Today in Labor History January 30, 1909: Organizer Saul Alinsky was born in Chicago, Illinois. He worked with the Industrial Areas Foundation, in Chicago, helping tenants fight their landlords. In 1972, he published "Rules for Radicals," a guide for organizers and community activists. The first rule was: “Power is not only what you have, but what your enemy thinks you have.” Another rule was "Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also, it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."
There are a lot of valid criticisms one could make of Alinsky’s politics. But his strategies for community organizing are pretty sound. If you are wanting to organize your workplace or community and aren’t really sure where to start, or how to do it, you could start by reading up on Alinsky’s organizing methods.
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