News, August 2011

The 'Indignant' revolution, two months on

They have been compared with protesters in the 'Life of Brian'

18th July. On 15th May, in the middle of the election campaign for Spain's municipalities and (most of) the regional assemblies, a series of mass demonstrations was called against the major parties fundamentally by those who felt disenfranchised, due to the crisis and unemployment. Somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 gathered in Madrid's Puerta del Sol st the main focus of the demonstration. The protest, calling for 'Real Democracy Now' demanded that the major parties take note of the general feeling that they no longer represent a significant part of the population, those without work. During the remainder of the campaign (i.e until 22nd May) and until the end of June, young unemployed people camped in the centres of all the provincial capitals. Demonstrators then decided to move gradually to other locations around the cities to allow a normal life to resume for those fortunate enough to have one. Two months later, we ask what were the demands and have they achieved anything? Will this have any long-term impact on Spain?

For evangelicals, the principal and immediate effect was that from 15th May until 1st June it was impossible for the open air preaching team from Kilometre Zero to continue their daily outreach in Puerta del Sol. Other cities were also affected, for example in Palma, Mallorca, where some open air meetings had to be cancelled. However, the Madrid team was able to resume on June 2nd, despite some initial opposition - i.e. people attacking the preacher by calling for freedom of speech! In this video Jacob Bock gives testimony of how the first days back developed.

Looking back, we can clearly see the influence of the Arab Spring and the social networks on the development of this movement. But what do the demonstrators want? Principally the answer is work, but as the movement has developed, the demands are rather different to that. A major calling factor was the slogan 'Real Democracy Now', meaning that the parties should not just represent vested interests, such as businessmen or trades unions, but consider people outside those powerful groups. Fully 40% of young people are unemployed in Spain, due to the crisis, while the cost of firing those with a full, permanent contract is so hight that firms cannot quickly restructure to generate more wealth and jobs. Thus a major generation gap has developed between the young and their parents. Then there are the late-comers to the housing boom, who are now suffering the effects of the bust. Under Spanish law, a home is not mortgaged, but rather the person. Thus, when you cannot make the payments it is no good handing in the keys and moving on. Young people and immigrants were among the hardest hit, including many evangelicals. As a result, increasing numbers of defaulters are being expelled from their homes, which are subsequently auctioned by the banks and Cajas - which face their own funding problems- who then continue to harass the debtors with any debt which has still not been recovered. A further category is the poorest of the elderly, again often being pushed out of low-rent housing and with nowhere to go.

What would Jesus do? How should evangelicals respond? Jesus' emphasis on concern for the poor and needy immediately comes to the fore in our consideration of the situation. But the state of the Spanish economy is also so weak that it is hard to see how government or business can quickly turn things round. Most churches have programmes to give help to needy people, whether church members or not. The City Missions in the major cities also extend the churches' arm further into areas of intense need, but most churches begin to draw the line faced with iPad-clad beggars!
Perhaps the most important thing churches can do is examine themselves and ask if they in any way reflect the society they have grown up in. Most Spanish evangelical churches are first or second generation. At the death of the dictator Franco, in 1975, there were less than 500 evangelical churches in Spain (including Anglicans, pentecostals, etc..) . Now there are several thousands, with a much higher average membership, but in many cases, churches have developed leaderships which are holding on to the positions and are not themselves multiplying as effectively as they could. Are there disenfranchised young people or immigrants in the churches who need to be drawn into the Lord's service? Are models of church management fine for small town, low membership churches, but less suitable for larger, growing city churches? Calls for the way in which things are done need reflection in the Scriptures, to discover the best way forward. Can young people be challenged afresh to take Christ's call to missions seriously?

Meanwhile, the 'Indignants', while still not sure quite what they want, refusing to permit the development of any leadership structure, which would be against their 'real democracy' values, are despite it all continuing to hold the movement together and achieve goals. With the social networks they have successfully prevented the bailiffs and police from removing some debtors from their homes. Above all, they have lit a flame of enthusiasm for changing the world which had been seriously missing in this generation. But now they are gaining the attention of politicians, particularly the socialist party, PSOE. Alfredo Rubalcaba, candidate for the presidency in the upcoming general election, is offering and ear to some of the proposals coming from the movement. One could say this is cynical, since it is almost certain that the PSOE will lose the elections and can afford to move to the left temporarily, in an attempt to head off the formation of a new party of the young. However, an offer to consider some of the Indignants' proposals on German style proportional representation, following up on placing limits on how much banks can claw back of the income of mortgage defaulters, suggests that the government is taking note of grievances and serious about listening to suggestions for a fairer way to live together.

15 M Movement website (Spanish)

The Economist on the Indignants:
Europe's most earnest protesters 15th July
How vulnerable is Spain?
Economist leader 26th May
The unhappy campers

Guardian:
18th July
Video
11th August - similarities to events around the world

Telegraph:
20th May

Wikipedia has a good resumé of the background and principal events surrounding this protest.