The Revolt of a Disappointed Generation

Greek youth have rioted for days in 20 cities and town, distraught about the police shooting of a 15-year-old boy and a society that offers limited opportunities for youth. The shooting unleashed anger about an inept, corrupt political system and spread quickly, explain Manfred Ertel and Daniel Steinvorth in Spiegel Online: “Sympathizers occupied the Greek consulates in Berlin and London, anarchists rioted out of solidarity in Barcelona, Rome and Copenhagen, and the sense of outrage has even reached New York.” The young, both educated and uneducated, are upset about increasing inequality, with unemployment and a lack of benefits concentrated among the younger generations. Adult children must live with their parents, and government regulations limit the amount of time that young adults can work. A government that suppresses opportunity for entire generations cannot expect prosperity or peace. – YaleGlobal