1. Social movements have been a powerful means for ordinary people to participate directly in creating positive social change, particularly when formal channels for democratic political participation do not work. 2. Progressive nonviolent social movements are at the center of society. Social movements are deeply grounded in our founding values of justice, democracy, civil right, security, and freedom. Movement activists will be successful only to the extent that they can convince the great majority of people that the movement, and not the power holders, truly represent society’s values and sensibilities. In contrast, movements are self-destructive to the extent that they define themselves as being rebels on the fringes of society who oppose the majority and are trying to overthrow core social values and structures. 3. In their attempt to promote democracy, justice, peace, ecological sustainability, and the general social welfare, social movements must oppose the excessive power and influence of the elite power holders 4. The grand strategy of social movements is to promote participatory democracy through people power, in which an ever-increasing majority of ordinary citizen is alerted, won over, and becomes involved in addressing critical social problems and achieving progressive change. 5. Social change happens only when the majority of citizens are alerted, educated, and motivated to be concerned about a problem. Social movements are only as powerful as the power of their grassroots support. The chief task of the activist, therefore, is to focus on and to win over the public, not to change the minds and policies of official power holders. The formal power holders will not change their policies until there is overwhelming pressure from the general population. 6. The process of putting a social problem on society’s agenda, winning a large majority, and subsequently achieving long-range movement goals occurs over many years. And activists should develop strategies and tactics that advance their movement along the next segment of the road, instead of trying to achieve the long-range goals directly. 7. Following Gandhi and King, the ideology and method of nonviolence provides social movements with the optimum opportunity to win over and involve the general citizenry in people power. Nonviolence is based on timeless national, cultural, human, and religious values and principles such as equality, security, preservation, justice, democracy, love, forgiveness, caring, compassion, and understanding. Nonviolence appeals to these values and principles held by people and nations. Nonviolence allows everyone to participate. Nonviolence has the capacity to reduce the effectiveness of police and state violence—the power holder’s ultimate weapon — and to turn it to the movement’s advantage. A clear policy of nonviolence makes it difficult for agent provocateurs to disrupt or discredit movements by promoting internal violence, hostility, dissension, dishonesty and confusion. Successful social movements need participants and organizations that effectively play four different roles: citizen, rebel, social change agent, and reformer.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 00:01:41 +0000
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