would leave?

Again...no. This is not the reason I would leave.

Eve_Dublin

OutlawPete wrote: »

Apologies, I thought you were referring to a party who was not in power, in the same vain as people speak of most right wing parties.

Enough with the snappy tone. No need for it.

OutlawPete

Eve_Dublin

???

theboss80

Will the revolution be televised?

Eve_Dublin

Anyway.

The protest was peaceful and everyone was respectful, mindful of each other, positive and friendly. Very little reactionary hyperbolic nonsense from either the left or right (it was there though but it was a tiny minority)...just a very large bunch of people who were very annoyed with their political system when they've only two very corrupt parties in charge. No drinking, no smoking joints (and they made it very clear that this was a revolution not a botellon..a Spanish word for an outdoor knackers drinking session and they had to be taken seriously) No Che Guervara t-shirts and it wasn't just a bunch of crusties with dogs on strings although all of the Right-Wing media I read here unfairly portrayed it that way when it really, really wasn't at all. There were families made up of young and old members and a LOT of very annoyed, disillusioned young people who don't see a future for themselves. It was fantastic. They want a party in power who will look out for the interests of the people they're serving on not just their own personal business interests.

And by the way, I never said the PP were solely responsible they were most definitely partly responsible for the collapse in the construction sector with their law liberalising land in 1998 but their campaign gives the impression they had nothing whatsoever to do with it. Total propaganda.

Eve_Dublin

I'm talking to myself again, aren't I?:cool:

fontanalis

So who are the Spanish blaming for their voting records?

starbelgrade

Spain has high unemployment - especially among young people - for years now. They've also had a system of temporary contracts in place for over 20 years that prevents a lot of people from ever having a long term contract.

So, in that sense, it's probably high time that the "youth" got off their arses & started making some noise about it.

It's hardly a revolution though. Spain is a massive country & a few thousand people protesting in a capital city which is geographically isolated from almost the entire population of the rest of the country is basically a drop in the ocean.

losthorizon

starbelgrade wrote: »

It's hardly a revolution though. Spain is a massive country & a few thousand people protesting in a capital city which is geographically isolated from almost the entire population of the rest of the country is basically a drop in the ocean.

I think there have been protests in about 20 spainish towns and cities and not just madrid

starbelgrade

losthorizon wrote: »

I think there have been protests in about 20 spainish towns and cities and not just madrid

According to the Democracia Real Ya website, 130,000 people were involved in the protests around the country. If those figures can be believed, that's still a miniscule number in relation to the total population.

I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to call it a "revolution" is just ridiculous.

My name is URL

The revolution in Egypt began with one guy on Facebook. I'd say this thing in Spain has legs

Da Shins Kelly

Zapatero has paid attention though. It's difficult to ignore. When you go right into the centre of Madrid, into Sol, it's almost impossible to move with the amount of people. And it's been 100% peaceful, which alone is praiseworthy. It's difficult enough to get thousands of people to gather in one place, but to also be able to avoid it becoming a big p*ss up is pretty great.