Democracy Uprising
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      The Fed Could Help Cash-Strapped Cities and States….

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      In the Pandemic, Should We Tax the Rich?

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      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

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      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

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      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

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      It’s a Myth That Presidents Welcome Movement Pressure…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      The Fed Could Help Cash-Strapped Cities and States….

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      In the Pandemic, Should We Tax the Rich?

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      In Praise of Impractical Movements

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      Naming Our Desire: How Do We Talk About…

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      No More Miss America: A Collective Memory of…

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      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

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      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

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      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

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      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

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      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

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      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

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      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

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Democracy Uprising

  • About
    • About Mark Engler
    • About Democracy Uprising
  • Books
    • This Is An Uprising
    • How To Rule the World
  • Topics
    • All Book Reviews Environment Essays / First Person Global Economy Immigration Labor Latin America Social Movements Religion U.S. Politics / Elections War / Militarism
      Social Movements

      It’s a Myth That Presidents Welcome Movement Pressure…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      The Fed Could Help Cash-Strapped Cities and States….

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      In the Pandemic, Should We Tax the Rich?

      Social Movements

      Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

      Book Reviews

      The Pan American

      Labor

      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

      Social Movements

      In Praise of Impractical Movements

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Naming Our Desire: How Do We Talk About…

      Book Reviews

      The Pan American

      Book Reviews

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Book Reviews

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Book Reviews

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Book Reviews

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      Book Reviews

      Ordinary Outrages

      Book Reviews

      No Better Place

      Book Reviews

      In God’s Country

      Environment

      Why Wendell Matters

      Environment

      The Gulf at the Gas Station

      Environment

      Climate Disobedience

      Environment

      Farming the Everglades

      Environment

      The Winter of the Climate Denier

      Environment

      Climate of Change: An “Inside-Outside” Strategy Against Global…

      Environment

      Provoking an American Climate Crisis

      Environment

      The Real “Farmer” Story: So God Made High-Fructose…

      Essays / First Person

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      Essays / First Person

      On the Price is Right

      Essays / First Person

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Essays / First Person

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      Essays / First Person

      Republicans Among Us

      Essays / First Person

      New York Says “No”

      Essays / First Person

      The Sideshow Rebels

      Essays / First Person

      A Week in New York

      Global Economy

      Meet the Bailout’s New Slush Fund for Corporate…

      Global Economy

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Global Economy

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Global Economy

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Global Economy

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Global Economy

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Global Economy

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Global Economy

      The World Is Not Flat

      Immigration

      When Undocumented Activists Infiltrated ICE

      Immigration

      The Children of Intervention

      Immigration

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Immigration

      Science Fiction From Below

      Immigration

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Immigration

      Treated Like a Criminal

      Immigration

      When Sanctuary is Resistance

      Immigration

      The Massive Immigrants Rights Protests of 2006 Are…

      Labor

      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

      Labor

      The Case for a Social Distancing Wage

      Labor

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Labor

      Reviving the General Strike

      Labor

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Labor

      There’s Still Power in a Strike

      Labor

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Labor

      Ai-jen Poo: Organizing a Movement for Care

      Latin America

      The Pan American

      Latin America

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      Latin America

      The Children of Intervention

      Latin America

      Against Shithole Nationalism

      Latin America

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Latin America

      Kissinger Is Not Our Friend

      Latin America

      Even If You Have Nothing to Hide

      Latin America

      End Illegal Spying; Don’t Shoot the Whistleblower

      Social Movements

      It’s a Myth That Presidents Welcome Movement Pressure…

      Social Movements

      Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

      Social Movements

      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

      Social Movements

      In Praise of Impractical Movements

      Social Movements

      Latest Book: This Is An Uprising!

      Social Movements

      It’s Time We Celebrate Ella Baker Day

      Social Movements

      No More Miss America: A Collective Memory of…

      Social Movements

      When Undocumented Activists Infiltrated ICE

      Religion

      In God’s Country

      Religion

      Reverend Billy’s Holiday Shopocalypse

      Religion

      Toward the “Rights of the Poor”

      Religion

      The Pope and the Poor

      Religion

      Will the Next Pope Embrace Liberation Theology?

      Religion

      Remembering Romero

      Religion

      John Paul II’s Economic Ethics

      Religion

      Against the God of Free Trade

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      It’s a Myth That Presidents Welcome Movement Pressure…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      The Fed Could Help Cash-Strapped Cities and States….

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      In the Pandemic, Should We Tax the Rich?

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      In Praise of Impractical Movements

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Naming Our Desire: How Do We Talk About…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      No More Miss America: A Collective Memory of…

      War / Militarism

      Does It Make Sense to Protest a President…

      War / Militarism

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      War / Militarism

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      War / Militarism

      War: The Wrong Jobs Program

      War / Militarism

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      War / Militarism

      Those Who Don’t Count

      War / Militarism

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      War / Militarism

      The Dangerous Dignity of War

  • Translations
    • All Arabic Deutsch Español Français Italiano Japanese Português Thai
      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

      Deutsch

      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Arabic

      Abandoning the World Bank (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Return of Daniel Ortega (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Where’s The Jubilee? (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Last Porto Alegre (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Seattle At Five (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (in…

      Arabic

      Mexico’s Democratic Transition Still Incomplete (in Arabic)

      Deutsch

      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Deutsch

      CAFTA – am besten stillschweigend beerdigen

      Deutsch

      Bush in Mexiko

      Deutsch

      Das globale Duell in Evian

      Deutsch

      Die Rückkehr des Daniel Ortega

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

      Español

      ¿ALEC disgustado ante la pérdida de patrocinadores? Se…

      Español

      La vida en la nación prisión

      Español

      El futuro del movimiento Ocupar: solidaridad y escalada

      Español

      Matando de hambre al Tío Sam

      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

      Français

      Le pari risqué du populisme au Pérou

      Français

      Hong Kong Phooey

      Français

      Bush Nuit Même Aux Compagnies U.S.

      Français

      Le dynamisme du mouvement pour la paix

      Français

      La déroute de l’ALCA dans une Miami en…

      Français

      Ceux qui ne comptent pas

      Français

      La guerre en Irak : une expo des…

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

      Italiano

      Le promesse infrante di Obama

      Italiano

      Guantanamo deve sparire

      Italiano

      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

      Italiano

      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

      Italiano

      Economia tabù

      Italiano

      L’accesso al mercato è la risposta alla povertà?

      Italiano

      Trionfo sul debito?

      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Truth Versus Superpower (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Revenge of the Combat Cartoonist (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Uneasy Mexican Visita (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Mark Twain in Iraq (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Globalization’s “Lost Decade” (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Hawks Say the Damnedest Things (Japanese)

      Português

      A vida na Nação Prisão

      Português

      Outro pretexto?

      Português

      Imigração tem efeito positivo sobre emprego e salários

      Português

      O império hipotecado

      Thai

      Progressive Good Tidings of 2007 (in Thai)

      Thai

      2006: A Global Justice Year in Review (In…

      Thai

      WTO: Best Left For Dead? (In Thai)

      Thai

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (In…

      Thai

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (In Thai)

      Thai

      The Last Porto Alegre [Thai]

      Thai

      Globalizers, Neocons, or… ? (in Thai)

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Social MovementsU.S. Politics / ElectionsLatest Articles2019-2020

Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

by Mark Engler July 5, 2020
written by Mark Engler July 5, 2020
Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

Smart organizing during whirlwind moments seeds the ground for new waves of action in the future.

Published in The Atlantic.


Since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, crowds demanding racial justice have surged into public spaces across the country and throughout the world—with solidarity actions springing up in South Korea and South Africa, Argentina and Australia. Domestically, demonstrations have materialized not only in major cities, but also in small-town America, including places with deeply conservative populations. As several political scientists noted in the Washington Post, “The United States rarely has protests in this combination of size, intensity and frequency; it usually has big protests or sustained protests, but not both.”

When will the protests end? And what will it mean when they do? Although all waves of mass protest are different, they tend to follow a similar course. Demonstrators can’t stay in the streets forever. When they relent, though, that doesn’t mean they have stopped caring—or that the movement is over. If protests die, their goals and ideas can survive as the ongoing work of organizing continues.

Highly visible protests are only one part of social movements. While movements as a whole are propelled by long-term vision and deep-seated grievances, mass protests in particular emerge in response to what some theorists call “trigger events.” Here, a dramatic incident such as a natural disaster, a media exposé, a political scandal, or a killing may ignite passions and prompt outrage, sending people into the streets. A moment of unrest may extend for weeks or even months, especially when guided skillfully by organizers.

But activists trying to sustain momentum face serious headwinds. The media is fickle in its attention, and a flitting spotlight makes it harder for activists to be seen and to draw in new people. Already, although issues of racial justice raised by the protest remain a critical part of public discussion, headlines have moved away from focus on street actions and instead turned to stories such as President Trump’s reelection rallies and the surge in new coronavirus cases.

Another factor that can slow protests is that they demand a serious commitment of time and energy from participants; eventually, many tire out. As the weeks stretch on, the pressures of ordinary life begin to reassert themselves, and people must return to responsibilities that they might have set aside in a moment of crisis. Some of those who are most committed may be encumbered with arrest and subsequent, time-consuming legal entanglements. As just one example, protests at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 2000 resulted in hundreds of arrests, bail as high as $1 million for those deemed “ringleaders,” and a subsequent legal battle that took years to resolve.

Either due to strategic calculation or exhaustion, some protest participants may shift their energies into more institutional channels. For instance, many of those who protested the Iraq War in early 2003 turned to focus on electoral work by the summer or fall, believing that the campaigns of candidates such as Howard Dean represented the best hope of unseating George W. Bush and thereby repudiating the war.

Political officials and other targets may offer short-term concessions to movements or invite high-profile protesters to sit on commissions to propose policy solutions. Optimists might cite these as positive examples of reform. Critics are more likely to label them examples of “cooptation” and point out that the changes enacted are only small steps toward addressing the root causes of an issue. Depending on the particulars, either or both assessments could be right (although the fact that corporate PR agencies recommend task forces and advisory boards as means of “managing activism” would suggest that skepticism is warranted). Regardless, the perception that something is being done to address protesters’ concerns can serve to blunt public discontent.

For all of these reasons, and with the passage of time, the initial shock of the trigger event fades. At that point, mass protests decline and other components of social movements tend to come back to the fore—that is, until a new trigger reignites the prospect of revolt.

Mass mobilizations take place within a wider ecosystem of social movement activity. Other pieces of movements include building long-term organizations—such as unions and community groups—and taking on “inside-game” work, like electoral campaigns and legislative lobbying. Still other segments of a movement might devote themselves to political education, cultivating personal transformation at the individual level (through spiritual and cultural programs), or to building alternative institutions (such as community spaces, bookstores, food co-ops, and independent media). All of these types of organizing contribute to the movement’s long-term impact, even if they might have varying importance at different times in a movement’s lifecycle.

When a period of peak protest inevitably fades, media commentators often declare the movement dead and decry its inability to realize lasting change. Occupy Wall Street, for example, is regularly cited as a failure, despite the fact that it contributed to a major change in the conversation about economic inequality in America and helped pave the way for the mainstream acceptance of candidates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. It is more accurate to say that mass protests come and go in cycles. Organizers laboring on the changed terrain that large-scale mobilizations leave behind can help prepare for future uprisings—establishing infrastructure that can help movements respond when new trigger events launch fresh waves of indignation. The current round of racial justice actions, for instance, owes a significant part of its vitality to the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted during the Obama administration and the organizing that has continued since.

More than ever, America has awakened to patterns of structural racism and the systemic nature of police abuses. Until that system changes, we should expect that even as older waves of mass demonstration recede, new ones are sure to rise.

__________

Photo credit: Vasanth Rajkumar / Wikimedia Commons.

Mark Engler

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century.

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The Author

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century (Nation Books). Mark’s full bio is available here.

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  • The Fed Could Help Cash-Strapped Cities and States. Mnuchin Has Other Ideas.

    November 20, 2020
  • In the Pandemic, Should We Tax the Rich?

    October 30, 2020
  • Mass Protests May Fade, But Movements Persist

    July 5, 2020
  • The Pan American

    August 13, 2018

Mark’s Articles Appear In:

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  • Dollars & Sense
  • Progreso Semanal
  • Chicago Reader
  • Sin Permiso
  • Baltimore Sun
  • The Ecologist
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  • New Politics
  • The Catholic Worker
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