This Is an Uprising

1. Uprising is a Craft, Not Spontaneous Happenstance

To the contrary, these were the consequence of a premeditated strategy of conflict.

Planned confrontation. Mass uprisings, often portrayed as sudden and unmanageable, are frequently the result of careful planning and strategy. The 1963 Birmingham campaign, known as "Project C," was a deliberate effort to create a crisis that would expose segregation's ugliness. Organizers meticulously calculated tactics, anticipating opponent moves and planning for mass arrests.

Learning from failure. The Birmingham success followed a defeat in Albany, Georgia, where protests lacked a clear plan for escalating pressure. Albany had creative tactics but failed to channel them into a framework to break segregation's power. This highlighted the need for strategic design, not just spontaneous action or moral conviction.

Art of unarmed uprising. The book argues that mass, spontaneous uprising is neither as spontaneous nor as unbridled as it might first appear. It is possible to forecast and even influence these bursts of social change. This involves studying, mapping, and applying the principles of unarmed uprising, which is becoming an increasingly influential force globally.

2. Nonviolence as Strategy, Not Just Moral Philosophy

Nonviolence in this form is not passive. It is a strategy for confrontation.

Pragmatic effectiveness. Gene Sharp, a key theorist, shifted the understanding of nonviolence from a moral code to a political strategy. He argued that people resort to violence because they see no other option, and it's more effective to show nonviolent conflict as a powerful alternative, even against repressive regimes. This approach is sometimes called "strategic nonviolence" or "civil resistance."

Beyond moral witness. Unlike traditional pacifism focused on personal integrity or moral witness, strategic nonviolence aims for political impact. Sharp contended that feeling good or being willing to die is insufficient if goals are not achieved. The focus is on effectiveness, forcing an end to unjust practices even without converting the opponent's heart.

King's evolution. Martin Luther King Jr. also evolved from a tentative embrace of nonviolence to a forceful commitment to strategic mass action. His experience in Montgomery and Albany convinced him of the need for planned, coordinated nonviolent conflict. His mastery of this technique, not just personal courage, secured his historical place.

3. Beyond Organization vs. Mass Protest: The Hybrid Approach

The future of social change in this country may well involve integrating these approaches—figuring out how the strengths of both structure and mass protest can be used in tandem—so that outbreaks of widespread revolt complement long-term organizing.

Two poles of change. Saul Alinsky represents "structure-based" organizing, focusing on building stable community groups through slow, incremental wins and careful leadership development. Frances Fox Piven represents "mass protest," emphasizing the disruptive power of unruly, broad-based disobedience outside formal organizations. These traditions often clash, with structure wary of fleeting movements and mass protest critical of bureaucratic caution.

Otpor's innovation. The Serbian youth movement Otpor, which overthrew Slobodan Milosevic, forged a hybrid model. Veterans of failed mass protests and frustrated party organizers combined elements of both traditions. They created a movement that was disruptive yet strategic, decentralized yet disciplined, aiming for sustained pressure over years, not just weeks.

Momentum-driven organizing. This hybrid approach, termed "momentum-driven organizing," uses strategic nonviolence to bridge the gap. It aims to engineer spikes of unrest, drawing in people outside established networks, while also building capacity to sustain action through multiple waves. It learns from both Alinsky's focus on power-building and Piven's insights into disruptive moments.

4. Power Lies in Society's Pillars, Not Just Rulers

Rulers or other command systems, despite appearances, [are] dependent on the population’s goodwill, decisions, and support.

Social view of power. Contrary to the "monolithic" view that power rests solely with those at the top (tyrants, presidents, CEOs) and comes from force, the "social view" argues that power depends on the population's consent and cooperation. If people withdraw their obedience, even entrenched rulers are weakened.

Pillars of support. This concept refines the social view, seeing power expressed through societal institutions or "pillars" that support a regime or status quo. These include:

• The military and police
• The media
• The business community
• Religious institutions
• Labor groups
• The civil service
• The educational establishment
• The courts

Undermining the pillars. Social movements can weaken or remove these pillars by convincing people within them to withdraw support or actively resist. The fall of enough pillars causes the structure to collapse. This applies to dictatorships (Milosevic) and unjust systems in democracies (Jim Crow, opposition to same-sex marriage).

5. Symbolic Demands Drive Transformational Change

Gandhi’s choice of salt as a basis for a campaign was “the weirdest and most brilliant political challenge of modern times.”

Beyond instrumental goals. While transactional politics focuses on instrumental demands for concrete gains (like a stop sign), momentum-driven movements use demands for their symbolic power. Symbolic demands dramatize injustice and resonate widely, captivating the public imagination.

Salt March example. Gandhi's choice of defying the salt tax seemed trivial to political insiders focused on constitutional reform. However, salt was a necessity for all, and the tax symbolized unjust foreign rule. This moral injury galvanized millions, leading to widespread noncompliance and shaking the British Raj, far beyond the limited concessions won in the final settlement.

Montgomery Bus Boycott. Similarly, the initial demands of the Montgomery Bus Boycott were modest (kinder segregation, black drivers). But the symbolic act of refusing to "go to the back of the bus" embodied a larger cry for dignity, inspiring a community-wide movement that ultimately achieved full desegregation through a court ruling. Symbolic power fueled the fight, leading to greater instrumental gains than initially sought.

6. Disruption, Sacrifice, and Escalation Ignite Uprising

The more that a protest directly affects members of the public, and the more it interferes with an adversary’s ability to do business, the more likely it is to draw widespread attention.

Disruption breaks through. In a crowded media landscape, disruptive tactics (blocking traffic, occupying space, interrupting events) are crucial for movements without resources to gain attention. They interfere with business as usual, forcing the public and adversaries to take notice.

Sacrifice builds commitment. Willingness to face hardship, arrest, or harm demonstrates seriousness and clarifies values. Public acts of sacrifice (sit-ins, hunger strikes, risking injury) draw attention, invite empathy, and compel bystanders to pick a side. They also galvanize the communities closest to the activists.

Escalation builds momentum. Stringing together multiple protests with increasing levels of disruption and sacrifice creates a sense of heightening drama. This can lead to "dilemma actions" where any response by authorities (ignoring or repressing) benefits the movement. Escalation is key to sustaining energy and attracting more participants.

7. The Whirlwind: Harnessing Peak Moments of Revolt

The defining attribute of a moment of the whirlwind is that it involves a dramatic public event or series of events that sets off a flurry of activity, and that this activity quickly spreads beyond the institutional control of any one organization.

Trigger events. Mass uprisings often follow "trigger events" – shocking incidents (like police brutality, electoral fraud, or environmental disaster) that dramatically reveal a social problem and ignite public outrage. Examples include:

• Rosa Parks's arrest (following Claudette Colvin's similar act)
• Three Mile Island accident
• Sensenbrenner Bill (immigrant rights)
• Police killings (#BlackLivesMatter)

Movements make whirlwinds. While triggers can be spontaneous, their impact depends on the presence of a movement ready to respond and escalate. Activists can also engineer triggers through deliberate acts of civil disobedience (Birmingham, Salt March, Occupy). The whirlwind is the climax of escalation, a period of intense, decentralized activity.

Perception of failure. After a whirlwind subsides, movements often experience a "perception of failure" as activity drops and media attention fades. However, this lull can be when gains are institutionalized and public opinion shifts solidify. Understanding this cycle helps activists persevere and prepare for future waves.

8. Polarization Can Be a Movement's Friend

By taking an issue that is hidden from common view and putting it at the center of public debate, disruptive protest forces observers to decide which side they are on.

Breaking indifference. Confrontational protest, while often unpopular, is inherently polarizing. It brings latent conflicts to the surface, forcing previously uncommitted people to take sides. This is crucial for moving issues from ignored problems to public debates.

Positive polarization. When polarization works for a movement, it activates passive sympathizers into active supporters and isolates extreme opponents. Acts of sacrifice and political jiu-jitsu (turning repression against the oppressor) help convince the undecided to side with the movement, even if they dislike the tactics. Examples:

• Civil Rights Movement (Bull Connor's brutality)
• ACT UP (exposing indifference to AIDS)
• Immigrant Rights Movement (Sensenbrenner Bill backlash)

Negative polarization. Polarization fails if tactics are so widely condemned (e.g., perceived violence) that they alienate potential supporters and foster sympathy for the opposition. This happened with tree spiking in Earth First! and some Black Bloc actions. Public perception of tactics is key.

9. Discipline is Essential for Effective Action

From a strategic perspective, which tactics are classified as “violent” or “nonviolent” is determined by this public perception, not by the outcome of any abstract debate.

Strategy requires discipline. While "diversity of tactics" sounds appealing, not all tactics mix. Those perceived as violent (property destruction, fighting police) are strategically detrimental for mass movements. They:

• Limit active participation
• Alienate potential sympathizers
• Boost the opposition
• Provide pretext for state repression

Violence harms movements. Governments often try to provoke violence to discredit movements and justify crackdowns. Agent provocateurs infiltrate groups to instigate destructive acts. Movements lacking nonviolent discipline are vulnerable to such manipulation, as seen with SDS and some Occupy actions.

Nonviolent discipline. Maintaining nonviolent discipline, even under repression, is crucial. It creates asymmetrical conflict, turning the opponent's violence against them (political jiu-jitsu). It also allows movements to highlight systemic violence without being painted as the aggressors. Judi Bari's push for nonviolent discipline in Earth First! was key to building broader support for redwood defense.

10. An Ecology of Change Sustains Progress

The point of momentum-driven organizing is not to deny the contributions of other approaches. But it is to suggest a simple and urgent idea: that uprising can be a craft, and that this craft can change our world.

Beyond the whirlwind. Mass mobilizations excel at creating crises and shifting public opinion, but they often struggle with institutionalizing gains and sustaining long-term pressure. The Egyptian revolution, which overthrew Mubarak but later saw a return to authoritarianism, highlights this challenge.

Complementary traditions. Different organizing traditions offer complementary strengths needed across a movement's life cycle:

• Momentum-driven: Sparks uprisings, creates whirlwinds, shifts debate (e.g., April 6 Youth, Otpor).
• Structure-based: Builds lasting organizations, institutionalizes gains, defends against backlash (e.g., Muslim Brotherhood, labor unions, community groups).
• Prefigurative: Creates alternative communities, preserves values, nurtures future activists (e.g., SNCC's beloved community, Quaker abolitionists).

Integrated approach. Successful long-term change requires integrating these approaches. Momentum creates opportunities, structure formalizes gains (like the UAW leveraging the sit-down strike wave), and prefigurative communities sustain commitment through lulls. This ecology ensures that the craft of uprising contributes to enduring social progress.

Last updated: April 28, 2025