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Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals Explained

Saul Alinsky was an influential American community organizer and writer. He was born in Chicago in 1909 and dedicated his life to fighting for people's rights through community organizing. Some of his key accomplishments included organizing communities in Chicago, Rochester, and California. Alinsky developed an influential model of community organizing and authored several books outlining his philosophy and tactics. He emphasized building power through organizing, agitating communities to create conflict with power holders, and developing organizations run by community members.

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193 views31 pages

Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals Explained

Saul Alinsky was an influential American community organizer and writer. He was born in Chicago in 1909 and dedicated his life to fighting for people's rights through community organizing. Some of his key accomplishments included organizing communities in Chicago, Rochester, and California. Alinsky developed an influential model of community organizing and authored several books outlining his philosophy and tactics. He emphasized building power through organizing, agitating communities to create conflict with power holders, and developing organizations run by community members.

Uploaded by

gurbyfury
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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  • Agenda: Outlines the schedule for the event, including plans, breaks, and main activities.
  • About Saul Alinsky: Provides a brief biography and achievements of Saul Alinsky, highlighting his role in community organizing.
  • The Trinity: Explains societal divisions as categorized by Saul Alinsky, comprising the Haves, Have-Nots, and Have-a-Little, Want-Mores.
  • Alinsky's Philosophy: Discusses Saul Alinsky’s philosophical views, focusing on the balance of means and ends.
  • Vocabulary of an Organizer: Details essential terms and concepts for understanding community organization from Alinsky's perspective.
  • Education of an Organizer: Illustrates the attributes and skills necessary for effective community leadership and organization.
  • Principles of Community Organization: Outlines the guiding principles and core tactics essential for organizing communities.
  • Strategies of an Organizer: Lists strategies for community organizers to address issues and engage participants within a community.
  • Tactics for Community Organization: Presents thirteen tactical rules devised by Saul Alinsky to guide community organization efforts.
  • The Middle Class - A Call to Action: Advocates for mobilization and organization efforts targeted at the middle class for social change.
  • References: Cites sources and references utilized throughout the document for further reading and verification.

SAUL ALINSKY

01 RULES FOR
RADICALS

A REPORT BY RAFFY FLANDES FOR SW 143


AGENDA

11:00 AM Plans and Goals


02 12:45 PM Break
1:30 PM Chat with Investors and Partners
2:00 PM Community Stories
2:30 PM Fun Activities

Mintmade Designs | Opening Ceremonies


SAUL ALINSKY
1909-1972

Father of Modern Community


WHO Organizing

WAS
Born and studied in
03 SAUL Chicago

ALIN
Did graduate work at
SKY? University of Chicago and
Joliet State Prison

Work is internationally
recognized
Dedicated his life to
fight for people's rights

Was jailed from time to


time
WHAT
DID Had a Training Institute
03 for organizers
ALINS
KY DO Organized the:
Back of the Yards area
in Chicago
Black ghetto of
Rochester, New York
Mexican American
barrios of California
HAVES HAVE-NOTS
THE RICH THE POOR
Live in luxury Live in suffering
Fewest in number Most in number/masses
Secure in food and money Low-paying jobs
Powerful Change status quo
Maintain status quo THE
04
TRINITY
HAVE-A-LITTLE,
WANT-MORES
THE MIDDLE CLASS
Caught in the middle
Great world leaders
Do-Nothings
THE
04
TRINITY
ALINSKY'S
PHILOSOPHY

05

KEY OF CONVERSES ANCHORED IN OF MEANS AND ENDS


OPTIMISM
Everything has a There are 11 rules
counterpart to itself Optimism brings hope. to means and ends,
according to
Alinsky.
ONE'S CONCERN WITH MEANS AND ENDS VARIES
INVERSELY WITH ONE'S PERSONAL INTEREST
IN THE ISSUE

THE JUDGEMENT OF THE ETHICS OF MEANS


IS DEPENDENT UPON THE POLITICAL
POSITION OF THOSE SITTING IN JUDGEMENT

OF MEANS IN WAR, THE END JUSTIFIES ALMOST


06
ANY MEANS
AND ENDS
JUDGEMENT MUST BE MADE IN THE CONTEXT
OF THE TIMES IN WHICH THE ACTION
OCCURRED AND NOT FROM ANY OTHER
CHRONOLOGICAL VANTAGE POINT

CONCERN WITH ETHICS INCREASES WITH THE


NUMBER OF MEANS AVAILABLE AND VICE
VERSA
THE LESS IMPORTANT THE END TO BE DESIRED, THE
MORE ONE CAN AFFORD TO ENGAGE IN ETHICAL
EVALUATIONS OF MEANS

GENERALLY, SUCCESS OR FAILURE IS A MIGHTY


DETERMINANT OF ETHICS

THE MORALITY OF A MEANS DEPENDS ON WHETHER THE


MEANS IS BEING EMPLOYED AT A TIME OF IMMINENT
DEFEAT OR IMMINENT VICTORY
OF MEANS
06
ANY EFFECTIVE MEANS IS AUTOMATICALLY JUDGED BY AND ENDS
THE OPPOSITION AS BEING UNETHICAL

YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AND


CLOTHE IT WITH MORAL GARMENTS

GOALS MUST BE PHRASED IN GENERAL TERMS LIKE


"LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY, "OF THE COMMON
WELFARE,""PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS," OR "BREAD AND
PEACE."
OF MEANS
AND ENDS
06
VOCABULARY OF AN
ORGANIZER

POWER COMPROMISE
Words that are soft do not "If you start with nothing,
work. demand 100 percent, then
compromise for 30 percent, you're
07 30 percent ahead."
SELF INTEREST
"The myth of altruism as a EGO
motivating factor in our
behavior could arrive and Not to be confused with egotism
survive only in a society
bundled in the sterile gauze
CONFLICT
of New England puritanism and
Protestant morality" Is core to a free and open society
EDUCATION OF AN
ORGANIZER

02
CURIOSITY IRREVERENCE IMAGINATION

ORGANIZED
HUMOR PERSONALITY EGO
PRINCIPLES OF CO

IDEOLOGICAL DILEMMA
You begin with an ideological
dilemma
RESILIENT
07 DYNAMIC Must be able to adapt to the
In the early phase, everything situation
is relative and dynamic
MEANS AND ENDS
Must be practical and strategic

NON-USE OF MEANS
Downright unethical
PRINCIPLES OF CO

TACTICS
Plot to take away power from the
Haves
BUILD POWER
Change comes from power and
AGITATE
07 power comes from organizing. Bring about conflict

POWER TACTICS
Without power, you cannot have
power tactics

PURPOSE AND PROCESS


Purpose is not completely different
from process, they are on the same
line
STRATEGIES OF AN
ORGANIZER

STIR UP THE OPPOSITION


IDENTIFY ISSUES
02 DISSATISFACTION IS EVIL

CREATE A PARTICIPATE TRAIN COMMUNITY


MECHANISM MEMBERS
10
TACTICS FOR
COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION
RULE # 1

power is not only what


you have but what the
08

enemy thinks you have


RULE # 2

never go outside the


experience of your
08

people
RULE # 3

wherever possible, go
outside of the
08

experience of the enemy


RULE # 4

make the enemy live up


to their own book of
08

rules
RULE # 5

ridicule is mans most


potent weapon
08
RULE # 6

a good tactic is one


that your people enjoy
08
RULE # 7

a tactic that drags on


too long becomes a drag
08
RULE # 8

keep the pressure on


08
RULE # 9

the threat is usually


more terrifying than the
08

thing itself
RULE # 10

the major premise for tactics


08
is the development of
operations that will maintain
a constant pressure upon the
opposition
RULE # 11

if you push a negative


hard and deep enough, it
08

will break through into


its counterside
RULE # 12

the price of a
successful attack is a
08

constructive alternative
RULE # 13

pick the target, freeze


it, personalize it, and
08

polarize it
THE MIDDLE CLASS
A CALL TO ACTION

09
we must
organize
08
/
07

REFERENCES
REFERENCES

[Link]
alinsky-the-way-ahead/
11
[Link]
alinsky-a-word-about-words/

[Link]
73AE/P001814/M028420/ET/1522042781Content_SaulAlinskeysmodelofc
[Link]

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