| abstract |
Social movements are pivotal in driving societal change by challenging the status quo and envisioning a more equitable future. This dissertation delves into the complexities of attributing specific outcomes to social movements, with a focus on the American Independence, Abolition, and Civil Rights movements. Despite their varied results, these movements are united by a common belief in equality and justice as fundamental ideals. Societies are inherently subject to change, and social movements emerge from the conviction that individuals can shape the future by questioning their current state and envisioning their desired direction. Directly linking social movements to specific events, such as wars, is challenging, as evidenced by the American Independence and Civil Rights movements. Landmark legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, was accompanied by societal unrest, illustrating the varied perceptions of success within the movement and the societal backlash it faced. The United States, while founded on ideals of liberty and justice, also engaged in exploitation and violence against minorities. This contradiction is reflected in foundational documents that espouse revolutionary ideals while simultaneously protecting slavery. The Declaration of Independence asserts universal equality and inalienable rights endowed by a creator, grounding the belief that no individual has inherent authority over another without consent. Leaders such as Garrison and Douglass emphasized the equality of all individuals and the necessity of suffrage and civil rights for African Americans, countering prevailing notions of inferiority. Leaders and participants in social movements must maintain hope and faith in progress, a theme echoed from the Founders to civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. King's "I Have a Dream" Speech: King framed the civil rights struggle as a quest to fulfill a promissory note guaranteeing unalienable rights to all Americans, emphasizing the refusal to accept injustice as final. Social movements involve leaders, participants, and politicians; ideals often become compromised through political processes, as seen in the Constitution's concessions to slavery and the ongoing paradox of American ideals versus practices.
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