Counterpower
Making Change Happen

Counterpower: Making Change Happen by Tim Gee (Paperback) (ISBN: 9781780260327)

This book argues that no major campaign has ever been successful without Counterpower, defined as “the power that the ‘have-nots’ can use to remove the power of the ‘haves’”. This contention is examined by investigating the history and tactics of the suffrage movement, the labour movement, the anti-war movement, the anti-colonial movement, the environmental movement and today’s global justice/anti-globalisation movement.

In the context of the financial crisis and the threat of climate change, engagement in system critical social movements is on the increase. Yet there is currently no book available that both delves in to the historical social movements and the strategies that they used for success.

Furthermore, there is a clear need for a book to demystify the power dynamics of successful social change, to persuade those who believe that activism doesn’t make a difference that it can, and it does.

Tim Gee works with campaigning organisations to support collective campaigns. He is active with the Climate Camp and numerous grassroots community campaigns. He has an MA in Politics from Edinburgh University, where he was also active in the student movement. Tim has contributed to several campaigning guides and manuals as well as delivering training sessions for activists.

This book argues that no major campaign has ever been successful without Counterpower, defined as the power that the 'have-nots' can use to remove the power of the 'haves'A". This contention is examined by investigating the history and tactics of the suffrage movement, the labour movement, the anti-war movement, the anti-colonial movement, the environmental movement and today's global justice/anti-globalisation movement.

Introduction, How Counterpower helps movements win, How India achieved its independence, How Governments respond to Counterpower, How the Vietnam War was stopped, How apartheid was ended in South Africa, How the vote was won in Britain, How movements resist corporate power, How Egyptians overthrew their president,
Conclusion: Making change happen