Inciting Democracy

A Practical Proposal for Creating a Good Society

How we can develop and sustain
a powerful, grassroots social change movement

by Randy Schutt

List of Figures

List of Sidebars

Acknowledgments

Summary

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Preface

• Why I Wrote This Book
• A Vision
• • An Educated, Broad-Based Movement
  • But How Is It Possible?
  • How Does It Begin?
• The Structure of This Book
• • Ways to Read This Book
• The Focus on the United States
• A Note on Usage
• Join the Dialog
• Notes

Chapter 1: Background

• The Impetus for This Project
• • My Early Inspiration
  • The Encouraging Sixties
  • The Inspiring Seventies
  • Some Accomplishments
  • A Promising Vision
  • Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back — The Potential Unrealized
• Perhaps the Times Just Aren’t Ripe for Change
• Is It Even Possible?
• • Are Humans Innately Evil?
  • Is There a Shortage of Critical Resources?
  • Are There No Viable Solutions?
  • Is Society Too Far Gone?
• Reasons for Hope
• So What Are We Doing Wrong?
• Notes

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Chapter 2: Elements of A Good Society

• Basic Elements of a Good Society
• • Rudimentary Democratic Consent
  • Universal Access to Human Essentials
  • Access to Other Desirable Items
  • Freedom and Liberty
  • Equity and Fairness
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Balance
• Additional Characteristics of a Good Society
• • Humane and Compassionate
  • Democratic and Responsible
  • Tolerant and Wise
  • Fun
• Not Paradise
• A Comprehensive Mix of Four Components
• Examples of a Good Society
• • Family, Children, and Social Interaction
  • Education
  • Economics
  • Resources
  • Cities, Neighborhoods, and Transportation
  • News Media
  • Foreign Policy and National Defense
  • Government
  • Democratic Structures
  • Decision-Making System
  • Safety
  • Addictions and Drug Policy
• Making This Vision Possible
• Notes

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Chapter 3: Obstacles to Progressive Change

• Misguided Criticisms
• • Miss the Mark
  • Five Primary Obstacles
• Obstacle 1: Adverse Power Structure
• • At the Top
  • The Upper Class
  • The Power Elite and the Power Structure
  • The Might of the Power Elite
  • Elite Interests Usually Win
  • Elite Interests Dictate Foreign Policy
  • Elite Power is Hidden
  • Progressive Change is Subverted
  • Vulnerability and Fear Induce Conservatism
• Obstacle 2: Destructive Cultural Conditioning
• Obstacle 3: Dysfunctional Emotional Conditioning
• • A Sick Society
  • Emotional Shackles
• Obstacle 4: Widespread Ignorance
• • Ignorance Greatly Hinders Change
• Obstacle 5: Scarcity of Progressive Resources
• • Living in the Cracks
  • Scrambling for Money
  • Inadequate Personal Support
  • Burnout
• Overcoming these Five Obstacles
• Notes

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Chapter 4: Elements of an Effective Strategy for Democratic Transformation

• Some Strategies of the Past
• • Violent Revolution
  • Historical Materialism
  • A Vanguard Party
  • Countercultural Transformation
  • Alternative Institutions
  • Mass Advertising
  • Technological Advances
  • Conventional Electoral Politics
  • Mass Social Movements
  • Incremental Change
• Crucial Characteristics of Fundamental Change Efforts
• • Powerful and Inspiring
  • Focused on Broad, Fundamental, and Enduring Change
  • Reliant on Ordinary People
  • Democratic and Responsive
  • Focused on Ending Oppression, Not Toppling Individual Oppressors
  • Nonviolent
  • Moral, Principled, True to Ideals, with the Means in Harmony with the Ends
  • Direct and Personal
• A Strategy for Democratic Transformation
• Mass Education and Powerful Social Change Movements
• Six Essential Components of an Effective Strategy
• • 1. Clear Conceptions of Progressive Change
  • 2. Widespread Education
  • 3. Widespread Emotional Therapy
  • 4. A Supportive Community for Progressive Activists
  • 5. Large Numbers of Activists Working Simultaneously for Progressive Change
  • 6. Concerted Change Efforts Continuing for Many Years
• An Effective Strategy that Incorporates these Components
• Notes

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Chapter 5: A Strategic Program to Create a Good Society

• A Strategic Program
• • 1. Lay the Groundwork
  • 2. Gather Support
  • 3. Struggle for Power
  • 4. Diffuse Change Throughout Society
• Overlapping Stages
• Leadership Roles for Each Stage
• Tiered Structure
• • Very Active Vernal Graduates
  • Steadfast Activists
  • Progressive Advocates
  • Everyone
• If Not Now, When?
• Strong Enough?
• Nonviolent Struggle
• • The Power of Nonviolent Struggle
  • Elements of Effective Nonviolent Campaigns
  • Steps in Nonviolent Campaigns
  • Preparing for a Nonviolent Action
  • The Danger of Nonviolent Struggle
  • Twelve Principles of Strategic Nonviolent Struggle
• Summing Up
• Notes

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Chapter 6: The Vernal Education Project

• Design Criteria for the Vernal Education Program
• • Philosophy of Education for Progressive Change
• Overview of the Vernal Education Program and Network
• • Mission of the Vernal Education Program
• Details of the Vernal Education Program
• • 1. Study Groups
  • 2. Internships
  • 3. Social Change Work
  • 4. Social Service Work
  • 5. Self-Study of Current Affairs
  • 6. Workshops
  • 7. Health and Exercise
  • 8. Support Groups/Therapy/Body Work
  • 9. Socializing and Networking
  • 10. Other Resources
  • Synergistic Learning
• A Vernal Student’s Time
• A Possible Vernal Curriculum
• • General Areas of Knowledge
  • Study Group Topics
  • Workshop Class Topics
  • Reading Lists
  • Workshop Notes and Agendas
  • Researching and Developing the Curriculum
  • Educational Methods and Style
• Vernal Staffmembers
• • Background and Skills
  • Staff Hiring and Pay
• Vernal Students
• • Admission Requirements
  • Likely Applicants
• The Vernal Education Network
• • Vernal Centers
  • Network Governance
  • Affiliation with Other Organizations
• The Growth of the Vernal Education Network
• • Three Steps
  • Three Phases
  • A Political Education Movement
  • A Note on Overall Size
• Vernal Project Finances
• • Expenses
  • Tuition
  • Tuition Income
  • Net Finances
• Meeting the Design Criteria
• Other Educational Programs
• Carrying Out Stage 1 of the Strategic Program
• Notes

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Chapter 7: Building a Powerful, Democratic Social Change Movement

• About Vernal Graduates
• • Characteristics of Vernal Graduates
  • Financial Support of Vernal Graduates
• The Total Number of Very Active and Less Active Graduates
• The Influence of Vernal Activists
• Vernal Activists’ Focus of Activity
• • General Methods of Change
  • Tactics for Changing Society
  • Building Citizen Movements for Progressive Change
  • Overcoming Emotional and Cultural Obstacles
• The Distribution and Tasks of Vernal Activists
• • Very Active Vernal Graduates
  • Less Active Vernal Graduates
  • Vernal Students
  • An Example
• Creating Cooperative Activist Communities
• • Supportive and Educational Change Organizations
  • Communities of Support
  • Interconnected Communities
• The Overall Contribution of Vernal Activists
• Realizing Stage 2 of the Strategic Program
• Notes

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Chapter 8: Melissa’s Story: A Tale Illustrating Some Aspects of the Vernal Education Project

• A Bad Meeting Gets Better
• An Emotional Snag
• Melissa’s Revelation
• A Beautiful Vision
• Things Go Better with Good Support
• Powerfully Challenging Oppression
• Building a Broad Alliance

Chapter 9: Transforming Society

• The Dynamics of Societal Change
• • Diffusion of Innovations
  • The Dynamics of Conflictive Societal Change
• Transformation Scenarios
• • Lay the Groundwork
  • Gather Support
  • Struggle for Power
  • Diffuse Change throughout Society
  • A Possible Scenario for Fundamental Change
  • A Typical Failing Scenario
• Hope
• • Another Major Obstacle: Hopelessness
  • The Hope Factor
• Summing Up
• Notes

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Chapter 10: Implementing the Vernal Project

• Five Phases
• • Development Phase D1: Conceptualize, Plan, and Generate Interest
  • Development Phase D2: Develop and Test the Curriculum
  • Phase 1: Launch the First Vernal Center and Prepare for Expansion
  • Phase 2: Replicate the Vernal Center across the United States
  • Phase 3: Maintain at a Stable Level, Then Evaluate and End
• A Note on Speed
• Next Steps: Launching the Vernal Project
• • Requirements Before Proceeding
  • My Role
  • What You Can Do
• Summing Up

Chapter 11: Some Objections and Concerns

• Summary
• Questions and Concerns
• • Is It Possible to Create a Good Society?
  • Is Democracy Possible and Desirable?
  • Are the Five Obstacles Enumerated the Real Obstacles to Positive Change?
  • Is This the Right Strategy for Change?
  • Would the Vernal Project Distort Progressive Change Movements?
  • Will This Strategy Take Too Long?
  • What About…?
  • Still…
• Notes

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Chapter 12: Resources

• Books and Articles
• • Visions of a Good Society
  • • Utopian Novels
    • Socialism
    • Anarchism
    • Other Visions
  • Critiques of Society
  • • General
    • The Power Elite
    • Corporations
    • Distribution of Wealth
    • Economics
    • The Environment
    • Communication Media
    • Hunger
    • Racism
    • Prisons
    • Suppression of Activists
    • Competition
    • Feminist Critiques
    • Children
    • Childrearing
    • Schools
    • Other Destructive Cultural Norms
    • Groupthink and Cults
  • Social Change History
  • • General
    • The Populist Movement (1870s–1890s)
    • Early Twentieth Century Efforts
    • The Labor Movement
    • Efforts in the 1950s
    • The 1960s Movements
    • Movements in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s
  • Methods of Changing Society
  • • Theory and Analysis
    • Simple Living
    • Overcoming Destructive Cultural Norms
    • Overcoming Dysfunctional Emotional Conditioning
    • Education
    • Persuasion and Lobbying
    • Building Social Change Movements
    • Community Organizing
    • Organizing Manuals and Handbooks
    • Action Handbooks
    • Nonviolent Struggle
    • Building Social Change Organizations
    • Cooperative Decision-Making
    • Building Activist Finances
    • Other
  • Other Cited Works
• Book Publishers
• Magazines
• Radio Programs
• Web Sites
• Notes

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Appendix A: Some Positive Near-Term Policy Changes

• Steps Toward a Good Society
• • Elections
  • Citizen Access to Information
  • Employment and Poverty
  • Personal Income Taxes
  • Corporate Taxes and Subsidies
  • Other Taxes
  • Defense
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Corporate Accountability
  • International Agreements
  • Unions
  • Banking
  • Housing
  • News Media
  • Childrearing Assistance
  • Childcare
  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Environment
  • Discrimination
  • Community Development
  • Domestic Violence
  • Gun Control
  • Conversion
  • Drug Policy
  • Law Enforcement and Prisons
• Notes

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Appendix B: Additional Figures (Associated with Chapter 6)

• Vernal Workshops
• Vernal Program Time Allocation
• Vernal Staffmember Time Allocation
• Vernal Program Tuition
• Vernal Regions and Centers
• Vernal Center Replication
• Number of Vernal Staffmembers

Appendix C: Even More Figures (Associated with Chapters 7 and 9)

• The Number of Vernal Graduates
• Amount of Effort Directed toward Fundamental Progressive Change
• • Current Efforts
  • Supplemental Gain Provided by Vernal Activists
• Monetary Contributions of Additional Progressive Advocates
• How Population Turnover Can Accelerate Change
• • Population Turnover
  • General Effect of Progressive Movements
  • Specific Numbers
  • Influence on Various Age Cohorts
• Notes

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