Before evaluating whether Occupy Wall Street achieved their goals, it is best to come to an agreement on what their goal actually was. The Occupy Wall Street movement was an example of direct action against the perceived corruption of financial institutions. People were upset that the politicians they elected were not actually taking charge of corporate interests: in fact, most of them were taking money from the very companies OWS was protesting against. Many came to believe that change in the electoral system could not happen and decided to take matters into their own hands. “The Meaning of Occupy” mentions specific Occupy groups that had the goal of implementing more regulations. Others had a more ambitious goal: to “destroy the state” and completely free the nation from capitalism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Occupy movement lost momentum for the same reasons many far-left groups split: Small ideological disagreements drove people apart. The occupiers came from many ideologies; some were social democrats who believed that the existence of capitalism could be sustained as long as regulations existed, others were socialists who believed in the appropriation of the means of production, others were anarcho-communists who believed in the total destruction of hierarchy, whether by the state or by companies. Within the anarchist camp there were disagreements about how to achieve the goal of a stateless society (individualism, syndicalism, collectivism, etc.). Both anarchists and those who believe that change can come from within the state, both groups saw themselves as naive, and these disagreements divided the movement. However, the occupiers shared a common interest: engaging multinationals through direct action that they believed was harming workers. There is a difference between the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, although they are often compared. The Tea Party had a vertical leadership structure; clear and defined objectives; massive funding from the organizations that formed the Tea Party; and an interest in electoral politics. Occupy Wall Street had a horizontal leadership structure (decisions were made by consensus) with only a common interest (opposition to financial institutions) rather than common goals. They did not have, nor necessarily need, massive funding and had no interest in electoral politics. The Tea Party was seen as a legitimate movement because it was supported by politicians and businesses, while the Occupy Wall Street movement was often seen as criminal by the mainstream. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Has the Occupy Movement Failed? Yes, they did. Although the Occupy movement offered the opportunity to engage in direct action for many who felt disaffected with the political system, the failure to unite caused many to lose interest in the movement. It is much more difficult to unite far-left ideologies than far-right ideologies. Right-wing ideologies are usually based on the flag, the Bible and money. Far-left ideologies often reject all three, leaving more room for disagreement. If a movement like Occupy Wall Street wants to succeed in the future, it must have a common goal in mind rather than simply a common interest..