Recent social movement theory suggests that most people join social movement organizations, projects, or campaigns because they are recruited by face-to-face contact by a cohort--friend, family or co-worker.
Social movements succeed due to a combination of things.
***A discontented group of politicized persons who share the perception that they have common grievances they wish addressed. ***The recruitment of politicized persons into the movement through pre-existing social networks, with the incentive that participation will be rewarding and successful. ***A core group of strategic leaders and local activists that effectively mobilize, organize, educate, and communicate with the politicized persons. ***The availability of resources and opportunities in the larger social and political scene that can be exploited by movement leaders and activists.
Ideology, it turns out, is learned in the movement. Ideology seldom attracts people to a movement. Contrary to popular belief.
-Chip
----- Original Message ----- From: "kelley" <kwalker2 at gte.net> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>; <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2001 2:29 PM Subject: Re: A Positive Program
> At 01:52 PM 9/23/01 -0400, Chip Berlet wrote:
> >Hi,
> >
> >But isn't it sometimes important to ask...what are the broad parameters of
> >the left? I would argue that being anti-elite or anti-regime is not
> >enough. There are plenty of fascists who are anti-regime and want to
> >protect civil liberties (at least until they are in power).
>
> i didn't say it wasn't. but, hmmm, well let me sharpen the axe that i've
> frequently sharpened: how did you get here? witha well-formed critique of
> capitalism? no, probably not. lucky you, if you did.
>
>
> >Valuing people over property is a start.
>
>
> we are the world, we are the children. we are the ones who make a brighter
> day so let's start giving... :)
>
> >But also some sort of systemic analysis, whether that is based in Marxism,
> >or anarchism, or feminism, or critical race theory, or queer theory, or
> >some social justice version of religious or spiritual traditions.
>
>
> and how do you learn that? because some gatekeeper turned you out and said,
> "sorry charlie (ooops! :), you need to go to college or read some more
> books or sumpin coz your analysis is too individualistic. come back when
> you've got some systemic analysis under your belt coz, until then, you're
> despoiling the purity of the struggle.
>
> I know you don't mean this. i'm just talking about working with other
> folks. a lot of these kids are just kids. they don't know much, they may
> even be only motivated by the fact that they're afarid of what will happen
> to them and their country if we retaliate--because it was a terrorist act.
>
> what do you think i should do when I sense that? tell them they're selfish
> little snots who don't belong? or should i recognize that it's a start.
>
> i'd rather maintain contact than boot them out so they can make their way
> toward the rightwingers.
>
> and, i remind you that my own experience organizing in what started out as
> a NIMBY movement turned out to be one that became Not In Anyone's Backyard.
> the struggle turned from a critique of the state to a critique of capital.
> not as sophisticated as we'd like, but it was quite an advance given what
> we'd started out as.
>
>
> kelley
>