The history and foundations of the most influential political and social movements in the world form the basis of this book. A selection of movements is covered, including a number of political philosophies—democracy, socialism, communism, fascism—that seek to define the way that people should be ruled. These are the organized concepts and beliefs that, once put into practice by dedi-cated interest groups, have changed the world—sometimes for the better, sometimes not.
By their very nature, political and social movements deal with two main questions: How should society be organized, and what is the best way to bring about are organization, if necessary? Naturally, the former question implies that the present arrangement of society is less than ideal—at least according to those people who wish to improve their lot. Methods of reorganizing society include persuasion and coercion. Persuasion involves appeals designed to sway people’s minds and attitudes through the dissemination of information. Coercion, on the other hand, involves the concrete use or threat of violence. This can be organized force such as military conquest or internal revolution, or guerrilla tactics such as those used by terrorists.
