What Causes a Political Movement to Succeed

One does not get places in politics by changing peoples’ minds. One gets places by articulating and channeling sentiments that already exist. The Second World War made the civil rights movement possible in the United States. After the revelations of the Holocaust fewer people wanted to believe that racial differences matter, or that they even exist. Ironically the Nazi effort to exterminate the most superior race in existence led to the belief that there are no inferior races.

Moreover, American Negroes contributed loyally to the war effort. Many people could not understand why a black, battle scared combat veteran of the War could not dine in a restaurant that served white men who had not been in uniform. It helped that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader of genius, whose "I have a dream speech" is considered by many, including me, to be one of the greatest speeches in the English language. 

Finally, segregationists harmed their cause by responding violently to peaceful civil rights demonstrations. If Southern whites had responded to the demonstrations with calm forbearance, while waiting for the black ghetto riots to begin in Northern cities, I doubt the civil rights legislation would have been passed.

The tax revolt that began with the passing of Proposition 13 in California, and which led to the election of Ronald Reagan, was an example of a political movement that succeeded without any demonstrations at all. The tax revolt can be seen as a draft riot against the War on Poverty. By 1978 most whites in the United States did not want their tax money to be spent helping blacks.