BackEconomic fears fuel protests in India, France as ‘social contract’ breaks down

Developing

SCMP Economy1 hour agoWorld1 min readChina

Economic fears fuel protests in India, France as ‘social contract’ breaks down

Quick Look

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat linked global protests in countries like France and Bangladesh to a 'demonic' Western influence, while analysts suggest these movements reflect shared anxieties over economic security and social mobility.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

Mohan Bhagwat addressed the Hindu festival of Vijayadashami, commenting on the state of global societal unrest.

Font size

While analysts caution against concluding that foreign interference played a role in demonstrations in India, they say protesters in Europe and India share similar concerns, reflecting their mounting anger that education and hard work no longer guarantee them economic security or social mobility.

In an address to mark the Hindu festival of Vijayadashami on Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said: “A storm has swept in from the West, driven by a demonic resolve to destroy and devastate all that is decent, auspicious and rooted in cultural and human values, both in Bharat [India] and across the world.”

He cited protests in France, Albania, Nepal and Bangladesh as examples of attempts to bring about a change in government without offering solutions to societal problems.

Open Questions

What specific evidence does the RSS have regarding Western influence in these protests?

China issued a position paper on strengthening outer space governance, emphasizing that outer space is the common territory of mankind, advocating that through multilateralism, openness and sharing, and international rule of law, we should prevent an arms race and battlefield in outer space, promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, and benefit all mankind.

中国新闻网

6 min read

Developing·38 minutes ago

France ‘certain’ united front with Germany pushed China into hybrid car deal

French Trade Minister Nicolas Forissier expressed confidence in the revival of the Franco-German partnership regarding EU trade policy toward China, following Germany's recent shift toward stricter trade measures.

SCMP News

1 min read

Developing·1 hour ago

Discord between the United States and Canada is heating up again! Washington raises concerns about Canadian interference in mid-term elections

The U.S. Embassy in Canada released a fact sheet, accusing Canadian officials of publicly describing plans to influence U.S. politics through targeted tariffs and political propaganda, and warned Canada not to interfere in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. The Canadian government denies intervention and emphasizes that its actions are aimed at safeguarding its economic interests.

自由时报

2 min read

Developing·1 hour ago

Amid the wave of protests, are French police the most violent in the EU?

Large-scale protests have recently broken out in France, with multiple videos of suspected police brutality circulating on social media. Human rights groups criticized the police for excessive use of stun grenades and rubber bullets, which left many teenagers severely disabled. Experts point out that French police enforcement methods are considered extremely offensive within the EU.

德国之声

6 min read

World·1 hour ago

Why is Taiwan important? Aesthetics Scholar: Not only the first island chain, but also the credibility of the United States is at stake

Christensen, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, pointed out that the United States' support for Taiwan should not be based solely on the geographical strategy of the first island chain, but should also consider maintaining the credibility of allies, supporting democracy, and preventing China from using force to resolve regional disputes, so as to avoid undermining the United States' strategic ambiguity policy.

自由时报

3 min read

World·2 hours ago

Ong Shijie: In the South China Sea issue, intervention by foreign countries should avoid escalating conflicts

Ong See Kit, former Minister of Transport of Malaysia, said that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved through bilateral consultations to avoid intervention by countries outside the region. He emphasized that regional security cooperation should focus on non-traditional security fields and called on Chinese and Malaysian think tanks to strengthen cooperation and international exchanges.