May 68 to May 11

(This article has been published in the newspaper Ultima Hora, Palma de Mallorca, THE VOICE OF ALMER? A, Journal of Tarragona and a dozen other Spanish newspapers)

The revolts in Arab countries for a minimum of democracy have nothing to do with the spontaneous youth movement in Spain. There are only intended a breath of air while swimming in local satraps more ostentatious wealth. This is not going to settle for less in their traditional lifestyle vented.

That, at least, there are forty years between the two.

Young people in the developed world and demanded "everything and now," as a slogan, in May 1968. The riots at the Sorbonne in Paris, the American campus of Berkeley or Berlin Rudi Dutschke wanted the benefits of capitalism to reach young people as more political participation, greater permissiveness of customs and consumerism. And faith that they did.

Forty years later, these young men have spent more than what they could and their children and grandchildren are left with only crumbs: unemployment, job insecurity, and lack of expectations mileurista. Hence his legitimate anger.

Fortunately, this discomfort has not been channeled into radical parties, populist and xenophobic, the sign may be, as in much of Europe. Here, family support, the apathy, the bottle or rave parties have been the exhaust valves. Until now.

If our political class this movement has been caught off guard because they do not know at all, comfortably situated in their Olympus with all expenses paid. But it's over the odds, because these uprisings never know how much less how to start but finished.

And this has only just begun.