Grassroots
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other meanings, see Grass roots (disambiguation).
A grassroots political movement is one driven by the constituents of a community. The term implies that the genesis of the described political movement is natural yet spontaneous and imposes a dichotomy between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures.
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[edit] Technique
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This article or section deals primarily with the United States and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
Grassroots organize and lobby through procedures including:
- house meetings/parties
- larger meetings - AGM's
- putting up posters
- talking with pedestrians on the street (often involving informational clipboards)
- gathering signatures for petitions
- setting up information tables
- raising money from many small donors for political advertising or campaigns
- organizing large demonstrations
- asking individuals to submit opinions to media outlets and government officials
- get out the vote activities which includes the practices of reminding people to vote and/or transporting them to polling places.
[edit] Origins
In the United States, the first use of the word "grassroots and boots" is thought to have been coined by Senator Albert Jeremiah Beveridge of Indiana, who declared of the Progressives Party in 1912 that: "This party [the Progressive Party] has come from the grass roots. It has grown from the soil of people's hard necessities." [1]
Faking a grassroots movement is known as astroturfing. Astroturfing - as the name suggests - is named after a popular artificial lawn, astroturf. Astroturfing is similar in practice of the grassroots movement, except that those behind it, the lobbyists, hide their agenda by appearing as specific individuals voicing their opinions. The term has incorporated itself into common speech. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Courtesy: Eigen's Political & Historical Quotations Beveridge, Albert J. (05-20-06).
- ^ Walter Truett Anderson. "Astroturf -- The Big Business of Fake Grassroots Politics", 01-05-96.
[edit] See also
- Grassroots democracy
- grassroots organizing
- Public Relations
- GlobalGiving
- Astroturfing
- List of grassroots organizations
- Teaching for social justice
[edit] External link
- The Citizen's Handbook (guides to grassroots/community organizing)
