chapter 12: hard times, protest, identity, and depression
I wanted to connect chapter 12 with chapter 6 and how the two go hand-in-hand. One of the major themes in Chapter 12 is that economic issues create political resistance/reforms. During the times of depression and lack of stability, people began questioning governments, the systems, and any social inequalities. Protest movements don’t happen randomly they happen when people feel ignored, exploited, or unable to survive under their conditions. What makes this topic feel relevant, especially in today’s time, is how similar these patterns still are today. Across the world, economic struggles continue to fuel strikes and social movements. Just last week a strike began here in New York City, where workers of the LIRR system are not doing their jobs because of lack of pay. Apparently their pay rate has been the same since 2022 and with inflation going on and everything being overly expensive they got fed up and decided to start a strike and fight back against the system that doesn’t care for them. The company makes billions every year yet can’t afford to up the pay rate. This is what they’re fighting for. Whether in Africa or elsewhere, hard times force people to reconsider identity, belonging, speaking up and using their voice,and power. Reading this chapter showed me that protest is not only political; it is also something that isemotional and personal because survival itself becomes political during crises.