Importance of Community Engagement and Les Gilets Jaunes

There was something missing before the announcement of the proposed gas and diesel tax hike in France. Something that caused utilizing social media to organize the almost spontaneous movement of Les Gilets Jaunes in France. This movement has been described as a fascinating movement that originated from the displeasure of the proposed tax increase and viewed as leaderless.

This leaderless movement is viewed as an authentic way to display the frustrations which is probably why it has attracted so many people around France offering their support. Being authentic is viewed as highly important in today’s culture. Something that is not cultivated or created by interest groups. But this authenticity of leaderless protests has however morphed into an overall grievance about everything that has been happening in France before the tax hike. But before all this, there was something missing that was replaced by the interaction on social media.

The situation with Les Gilets Jaunes in each part of France indicates there was a disconnect within the communities and their local representatives. This lack of community engagement created a situation where the announcement of the tax increase caused people to feel their voices weren’t being heard.

Community engagement is a process of becoming involved and constructively participating in ones surrounding environment and community. Being involved with existing organizations and institutions help people continue to be engaged throughout the process. That missing engagement by the existing institutions has to improve going forward.

The leaderless movement have to come to terms with having a representative within their movement in each part of the country in order to communicate with their local representatives. Both parties have to find a way to create engagement once again in order to understand the goals and objectives of each representatives.

This is something that I have been hypothesising about when I watch and read the news regarding Les Gilets Jaunes here in France. I am curious about what will happen next and how the various stakeholders will continue to engage with each other.