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Some of these movements also show how the work of a few activists can sow the seeds for change that sometimes take root centuries later. These examples demonstrate the complexities around social action and how movements have achieved victory often against great odds. To understand these movements better, this post examines nine important case studies of grassroots activism stretching from the present day to as far back as the 10th century. Some campaigns are focused on an institutional change through legal reforms like treaties or even new governments, while others seek to improve social well being or provide services. Some movements remain unstructured, while others are led by central organizers. Grassroots activism also takes on many different forms. Other movements may come to represent the dominant views in society and later become controversial.
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Some movements start as controversial and later become accepted by society. Public opinion around these issues can change dramatically over time. History shows that movements are most successful when driven by local communities though, grassroots solidarity from non-local actors can be beneficial when done in concert with local organizing. Grassroots movements are complex phenomena and not all have positive impacts on society – regardless of intentions. Grassroots activism, then, can have profound impacts on current social dynamics and make it more likely that the next generation will build upon the results. Research has shown that children of activists are more likely to engage in similar social actions when they are adults. While most likely think of the term as being a modern concept, these types of actions were carried out in ancient history as well. Most social movements either rely on grassroots activism entirely or at least in part. Modern era examples include South Korea’s Candlelight Revolution, the United Farm Workers movement, the peace movement, and the Anti-Nazi boycott before World War II. Grassroots activism has played an important part in shaping human history, and the term could apply to movements going back thousands of years. Grassroots activism can sound like a vague notion at first, but the term becomes more concrete when we look at real-world examples.
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