anti-austerity movement in Portugal
{{Short description|Political movement}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = Anti-austerity movement in Portugal
| partof = the European sovereign debt crisis
| image = "Geração à Rasca" Banner.jpg
| caption = Top of the demonstration in Lisbon
| date = 12 March 2011 – 15 October 2011
| place = Portugal
| coordinates =
| causes = Austerity
| goals =
| methods = Demonstrations, occupations, rioting
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{{Anti-austerity movement in the European Union}}
The 12 March Movement ({{langx|pt|Movimento 12 de Março}}) or the Geração à Rasca ({{IPA|pt|ʒɛɾɐˈsɐ̃w a ˈʁaʃkɐ|lang}}, "struggling generation") protest took place in more than 10 cities of Portugal against the economic crisis and labour rights. They were the biggest events since the 1974 Carnation Revolution and organized without support from political parties or trades unions.{{cite web |url=http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Decenas/miles/portugueses/manifiestan/precariedad/mayor/concentracion/margen/partidos/elpepuint/20110312elpepuint_18/Tes |title=Decenas de miles de portugueses se manifiestan contra la precariedad en la mayor concentración al margen de los partidos |access-date=2012-09-06}}
A Facebook event and a blog, created by a group of friends—Alexandre de Sousa Carvalho, João Labrincha and Paula Gil—were the starting point.{{cite news|first=Andreia|last=Sanches|url=http://publico.pt/1482270|title=Um desempregado, um bolseiro e uma estagiária inventaram o Protesto da Geração à Rasca|date=26 February 2011|access-date=26 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317222046/http://www.publico.pt/sociedade/noticia/um-desempregado-um-bolseiro-e-uma-estagiaria-inventaram-o-protesto-da-geracao-a-rasca-1482270|archive-date=17 March 2015}}
Background
File:Flickr - andré.luís - IMG 5351.jpg
File:Flickr - andré.luís - IMG 5140.jpg
A number of musical acts in Portugal had been involved in protest actions against the austerity measures at the beginning of the crisis. Music addressing Portugal's political situation became a part of local and national political protest narratives, which found music playing an important role in protests in Portugal—as they have since the Portuguese Revolution culminating in the 25 April coup in 1974.
Among this music was traditional Portuguese music and instruments including gaitas, flutes, rhythm sections, and brass music. The organizers of Geração a Rasca put out a general call for musicians to appear in the procession, and also included personal invitations to some of the musical acts to perform.
Various protest songs addressing the precarious situation in Portugal during the crisis were performed in Portugal. Deolinda's song "Parva Que Sou", which talks about precarious working conditions for Portuguese youth, in particular qualified university graduates, became an inspiration for some of the protesters.{{Cite web| title = Deolinda, o grupo que dá voz à "geração à rasca", presente "em consciência" | work=SIC Online| access-date = 2011-03-12| url = https://sic.sapo.pt/online/noticias/pais/Deolinda+o+grupo+que+da+voz+a+geracao+a+rasca+presente+em+consciencia.htm?wbc_purpose=basi1542411010211}}"[http://www.transversejournal.org/articles/that-which-is-said-by-not-saying-deolindas-innocuous-revolution/ That Which Is Said By Not Saying: Deolinda’s Innocuous Revolution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410110933/http://www.transversejournal.org/articles/that-which-is-said-by-not-saying-deolindas-innocuous-revolution/ |date=10 April 2018 }}"
Other inspiration for the protests came from Homens da Luta, a comedian duo who won the Festival da Canção with a song about the "joy of the struggle", emulating social protests of the 1960s.{{cite web |url=https://sol.sapo.pt/inicio/Sociedade/Interior.aspx?content_id=13804 |title=Homens da Luta aumentam adesões à 'Geração à Rasca' – Sol |access-date=2012-09-06}}
Gatherings
File:Geração à rasca - Porto.jpg
File:Geração à rasca - Belgium.jpg
Around 300,000 people gathered on 12 March 2011 in Porto and Lisbon alone.{{cite web| title = Protesto Geração à Rasca juntou entre 160 e 280 mil pessoas só em Lisboa e Porto – Sociedade – PUBLICO.PT| access-date = 2011-03-13| url = http://www.publico.pt/Sociedade/protesto-geracao-a-rasca-juntou-entre-160-e-280-mil-pessoas-so-em-lisboa-e-porto_1484504| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110315092447/http://www.publico.pt/Sociedade/protesto-geracao-a-rasca-juntou-entre-160-e-280-mil-pessoas-so-em-lisboa-e-porto_1484504| archive-date = 15 March 2011| url-status = dead}} Events also occurred in several other Portuguese cities, including Funchal, Ponta Delgada, Viseu, Braga, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Faro, Guimarães and Leiria.{{cite web| title = "Geração à Rasca" convoca concentrações dentro da lei para dez cidades – Política – PUBLICO.PT| access-date = 2011-06-09| url = http://www.publico.pt/Pol%C3%ADtica/geracao-a-rasca-convoca-concentracoes-dentro-da-lei-para-dez-cidades_1483725| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110313192133/http://www.publico.pt/Pol%C3%ADtica/geracao-a-rasca-convoca-concentracoes-dentro-da-lei-para-dez-cidades_1483725| archive-date = 13 March 2011| url-status = dead}} Several Portuguese emigrants also gathered in front of the embassies of their countries of residence to protest in Barcelona, London, Berlin, The Hague, Madrid, Lubliana, Luxemburg, Brussels, Maputo, New York, Copenhagen and Stuttgart.{{cite web | title = IOL Diário – "Geração à rasca": luta também em Barcelona | access-date = 2011-03-13 | url = http://diario.iol.pt/sociedade/geracao-a-rasca-manifestacao-fotos-manif-rasca-tvi24-manif-rasca-tvi/1239063-4071.html }}
Impact
Spain's May demonstrations were influenced by the Portuguese events,{{cite web| title = "Geração à rasca" é referência para Espanha – JN| access-date = 2011-05-22| url = http://www.jn.pt/PaginaInicial/Mundo/Interior.aspx?content_id=1857358| archive-date = 27 September 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927163623/http://www.jn.pt/PaginaInicial/Mundo/Interior.aspx?content_id=1857358| url-status = dead}} which in turn incited new activity in Portugal.{{Cite web| title = Jovens do Rossio. Negociar a dívida, já!| access-date = 2011-05-23| url = http://www.ionline.pt/conteudo/125008-jovens-do-rossio-negociar-divida-ja}}
On 23 March 2011, the prime minister José Sócrates resigned when new austerity measures failed to pass in the Parliament.{{cite web |title=Ao minuto: Sócrates pediu demissão e diz que vai a eleições – Política – PUBLICO. PT |url=http://www.publico.pt/Pol%C3%ADtica/ao-minuto-socrates-pediu-demissao-a-cavaco_1486420 |url-status=dead |access-date=2012-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306113855/http://www.publico.pt/Pol%C3%ADtica/ao-minuto-socrates-pediu-demissao-a-cavaco_1486420 |archive-date=6 March 2012 }}
On 15 April 2011, the initial organizers of the Geração à Rasca protest created the 12 March Movement. This small group of young people gathered with other activists to create a movement with the objective to "Make every citizen a politician", a sentence from the Portuguese Nobel Prize winner José Saramago.{{cite web |url=http://caderno.josesaramago.org/117585.html |title=Fazer de cada cidadão um político |language=pt |trans-title=Make every citizen a politician |website=caderno.josesaramago.org |access-date=30 July 2021}} They promised to be an active voice promoting democracy in all areas" of their lives".{{Cite web|title=Organizadores da "Geração à Rasca" criam "Movimento 12 de Março" - JN |url=https://www.jn.pt/nacional/organizadores-da-geracao-a-rasca-criam-movimento-12-de-marco-1831152.html|access-date=2020-12-05 |website=www.jn.pt |language=pt}}
Over 80,000 people marched in Lisbon as part of a 15 October global day of protest against the usual suspects. Hundreds broke through a police cordon around the parliament in Lisbon to occupy its broad marble staircase, where a popular assembly took place.{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-protests-portugal-idUSTRE79E2HR20111015 | work=Reuters | title=Protesters in Lisbon surround parliament | date=15 October 2011}} About 20,000 people also rallied in Porto, Portugal's second biggest city.
The 12 March Movement, as others created after the Geração à Rasca protest, is still very active in several political and civic actions. After the demonstration "people discovered that they have 'a voice', they are more conscientious and more aware to political issues". Civil "society [is] more alive and awakened".{{cite web |url=https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/home.php?template=SHOWNEWS_V2&id=543769 |title=Um ano depois, a geração à rasca deu lugar ao Portugal à rasca – i online |access-date=2012-09-06}}
See also
Notes
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References
- {{Cite news
| title = Geração à Rasca - NYTimes.com
| access-date = 2011-05-23
| url = http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/geracao-a-rasca/
| work=The New York Times
| first=Ben
| last=Schott
| date=5 May 2011
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110506190330/http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/geracao-a-rasca/| archive-date= 6 May 2011 | url-status= live}}
- {{Cite web
| title = Geração à rasca leva 300 mil manifestantes à Avenida da Liberdade- Economia – Jornal de negócios online
| access-date = 2011-03-12
| url = https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/home.php?template=SHOWNEWS_V2&id=472989
| language = pt
}}
- {{Cite web
| title = "Geração à Rasca" no Rossio de Lisboa – Portugal – DN
| access-date = 2011-03-12
| url = https://www.dn.pt/inicio/portugal/interior.aspx?content_id=1804607
| language = pt
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924044950/http://www.dn.pt/inicio/portugal/interior.aspx?content_id=1804607
| archive-date = 24 September 2015
| url-status = dead
}}
- {{Cite web
| title = Geração à rasca: protesto chegou ao Funchal > Sociedade > TVI24
| access-date = 2011-03-12
| url = http://www.tvi24.iol.pt/sociedade/geracao-a-rasca-manifestacao-tvi24-funchal/1239013-4071.html
}}
- {{Cite web
| title = IOL Diário – "Geração à rasca": luta também em Barcelona
| access-date = 2011-03-13
| url = http://diario.iol.pt/sociedade/geracao-a-rasca-manifestacao-fotos-manif-rasca-tvi24-manif-rasca-tvi/1239063-4071.html
}}
- {{Cite web
| title = IOL Diário – Geração à rasca: protesto forte em Ponta Delgada
| access-date = 2011-03-12
| url = http://diario.iol.pt/sociedade/geracao-a-rasca-ponta-delgada-tvi24-manifestacao/1239031-4071.html
}}
- {{Cite web
| title = IOL Diário – Geração à Rasca: Viseu protestou no Rossio
| access-date = 2011-03-12
| url = http://diario.iol.pt/sociedade/geracao-a-rasca-manisfestacao-tvi24/1239022-4071.html
}}
- {{Cite web
| title = Protesto/crise: "Geração à rasca" enche a avenida da Liberdade até ao Rossio – dn – DN
| access-date = 2011-03-12
| url = https://www.dn.pt/Inicio/interior.aspx?content_id=1804735
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923215502/http://www.dn.pt/Inicio/interior.aspx?content_id=1804735
| archive-date = 23 September 2015
| url-status = dead
}}
{{European sovereign-debt crisis}}
{{Authority control}}