Grassroots
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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A grassroots movement (often referenced in the context of a political movement) as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is one which uses the people in a given district as the basis for a political or economic movement. Grassroots movements and organizations utilize collective action from the local level to effect change at the local, regional, national, or international level. Grassroots movements are associated with bottom-up, rather than top-down decision making, and are sometimes considered more natural or spontaneous than more traditional power structures.
The idea of grassroots is often conflated with participatory democracy. The Port Huron Statement, a manifesto seeking a more democratic society, says that to create a more equitable society, "the grass roots of American Society" need to be the basis of civil rights and economic reform movements. The terms can be distinguished in that grassroots often refers to a specific movement or organization, whereas participatory democracy refers to the larger system of governance.
Current examples
- Abahlali baseMjondolo in South Africa
- Axis of Justice in USA
- Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee in India
- Earth Hour International - Often recognized as the world's largest grass roots movement
- EZLN in Mexico
- Fanmi Lavalas in Haiti
- GlobalGiving — international
- Homeless Workers' Movement in Brazil
- Landless Peoples Movement in South Africa
- Landless Workers' Movement in Brazil
- Movement for Justice en el Barrio in USA
- Narmada Bachao Andolan in India
- Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign in South Africa
- Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2016: this has been deemed by some as a grassroots campaign because of its focus on small donations, massive rallies, and other grassroots style politicking methods.
See also
- Activism
- Astroturfing
- Community film
- Community organizing
- Fourth Estate
- Freedom of the press
- Grassroots democracy
- Grassroots fundraising
- List of newspapers in the United States
- Narrowcasting
- Press conference
- Public relations
- Saul Alinsky
