The Left-Wing “Alter”-Globalization Movements: Occupy Movement & Antifa
The increase of cross-border trading of goods, services and people, also known as globalization, brought a left-wing perspective against globalization.
The first prominent movement started with the Occupy Movement. This protest, held in Wall Street, protested against the rise of corporate influence on democracy and the growing gap between the rich and the poor. What the movement highlighted was the power of transnational corporations and international economic institutions had over the economic, political and social institutions. The Occupy movement was to protest against the inequalities and power these corporations held.

Protesters citing the non-existent leadership structure with globalization leads to a disconnect between citizens and their governments. Expressing dissent for the government due to feeling ignored and pushed further into a wealth gap. With police interference and criticism from government officials, the people became more anti-government, especially in recent years (Lalinde, Sacks, Guiducci, Nicholas & Chafkin, 2012).
A new movement emerged and spread, Antifa also known as the “Anti-Fascist Movement”. It is not one particular organization but more so a term used to describe so-called “anti-fascists”. The movement emerged after the American presidential election for Donald Trump. Trump’s wealthy and conservative status, along with his immigration policies, are considered by many members as the personification of capitalism and racism itself. Antifa members are extremely anti-corporation and against right-wing anti-globalization (Basile, 2017).

The distinction between right-wing and left-wing anti-globalization is important. Many right-wing anti-globalization arguments are based around the rise of immigration, illegal migrants and corporate outsourcing. Their popular belief against globalization argues that the rise of immigration undermines American culture and allows corporations to outsource labor by underpaying immigrants instead of hiring citizens. To Antifa, right-wing anti-globalization is considered “fascist” and one of the pillars to “white supremacy” in America, which is a different ideological belief than what the Occupy movement believed in (Basile, 2017).
References
Basile, S. (2019). The Anti-Capitalist Politics of Antifa. CounterPunch.org. Retrieved 1 November 2019, from https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/09/06/the-anti-capitalist-politics-of-antifa/
Lalinde, S., Sacks, R., Guiducci, M., Nicholas, E., Chafkin, M., (2012). An Oral History of Occupy Wall Street. Vanity Fair. Retrieved 1 November 2019, from https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2012/02/occupy-wall-street-201202