Political movement

A political movement is a group of people working together to change government policy or social values. These movements start because people want to challenge the way things are currently done, known as the status quo. They are often guided by a shared set of beliefs or ideas, called an ideology.

There are different ways to think about why political movements begin. One idea is the political opportunity theory, which suggests that movements grow because of certain situations that make change possible. Another idea is the resource mobilization theory, which says movements happen when people organize well and have the tools they need.

Political movements are related to political parties because both try to influence the government. However, while political parties deal with many issues, movements often focus on just one big problem or goal. This focus helps bring attention and action to important topics that people care about.

Political movement theories

Some ideas help us understand why political movements start. One idea is the political opportunity theory. This theory says that political movements begin because of chances or changes in the government or political world. These chances can help people start a movement, even if they don’t have many resources.

Another idea is the resource mobilization theory. This theory says that political movements are planned and organized carefully. Movements need money, help from people, and good planning to grow. This theory shows that movements are not just sudden protests but are built with strategy and support.

Relation to political parties

Political movements are different from political parties. Movements focus on one big issue and are not about getting people elected to government jobs. They are often informal groups that use creative ways to reach their goals. Political parties try to change government policy by choosing candidates to run for office.

Even though they are different, both political movements and parties want to change government in some way and often share similar ideas. Parties take part in elections and tell people about important issues, sometimes by holding protests.

Sometimes, political movements grow into political parties. For example, the 15-M Movement in Spain, which was against unfair economic rules, helped start the party Podemos. In Brazil, labor movements helped create the Brazilian Workers' Party. These kinds of parties are called movement parties. They help bring attention to the main issue the movement cares about.

Examples

Political movements are groups of people who work together to change laws or ideas in society. Some movements want to change government decisions, like the anti-war movement or the ecology movement.

Others aim to give more rights to groups that have been treated unfairly, such as the women's suffrage movement, the civil rights movement, or the disability rights movement.

Some movements focus on helping workers or supporting specific countries. For example, there are movements that support workers' rights, like the labour movement, or movements that want countries to be free from rule by others, like Rātana and Sinn Féin.

In recent years, movements like the Black Lives Matter Movement and the Arab Spring have made big changes in how governments work. Sometimes, these movements grow so strong that they change the whole way a country is run.

Mass movements

A mass movement is when many people join together to support a political party or idea. Some ideas, like communism, fascism, and liberalism, often try to create mass movements. Communists and fascists may use these groups to change or protect a government. Liberals encourage many people to join in democratic elections.

Scientists who study mass movements look at topics like leadership, small active groups, and how people feel and think in large groups. These ideas started from early studies about how crowds behave and later grew to include how whole societies think and act together.