Political movements are organized groups attempting to change behavior and mindset on social issues, often leading to legislation. Examples include the civil rights movement and the pursuit of same-sex marriage rights. These movements often have recognizable leaders and use various tactics to gain support. Success depends on the effectiveness of supporters in convincing others.
In any story that includes organized government, there are likely to be stories of at least one political movement, if not numerous. These are characterized by an organized group within a society attempting to change behaviour, possibly by voting for new measures but also working to change people’s minds, about a specific issue. This is not the same as belonging to a political party where the main goal is to vote for candidates with party affinity. Instead, it usually involves some social issue in which people take a keen interest.
For example, the civil rights movement in the United States in the 1960s onward was a political movement. The people involved in what most consider an extraordinary achievement in conveying American thought weren’t necessarily marching or boycotting to get one person elected to office. Instead, the group of people who were at the heart of this political movement were doing everything they could to change people’s minds about the need to perceive races as equal. This eventually led to political legislation that helped desegregate schools, ensure workplace fairness, and ban discriminatory activities on several fronts. The fact that people did so much to convince others that this legislation was worthwhile gave it a broad base of support, although certainly there was opposition to it as well.
Sometimes a political movement gains momentum because it has a strong and recognizable leader. The civil rights movement has certainly had more than one, with people like Malcolm X and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. These leaders may be the convergence point for the movement, and if they are also skilled speakers, they may be able to reach a large audience and convince them of the good of social and political purposes. This is not always the case, and some movements lack a central figure that is recognizable to those who are not insiders.
It is important to see that the political movement usually has social goals as well. It is not just an attempt to pass certain legislation. It is an attempt to change people’s mindset on social issues that may require legislation for further change.
One modern political movement that continues to be controversial in this regard is the pursuit of same-sex couples’ rights to marriage, which many see as an extension of the civil rights movement. While some US states have granted these rights, others have not and continue to deny them. There is also a countermovement, with many people seeking to ensure marriage rights remain exclusive to straight couples.
While gay rights activists would like to see marriage made free for all people regardless of gender, marriage activists try to convince people that marriage should be exclusive. Both sets of political movements are in favor of legislation defining marriage. The former would prefer to define marriage as between two people of any gender, while the latter often favors a constitutional amendment that defines marriage only as between a man and a woman. These movements do more than march and organize; they also fund things like commercials in hopes of changing other people’s minds and gaining support for their point of view.
It is not difficult to find political movements in history. The Temperance movement in the United States has sought to ban alcohol, achieving this goal for a while, and has often been closely tied to the movement to gain the right to vote for women. Sometimes groups like the Suffragettes have to take years to achieve their goals, and some political movements fail, with people gradually losing interest in the cause. It always begins, however, with the hope that other people will be influenced, and the success of a political movement may depend on the effectiveness of its supporters in convincing others.
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