Radical Youth (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Radical Youth was an autonomous group of young people who formed in early 2005 to tackle issues that affect the youth of their country of New Zealand
/Aotearoa
.
The group defines itself as anti-authoritarian
and anti-capitalist, and since its inception has worked on issues including; internet censorship
in school
s, the G8
, child poverty
, climate change
and ending youth pay rates.
They have organised a Carnival Against Capitalism
in solidarity with the mass protests in Gleneagles
against the G8 in July 2005. Later in August, Radical Youth launched their campaign against youth rates with a rally at Aotea Square and a picket outside the central McDonald's
. Since then Radical Youth have supported the Supersizemypay.com campaign for secure hours, an end to youth wages and raising the minimum wage to $12/h.
In March 2006 the group came to national prominence with a high school walkout
to call for the abolition youth rates. The event, which attracted up to 1000 school students, was labelled as riotous and gathered much media attention, due in part to the young age of the organisers.
On May Day
, Radical Youth organised a rally and march to continue young workers' struggle for equal pay.
Radical Youth recently organised a critical mass
in Auckland's CBD
on International Day of Direct Action
against Climate Change
and the G8
. They dropped banners in support of the Save Happy Valley Campaign
to stop Solid Energy
's coal mine.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
/Aotearoa
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
.
The group defines itself as anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarianism is opposition to authoritarianism, which is defined as a "political doctrine advocating the principle of absolute rule: absolutism, autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, totalitarianism." Anti-authoritarians usually believe in full equality before the law and strong civil...
and anti-capitalist, and since its inception has worked on issues including; internet censorship
Internet censorship
Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations either at the behest of government or on their own initiative...
in school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s, the G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
, child poverty
Child poverty
Child poverty refers to the phenomenon of children living in poverty. This applies to children that come from poor families or orphans being raised with limited, or in some cases absent, state resources. Children that fail to meet the minimum acceptable standard of life for the nation where that...
, climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and ending youth pay rates.
They have organised a Carnival Against Capitalism
Carnival Against Capitalism
The Global Carnival Against Capital took place on Friday, 18th June, 1999. It was an international day of protest timed to coincide with the 25th G8 Summit in Cologne, Germany. The carnival was inspired by the 1980s Stop the City protests and the Global Street Party, which happened at the same time...
in solidarity with the mass protests in Gleneagles
Gleneagles
Gleneagles may refer to the following:*Gleneagles, Scotland**The July 2005 G8 Summit held at Gleneagles, Scotland*Gleneagles Agreement*Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder*Gleneagles Hotel, Torquay, the inspiration for Fawlty Towers....
against the G8 in July 2005. Later in August, Radical Youth launched their campaign against youth rates with a rally at Aotea Square and a picket outside the central McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. Since then Radical Youth have supported the Supersizemypay.com campaign for secure hours, an end to youth wages and raising the minimum wage to $12/h.
In March 2006 the group came to national prominence with a high school walkout
Walkout
In labor disputes, a walkout is a labor strike, the act of employees collectively leaving the workplace as an act of protest.A walkout can also mean the act of leaving a place of work, school, a meeting, a company, or an organization, especially if meant as an expression of protest or disapproval.A...
to call for the abolition youth rates. The event, which attracted up to 1000 school students, was labelled as riotous and gathered much media attention, due in part to the young age of the organisers.
On May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
, Radical Youth organised a rally and march to continue young workers' struggle for equal pay.
Radical Youth recently organised a critical mass
Critical Mass
Critical Mass is a cycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. The ride was originally founded in 1992 in San Francisco. The purpose of Critical Mass is not usually formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and...
in Auckland's CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
on International Day of Direct Action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
against Climate Change
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
and the G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
. They dropped banners in support of the Save Happy Valley Campaign
Save Happy Valley Campaign
The Save Happy Valley Coalition is an environmental activist movement formed with the express purpose of preventing the Cypress mine, an open cast coal mine on the West Coast of New Zealand, from proceeding....
to stop Solid Energy
Solid Energy
Solid Energy is the largest coal mining company in New Zealand and is a state owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.The company was formed from the former government department State Coal Mines. It was then established as a state owned enterprise called Coal Corporation in 1987, and...
's coal mine.
Sources
- Radical Youth Website (last updated 17 February 2008)