Community Organizer - Researcher and Implanter of The Mass Line

Hijacking and Re-Defining/ Repurposing Causes of Social Suffering

Saul Alinsky, Community Organizer and Author of "Rules for Radicals", the American version of the Maoist peasant "Mass Line" and "Cultural Revolution"

from Google AI:

Saul Alinsky was a prominent 20th-century American community organizer and writer widely considered the founder of modern community organizing. His tactics for empowering marginalized people to fight for their rights have been both highly influential and controversial. 

Key concepts of Alinsky's community organizing

Alinsky developed an approach for helping poor and working-class communities organize to challenge existing power structures. His model is outlined in his influential books, Reveille for Radicals (1946) and Rules for Radicals (1971). 

The core tenets of his philosophy include:

• Building power through relationships: Alinsky emphasized that power comes from having both organized money and organized people. He trained organizers to build power by forging relationships among community members and with existing local institutions, like churches.
• Pragmatism over ideology: Alinsky rejected rigid ideology, believing organizers must adapt tactics to specific situations to win concrete, achievable victories. He famously argued that "the end justifies almost any means" and that a successful tactic is one that a community enjoys.
• Confrontation and conflict: Alinsky believed social change happens through conflict, not consensus. His strategies often involved direct, confrontational action to create tension and force concessions from those in power.
• Strategic polarization: He advised organizers to personalize and polarize conflicts by identifying a specific "villain" to focus on. This tactic serves to simplify complex problems and motivate people by clearly defining a target. 

Alinsky's impact and legacy

Alinsky’s methods and his Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), which he founded in 1940, have trained and inspired generations of organizers. 

His legacy is evident in:

• Social and political movements: Alinsky’s work influenced many figures and movements, including Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta of the United Farm Workers.
• Contemporary organizing networks: The IAF continues its work, and other major organizing networks like People's Action and Faith in Action are based on his model.
• Ongoing political debate: Alinsky remains a controversial figure whose work is debated across the political spectrum. He is frequently cited by political commentators and candidates, with both liberals and conservatives drawing from his tactical playbooks. 

His emphasis on winning practical victories, rather than focusing on broad ideological goals, has been a central point of criticism from both the political left and right.

How to Make a Useful Idiot