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The Intelligence from The Economist

Demonstrative: a global wave of protest

The Intelligence from The Economist

The Economist

Global News, Daily News, News

4.53.7K Ratings

🗓️ 6 November 2019

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s public-sector demonstrations in Zimbabwe are just the latest in a wave of protests around the world. We look into why there are so many, and what might be driving them. It’s not all sound and fury, though; in Lebanon, an Instagram-driven push is helping demonstrators find love in the crowds. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/radiooffer

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio.

0:07.0

I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

0:09.0

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

0:18.0

Today, public sector workers in Zimbabwe will march for better pay amid the country's worst economic crisis in a decade.

0:26.0

The demonstrations are just the latest flashpoint in a seemingly global conflagration of protest.

0:31.0

In the past month on the show, we've looked at uprisings in Iraq, Chile, Lebanon, Hong Kong.

0:37.0

Does anything tie all of them together?

0:40.0

What is it about the world today that's bringing so many people onto the streets?

0:44.0

Part of the answer may be economic distress, part perhaps technology.

0:49.0

But beneath all that, there are some natural human tendencies driving the demonstrations.

0:54.0

And in Lebanon, even leading to love.

1:09.0

Zimbabwe's protests have been spawned by years of deep rooted economic mismanagement by the government.

1:15.0

President Emerson Manongagua took office in 2017 with big promises to revive the economy.

1:22.0

After a long time authoritarian leader, Robert Mugabe was ousted in a military coup.

1:30.0

Our country is going to be different.

1:33.0

And our relations all over the world are going to be normalized.

1:36.0

I'm happy. I'm totally happy. This has changed a great change.

1:40.0

37 years will be same for the rest of the country.

1:43.0

And we are happy that Mugabe is gone and is gone for good.

1:46.0

I'm happy using my way.

1:53.0

Yet now, Zimbabwe has the world's second highest inflation rate.

1:57.0

Prices marked on a supermarket shelf can change by the time the customer reaches the checkout.

...

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