Social Activists

Social activists are people who aim to bring about change in the social, political, economic, religious, environmental, or military policies of an organization or society by staging public protests and rallying social support for their cause. They generally claim to represent the views and concerns of other citizens, thereby acting not only for their own interests but also in the interest of creating a better society for all those concerned. The desired improvement could be more jobs, higher wages, lower prices, safer working conditions, more equitable laws or law enforcement, environmental protection, the end of military action, or any other [Page 1943]goal perceived to be vital to the well-being of society. These particular goals were among the motivating forces for significant social action movements that shaped the United States during the past century.

The history of social activists is a venerable one, although those who are willing to publicly challenge contemporary policies and the status quo frequently face derision and harsh criticism, if not loss of livelihood and social acceptance. Arguing for social change inevitably pits activists against those whose interests are vested in the established policies and practices. Some activists have staked and lost their lives while working to achieve their goals.

Notable historical social activists include Henry David Thoreau, who went to prison for a night for his refusal to pay taxes that would support governmental policies he disagreed with. Thoreau's 1849 essay “Civil Disobedience” pioneered the teaching of nonviolent deliberate resistance as a means of reforming objectionable laws. Mahatma Gandhi's independence movement in India against British colonialism involved long marches and hunger strikes in his effort to work collectively for peaceful change. The civil rights movement championed by Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1960s drew guidance and inspiration from Gandhi's methods. Civil disobedience was widely adopted by protestors supporting the racial integration of schools, buses, restaurants, and other social institutions. Despite King's strong advocacy of peaceful change, he was killed by those who hated his message of racial justice.

Other important social activist groups include ACT UP, a group dedicated to achieve lower prices and increased access to AIDS medication, and Greenpeace and Earth First!, two groups of environmental activists willing to engage in extreme acts of sabotage to protect the environment and intimidate those seen to be acting against nature's interests, for example, loggers and oil companies. Antiwar protests during the Vietnam War gathered support across generations and social classes to dramatically influence public opinion and ultimately U.S. policy regarding the war. Subsequent wars have also evoked antiwar protests, albeit on a much smaller scale than the Vietnam protests.

Contemporary businesses have felt the impact of social activists, although the recruiting of public support now occurs electronically more than through street marches. Most social change groups have extensive Internet mailing lists to share information and raise money more quickly and directly. The status of social activists as stakeholders has been debated but is not yet fully explored. Many corporations have learned by experience that they must take the concerns of activists seriously and respond carefully. The protests staged by social activists over the use of child labor, investments in repressive regimes, support or lack of support for benefits for domestic partners, exploitation of environmental resources, and numerous other issues have proved to have an economic impact that cannot be easily ignored. The actions of these groups serve as a vital component in maintaining the balance of power between citizens, governments, and social institutions in market-driven societies.

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