A few years ago, few people had heard the term "Gen Z" used in a political sense. Young people were simply called students or youth. Today the label is attached to protest movements that have spread across several countries, and many people are asking what it means.
Since the Sri Lankan uprising of 2022, youth-led protests have emerged in Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Madagascar and Morocco, among others. Some toppled governments, and some turned violent, with government buildings burned or ransacked. The media call them Gen Z protests, and the protesters have often adopted the name themselves.
The label can mislead. These movements are mostly organised online and are often leaderless, and they draw in people who are not students. Participants are usually a small fraction of a country's population. Their reach is out of proportion to their numbers because they can disrupt public life and attract heavy media coverage. It is fair to ask who actually takes part, who steers these movements, and whether political or other interests exploit them. Violence and the disruption of ordinary life deserve criticism whoever is responsible.
At the same time, the causes cited differ from country to country and are often concrete. Reports mention a social media ban in Nepal, water and power shortages in Madagascar, and poor public services and youth unemployment in Morocco. Corruption and the privileges of politicians' families are common themes. Dismissing these movements as mere anarchy risks ignoring grievances that exist whatever the protesters' methods.
It is also inaccurate to say such protests happen only in democracies. Bangladesh's protests were directed at a long-ruling government accused of authoritarian conduct, and Morocco, a monarchy, has seen them too. Democracies may find it harder to respond with force, but that is generally seen as a strength of democratic systems rather than a weakness.
The central concern remains valid. Changing governments through street pressure rather than elections can weaken constitutional processes and create instability, and what follows is not always better. Leaders in democracies would do well to consider two things together: how to keep protest within lawful and peaceful limits, and how to address the grievances that bring young people onto the streets. Ignoring either one is unlikely to work.
---
*Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived, Chennai
Comments