Saul David Alinsky (1909-1972) was both a committed organizer and activist (founding the Industrial Areas Foundation in Chicago) and an influential writer. He hates these individuals not as persons but as symbols representing ideas or interests which he believes to be inimical to the welfare of the people. The Radical may resort to the sword but when he does he is not filled with hatred against those individuals whom he attacks. Liberals in their meetings utter bold words they strut, grimace belligerently, and then issue a weasel-worded statement ‘which has tremendous implications, if read between the lines.’ They sit calmly, dispassionately, studying the issue judging both sides they sit and still sit. Only two kinds of people can afford the luxury of acting on principle, those with absolute power and those with none and no desire to get any…everyone else who wants to be effective in politics has to learn to be ‘unprincipled’ enough to compromise in order to see their principles succeed. Mike Seal examines Alinsky’s continuing relevance to the activities of informal educators, community organizers and animateurs. His books Reveille for Radicals (1946) and Rules for Radicals (1971) were both classic explorations of organizing and remain popular today. Saul Alinsky’s work is an important reference point for thinking about community organizing and community development. Saul Alinsky, community organizing and rules for radicals.
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