TOW #9- "Can Debt Spark a Revolution?" by David Graeber

In “Can Debt Spark a Revolution?” David Graeber discusses how the “top 1%” is controlling American politics and abusing it in order to become wealthier, while the rest of America, who seemingly has little say in the government, is drowning in debt struggling to pay off student loans.  Many felt strongly about this topic, as this article was written around the time of the Wall Street occupation (OWS) where people dubbed the “Bottom 99%” protested against unequal wealth distribution. His intended audience is the bottom 99% and his purpose is to rally them up to fight against what he believes to be a corrupt government. Mainly, he argues for the government to pass a debt forgiveness policy so people in deep debt don’t have to struggle economically anymore. Graeber, a well-known social anthropologist and anarchist activist, establishes ethos early on by claiming he started the “We are the 99%” movement during the OWS.

Throughout “Can Debt Spark a Revolution?,” Graeber uses many rhetorical questions in order to achieve his purpose. In just the title of the article itself, it asks a question that makes people who are in debt think deeply about their debt situation. He asks questions like, “ What kind of promises do we want to make as a society?” and “What could be more obviously insane?” making readers ponder about how how they really want their country structured. These questions, which have a strong appeal to readers’ pathos, are meant to rally up the people who share the same concerns that he does.
Graeber also uses condescending diction and syntax towards the American government and the top 1%  in order to achieve his purpose and make the bottom 99% feel like victims of an unjust system. For example, he calls the US political system “legalized bribery,” making it seem like it is controlled by rich people who are able to leverage their financial situation to advance their place in American politics.  He also refers to the bottom 99% as “refugees of the American debt situation,” contrasting the rich people who can advance themselves in the system to the non-rich people who are stuck in a system of debt.

Overall, I believe that Graeber achieved his purpose to rally the bottom 99% to want change with his strong appeal to readers’ pathos. On the other hand, it is lacking in a strong appeal to logos (which I believe is needed) so some of ideas can come off as radical. Personally, I cannot relate to this problem as I am not an adult struggling in debt from student loans so many of his radical ideas did not resonate with me.

Occupy Wall Street
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