Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals

Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals is authored by community activist Saul D. Alinsky. The book was originally published in 1971.

Alinsky provides an outline and action plan for those without power to attain it, and to leverage power to bring about change in the social and political spheres. According to Alinsky, most problems that exist in organizing movements lie in a gap between generations. The gap exists between classes of people that are separated by unequal access to capital and influence.

Summary

According to Alinsky, revolution, far from being a communist ideal, is the only means by which power is transferred from one group to another. America itself sprang from an act of revolution. The shifting evolution of ideas require that periodic revolutions take place for societies and cultures not to become stagnant. Radicals bring about change. They see the world for what it really is and wish to change it into their own image for the sake of the common good. Perceiving the world as it is—and not as they wish it to be—allows the radical to start at the right beginning and move to a definite goal.

The text describes three classes of people: the Haves; the Have-a-Little, Want-Mores; and the Have-Nots. The Haves want to keep their power, the Have-Nots want to take it, and the Have-a-Little, Want Mores want to maintain the status quo if it helps them and change it just enough to better their own prospects. Most social activists are Have-a-Little, Want Mores: they have enough to become leaders and organizers but not enough to remain satisfied.

To bring about sweeping social changes, the specific ends need to be discerned and the appropriate means chosen. Alinsky argues that reality is usually very different from imagined circumstances. The question of ethics that often plagues discussions of revolutionary action is a red herring and doesn’t acknowledge black and white moral judgments. Rather, morality is usually relative and will shift based on the circumstances—and even the outcome—of the chosen means. Even the language of the revolution must be carefully employed to avoid seeming too weak on the one hand and too ideologically driven on the other.

Any radical movement will need an organizer who can give the community direction and function as a catalyst for decision-making. In some cases, this organizer may be the leader of the revolution and figurehead for change, but in others the organizer will work behind the scenes. The organizer is defined by their ability and desire to create power for others and not keep it for themselves like a dictator. The organizer’s key skill will be their ability to communicate well. No knowledge, no matter how deep, will be of any use if it cannot be translated to others; knowledge is for the community’s benefit, not private property.

Communication must start and end with the community, as no communication can be effective if concepts and language fall outside of the community’s experience. The organizer must find a way to communicate efficiently and in a way that transfers knowledge and passion. The organizer’s ego is critical—not because the organizer should be a narcissist, but because the audience needs to be convinced of the organizer’s passion and confidence before they adopt ideas.

When convinced of the organizer’s genuineness and capability, the community can employ tactics to achieve their ends. Each situation will require different strategies and choices, but the general idea remains the same: to leverage power against the enemy so that desired ends are achieved, usually at any cost. While defined ends are important, defined means need to be more malleable and adapt to shifting circumstances and obstacles.

The tension between the Haves and Have-Nots can be assuaged only by forming new bonds of community and companionship. Most people who fall outside the Haves at the top find themselves in situations defined by despair, hopelessness, anxiety, and fear. To change this, the status quo and societal framework must be altered significantly. Compromises will need to be made, but with the right ideas and motivation, radicals can take the rules outlined by Alinsky and make lasting changes to communities and societies.

This study guide was written using the Kindle edition of the Vintage Books edition of Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky, published by Random House and printed in 1989.