Some "issue raising" protests do seem to achieve very strong cut-through with media/public narrative - the high street anti-tax-dodging protests definitely brought the issue into the wider consciousness, but I'm not sure too many tax loopholes actually got closed as a result. I think some are too generic for their own good - what was, fundamentally, the "point" of the Occupy protests? Scrap capitalism and then...? I don't think anybody knew, and even if there was discontent with the current system, I don't think it translated into much. The suffragettes, XR and the People's Vote campaign all have/had very clear and (to varying degrees) actionable objectives.
I think that's right. NGOs are fond of talking about needing a "Theory of Change" - before starting a campaign, set out what success would look like and why what you plan to do will help get there. That desn't rule out self-indulgent protests - I think the Occupy events as you say failed to give a clear impression of what they wanted, but maybe the idea was just to enjoy themselves and cock a snook at big business? - not a very worthy goal, but if that's what they wanted then probably felt they'd got it. But if you don't know where you're trying to get to, you probably won't get there.
Comments