Student revolt

Student unrest
Student dissent
Student riots
Anti-social behaviour of university students

Nature

Student dissent has led to widespread criticism of the educational establishment. Some of this criticism was evoked from the very nature of the authoritarian responses to student revolt in places as widely separated as Paris, Berkeley, New York, Mexico City and Beijing.

Incidence

Student revolts have been a significant phenomenon across various regions, with notable occurrences in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in Europe and North America. For instance, the 1968 protests in France saw millions of students and workers mobilizing against the government, reflecting widespread discontent with social and political issues. Similarly, in the United States, the anti-Vietnam War protests, particularly on college campuses, highlighted the growing dissent among students, with thousands participating in demonstrations.
A prominent example of student revolt occurred in 2011 during the Chilean student protests, where students across the country demanded reforms in the education system. The protests, which began in April 2011, involved hundreds of thousands of students marching in cities like Santiago, calling for free and quality education. The movement gained international attention and sparked a national debate on educational inequality in Chile.

Claim

When the educational system remains the exclusive preserve of an intellectual elite, the product of the bourgeois class which built the system and continues to dictate its laws and moral values, students become confused by the divorce between an outmoded education and the reality of the world around them. They become frustrated, dissipate their energies, grow bored or put their hopes in radical protest.

One reason why the Tiananmen students presented such a dangerous threat to the old men in the forbidden city was that the scholar class had defected to their side. After 10 years lobbying from within, the bulk of reform-minded scholars had come out in a petition to release China's political prisoners.

Counter-claim

Student revolt is often exaggerated and mischaracterized as a significant issue. In reality, it reflects a temporary phase of youthful discontent rather than a serious societal problem. Most students are focused on their education and personal growth, and the few who protest often lack a clear understanding of the complexities involved. Instead of viewing these actions as revolts, we should see them as fleeting expressions of frustration that rarely lead to meaningful change.