The Occupy Wall Street protest that started in New York in September has spread rapidly throughout the United States and may continue to spread, perhaps even to Japan. The movement has interacted, in a virtual way at least, with the Arab Spring movement in the Middle East as well as with the "indignado" ("indignant") movement in Spain and other parts of Europe. Around the world, people are taking to the streets to express their frustration and anger over political and financial systems that no longer work for the majority.
The Occupy Wall Street movement has not yet delivered a specific manifesto or list of demands. That may prove to be its strength as the protests continue to expand and diversify. The protests tap into a deep well of anger over economic malfeasance that has wiped out jobs, home ownership and a decent standard of living. This much is clear: The protesters are fed up with the status quo and want reform of political and financial systems. So far, the protests have remained neutral, friendly and most important of all, non-violent.
Most of the protests have yet to use the word "corruption," but when the mechanisms of transparency, adherence to laws and regulations, and punishments for lawbreaking can be routinely avoided, it would be hard to find a better word. The word "corruption" has been reserved in recent years for problems in developing countries. Yet, the American bank bailouts, which have so incensed protesters, can be understood as a diversion of public funds to the wealthiest members of society with little to show for it in return. A problem by any other name is just as bitter.